Small, three-legged bowl with a domed base and slightly convex wall. The object has a deep rim and three squat, conical legs. It has been smoothed, sanded, primed and painted on both sides. Its exterior has incised decorations. The primer and paint are partially eroded. The pottery has a white-yellowish base colour, which is painted red-orange and black-brown. A glyph-like element appears on the outside of the vessel wall and is repeated several times. It has a U-shaped form that is bordered by an incised line. Horizontal red-orange bands run along the base and on the inside of the vessel wall. The front sides of the three legs are painted red-orange. Symbolic meaning: the glyph-like sign probably represents a shortened lizard or snake, whose open maw appears as a dotted U-shape. Cultural significance: the objects of the Papagayo Policromo group represent the beginning of polychrome painting on a white-yellowish ground in the Gran Nicoya region. The tradition lasted until the Policromo Tardío (1350-1520d.C.). Its decoration shows a strong Mesoamerican influence. This manifests itself in the replacement of lizard and bat themes with depictions of cats of prey and snakes. The ceramics served as supra-regional trade goods. (Künne 2004)