Materials valued by Indigenous Colombians are those that relate to the processes and cycles of life, such as feather, shells, and clay. Clay, for example, is linked to the earth; its transformation into ceramic wares through the use of fire is akin to gestation and birth. Quartz, which is translucent and seems to capture light, is used to connect with or hold creative thought.
  
While Europeans valued gold and emeralds solely for their connection to personal wealth, these materials are significant for different reasons to Indigenous Colombians. Emeralds were never polished and were valued for their color and hexagonal structure rather than their clarity. Similarly, the Gunadule necklace in this vitrine ignores the face value of coins and instead appreciates their color and reflective qualities as part of personal adornment.