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Clay vessel

Flat-bottomed, deep bowl with slightly protruding, serrated rim and bevelled lip. On the wall is a medium-sized, zoomorphic head protome with a rattle ball. The creature depicted opens its mouth. It appears to have a trunk. The object has three conical legs with narrow, vertical openings. The ceramic was smoothed, slurried, primed and painted on both sides. The outside is polished. The primer and paint are slightly eroded. The outside of the object has a salmon-coloured primer that is painted red, black and orange. The lip was decorated with short, vertical lines. There are three panels on the wall with geometric and highly stylised motifs. The position of the fourth panel is occupied by a zoomorphic head protome. The two opposing sectors appear to repeat the sculptural ornamentation. The vessel legs have a bird's head-like shape and are painted. The inside of the pottery is primed red. A black band runs along the rim. According to Lothrop 1926: highland polychrome ware. Cultural significance: the type was produced exclusively in the south of the Gran Nicoya region and traded to the Central Highlands and the Atlantic region of Costa Rica. The pottery is known both from burials and from settlement contexts. It was often associated with the Altiplano Policromo group (1350-800d.C.). (Künne 2004)

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Cataloguing data

Object type
crock
Dimensions
Diameter: 11,3 cm
Wandstärke: 0,8 cm
Height: 13,3 cm
Depth: 22,8 cm
Width: 15,2 cm
Material/Technique
Sound
Current location
Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Inventory number
IV Ca 41149

Provenance and sources

  • Production
    when
    Policromo Medio (800 - 1350)
    where
    Nicaragua
  • Assignment to a curated holding:
    American Archaeology

Information about the record

Legal status metadata
CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED
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