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Monkey

The ape-like figure combines zoomorphic and anthropomorphic attributes. It assumes a relaxed, sleeping posture. Its wide mouth corresponds to the mouth section of the zoomorphic stone sculptures from the Palmar Group (1550-1000d.C.). The thin, long fingers give the figure an expressive look. The function of the handle is unknown. It is conceivable that the figure was hung, pinned up or pulled onto a textile. Although the object design emphasises the frontal view, there are also figures with a side view (cf. objects IV Ca 34192 and IV Ca 34193) and a top view (cf. object IV Ca 34288). Mason (1945: 270, Fig. 24a) depicts an anthropo-zoomorphic stone sculpture whose design corresponds closely with the inventoried metal object. The small, kneeling figure belongs to the Keith Collection and comes from the Las Mercedes site (1550-1000d.C.). (Künne 2005)

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Data Provider
Ethnologisches Museum Show original at data provider

Cataloguing data

Object type
Animal figurine made of gold-copper alloy as a pendant
Dimensions
Height: 2,5 cm
Depth: 1,8 cm
Width: 1,6 cm
Weight: 14,9 g
Material/Technique
Alloy (copper), Alloy (gold)
Current location
Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Inventory number
IV Ca 32023

Provenance and sources

  • Production
    when
    700
    where
    Costa Rica
    San José
    Pérez Zeledón
    El General
    who
    Alice Mertens
  • Collecting
    who
    Felix Wiß - Former Possessors
  • Change of legal title:
    Acquisition
    Description
    Donation from Felix Wiß 1909
  • Assignment to a curated holding:
    American Archaeology

Information about the record

Legal status metadata
CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED
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