Various gold artifacts: Remains of an animal torso (center left and top right), tail and tubular ears (bottom left), nails (top center and bottom right), two large ears (bottom center)

Remains of an animal torso (center left and top right), tail and tubular ears (bottom left), nails (top center and bottom right), two large ears (bottom center) ; The gold rhinoceros is the only complete and restored animal unearthed at Mapungubwe. However, two other torsos lie among the fragments of torn gold, other ears and tapered solid tails and the remains of the snout of a gold buffalo. These were probably sacred animals made from fine gold foil that was hammered, engraved, coiled, and pierced along the edges or seams and then mounted onto wood. The foil was then tacked with minute gold nails to wooden objects that have long since decayed.