Lower rim, hollow head protome with wall attachment. The avimorph fragment probably belongs to a conical vessel. It has two narrow openings and applied decorations. The object has been smoothed and slurried on both sides. Its exterior is primed, painted and polished. The primer and paint are heavily eroded. The pottery has a white-yellowish base colour, which is painted red and black-brown on the outside of the fragment. There are two horizontal red bands on the wall. The avimorph head protome symbolises a bird of prey. Irregular traces of a white-yellowish primer are visible on the inside of the pottery. According to Lothrop 1926: Nicoya polychrome ware, animal effigy vessel. Cultural significance: the Papagayo Policromo type marks 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 manifests itself in the replacement of lizard and bat themes by depictions of cats of prey and snakes. 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.). The ceramics of the Papagayo group served as supra-regional trade goods. (Künne 2004)