Three-legged, fragmented jug with a concave wall. The object has a flowing neck base and a projecting rim. The beak-shaped legs have narrow openings and rattle beads. The ceramic was smoothed, slurried and primed on both sides. The outside is painted in polychrome. The primer and paint are partially eroded. The object has a white-yellowish base colour, which was painted red-orange and black-brown on the outside of the vessel. On the wall there is a high, circumferential frieze bordered by wide red bands. It shows several seated, ape-like creatures with a speaking volute protruding from their mouths. Irregular traces of a white-yellowish ground appear on the inside of the object. After Bransford 1881: Sta. Helena ware. After Lothrop 1926: Nicoya polychrome ware, monkey, type A. 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 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)