Aerodynamic Characterisation of a Pre‐Columbian Zoomorphic Artifact: Integrating High‐Fidelity Cfd and Wind Tunnel Experiments

Abstract

This study rigorously investigates the aerodynamic performance of a pre-Columbian zoomorphic artifact as the Tolima that exhibits wing-like features, merging advanced aerospace engineering with cultural heritage analysis. A high-resolution 3D model was reconstructed from photogrammetric scans, and its aerodynamic behavior was evaluated using high-fidelity CFD simulations (ANSYS Fluent and SU2) alongside controlled wind tunnel experiments. The artifact was tested over a range of angles of attack (0°–15°) and freestream velocities (2–30.6 m/s), revealing a peak lift coefficient (CL) of 1.87 at 15°—a performance comparable to modern delta-wing airfoils. Concurrently, drag coefficients (CD ≈ 0.07) and the formation of stable leading-edge vortices were observed, underscoring the artifact’s unexpected aerodynamic robustness. Despite these favorable metrics, the findings suggest that the aerodynamic characteristics likely emerged as an incidental byproduct of the artifact’s aesthetic and ritualistic design rather than from an intentional pursuit of flight. By integrating contemporary aerodynamic analysis with an anthropological perspective, this work establishes a novel framework for examining historical artifacts and challenges conventional interpretations of pre-Columbian technological intent. The interdisciplinary methodology not only validates the applicability of modern aerospace tools to ancient craftsmanship but also opens new avenues for exploring the latent functionalities embedded in cultural heritage.

Keywords: Pre-Columbian aerodynamics, ancient flight hypotheses, CFD validation, wind tunnel experiments, interdisciplinary archaeology, Tolima, Quimbaya