Hollow, zoomorphic head protome with wall attachment. The largely realistic protome has two opposing, oval openings at the mouth. Its lower jaw was connected to two bent arms belonging to the creature depicted. The fragment has been smoothed and smudged on both sides. Its exterior has been primed, painted and lightly polished. The primer and paint are partially eroded. There is a fracture on the upper jaw. One arm is completely fragmented. The pottery has been primed twice. It has a white-yellowish covering colour, which was applied on a red background. The outside of the object is painted black-brown and red-orange. The elongated head protome depicts an armadillo grasping its chin with both front legs. Irregular traces of a white-yellowish covering colour are visible on the inside of the pottery. According to Lehmann 1913: "Chorotega style". According to Lothrop 1926: Nicarao polychrome ware, animal effigy vessel. Cultural significance: according to Snarskis (1983: 65) and Lange (2003, pers. comm.), the Pataky group displaced Papagayo pottery in the Gran Nicoya region between 1250 and 1150d.C.. Their decoration shows a strong Mesoamerican influence. According to Lothrop (1926), the diagnostic motifs consist of the "silhouette jaguar, type B" and the "plumed serpent, type C". They are also known from folding books made in the Postclassic Mixteca-Puebla style (1520-1200d.C.). The group mainly appears in burials. From a formal and stylistic perspective, the Mayer variant occupies an intermediate position to the Papagayo Policromo (1350-800d.C.) and Pataky Policromo groups. Similar protomes also occur in Pacific Central America in the Ulua Policromo group (950-550d.C.) and in the Tohil-Plumbat pottery (1200-950d.C.). (Künne 2004)