Bellied jug with a hollow base and flowing neck. The object has a cantilevered rim and a flat strap handle at the neck. There is a massive, avimorph head protome on the handle. The ceramic was smoothed, slurried and primed on both sides. Its exterior is painted in polychrome. The primer and paint are heavily eroded. There is a large break on the rim. The object has a white-yellowish base colour, which is painted red, orange and black-brown on the outside of the vessel. The reinforced rim has an indented, circumferential cord decoration. The neck is decorated with a high, surrounding frieze with stepped elements. The body was probably decorated with painted wing motifs. The zoomorphic head protome symbolises a chicken bird (turkey?). Irregular traces of a white-yellowish primer are visible on the inside of the pottery. According to Lothrop 1926: Nicoya polychrome ware, bird effigy jar. 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 manifests itself in the replacement of lizard and bat themes with depictions of cats of prey and snakes. The ceramics served as national trade goods. Similar objects are known from the Ulua Policromo group (950-500d.C.). (Künne 2004)