Massive, flattened head fragment. The object belonged to a small, anthropomorphic sculpture wearing an open headdress. The ceramic was smoothed, slurried, primed, painted and polished. The primer and paint are partially eroded. The headdress is completely fragmented. The fragment has a white-brownish base colour, which is painted black and red. The flattened shape of the head possibly indicates a skull deformation. The figure has large, almond-shaped eyes. It wears an open headdress decorated with vertical lines and bands as well as cross lattice structures. Its strongly accentuated nostrils and a red mouth mask indicate feline predatory characteristics. Ferrero (1975) and Healy (1980) mention seated and standing anthropomorphic figures that can wear an open or closed headdress. Symbolic meaning: Stevenson-Day (1997) interprets the female sculptures of the Mora group as shamans. According to Lothrop 1926: highland polychrome ware. Cultural significance: the ceramics of the Mora group were produced in the north-west of Costa Rica and traded to the Central Highlands and the Atlantic region of the country. It uses design elements (seated anthropomorphic figures with headdresses, mat motif, Kan cross) that are also known from the Maya ceramics (Copador group) of the Clásico Tardío (900-600d.C.). The anthropomorphic figures of the Mora group show greater representational schematism compared to the anthropomorphic sculptures of the zoned bicoloured pottery (Rosales Esgrafiado) and the Policromo Antiguo (Galo Policromo group). (Künne 2004)