Vessel in the Form of the Head of a Saurian Deity, 1000 CE - 1350 CE
Terracotta
8.5
PF.3342
The artist of this grayish-brown effigy vessel has created an intense work of art in which there are beautiful geometric patterns and symbols. The face of this vessel has a...
The artist of this grayish-brown effigy vessel has created an intense work of art in which there are beautiful geometric patterns and symbols. The face of this vessel has a combination of anthropomorphic and crocodile characteristics. The reason for this was that within the jungle-like environment in Costa Rica, crocodiles and humans were cohabitants. The people revered and feared these animals for their extreme power and majesty. This vessel was probably the image of a very powerful person in the community, and the artistic choice to combine the theme of crocodile and human shows how powerful this human actually was. It was probably used on ceremonial occasions, or ritual worshipping because the clay balls in the legs make a rattle-like sound. The almond shaped eyes watch carefully what is going on around itself Rather than showing the nose and mouth separately, the artist combines them into a snout with a curvilinear nose. The mouth on this vessel appears to smile at us at the same time, showing us its sharp teeth. This artist once again represents to us how powerful the crocodile-human figure really is. The geometric patterning on the crown and the base of the vessel are delicate and playful. The artist of this vessel creates a symbiotic world where crocodile and human coexist, forming a sense of majesty.