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Fragment of a clay vessel

Predatory cat-like, hollow head protome with wall attachment. The creature depicted has two small, opposing openings on its cheeks. The object has been smoothed and sanded on both sides. Its exterior is primed, painted and lightly polished. The primer and paint are partially eroded. There are two fractures on the jaw. The fragment has a white-yellowish base colour, which is painted black-brown and red on the outside of the object. The largely realistic protome has rounded ears and protruding eyes. The ears and mouth were painted red. The figure had two bent front legs with which it gripped its lower jaw. According to Lothrop 1926: Nicoya 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 occurs mainly in burials. Similar protomes are also known from the Papagayo Policromo (1350-800d.C.), Jicote Policromo (1350-1000d.C.), Ulua Policromo (950-550d.C.) and Tohil-Plumbat pottery (1200-950d.C.) groups. (Künne 2004)

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Data Provider
Ethnologisches Museum
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Cataloguing data

Object type
Fragment of a clay vessel
Dimensions
Objektmaß: 6,6 x 5,1 x 6,3 cm
Material/Technique
Sound
Current location
Ethnologisches Museum, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Inventory number
IV Ca 45524

Provenance and sources

when
1000 - 1350
where
Costa Rica
Guanacaste [Provinz]
Santa Cruz [Kanton]
Santa Bárbara [Ort]

who
Lehmann, Walter - Former Possessors

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