The bat was worshiped as a god in the Isthmus regions of Ancient America. In this unusual votive vessel, the snarling head of a fanged bat rises from a graceful, incised bowl. The fierce bat head seems meant to frighten away evil, to repel bad spirits from the sacrificial contents of the bowl. The magic surrounding such a piece survives the ages intact. If our intentions were anything less than good, we might hesitate to put our hands near this fierce guardian.