Tall, cylindrical vessel with a hollow base and slightly concave wall. The object has an upright, avimorph head protome (chicken bird?) with a rattle ball. The ceramic has been smoothed, slurried and primed on both sides. The outside is painted and polished. The primer and paint are heavily eroded. The vessel is red in colour. It has a white-yellowish ground colour, which was painted red, orange and black-brown. There are several orange bands around the rim, body and foot. The wall is decorated with a high frieze showing stepped elements. Remains of a dark red painting can be recognised on the head protome. Irregular traces of a white-yellowish primer appear on the inside of the object. According to Bransford 1881: Sta. Helena ware. According to Lothrop 1926: Nicoya polychrome ware. 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.). Their decoration shows a strong Mesoamerican influence. This manifested 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)