This unique basalt mask is sculpted in a bold,
geometric manner and its dramatic presentation
captures our eyes in an instant. Sculpted in the
scale to fit a person's face, the mask has
openings for the eyes, nostrils, and mouth. It
wears an incised, flat headdress on top of which
a small jaguar figure is carved. Two small holes
by the temple bring two strings, which are linked
to the nostrils, and the tongue hangs out from
the open mouth. Such sculptural signs most
likely symbolize important ideas that Ancient
Costa Ricans cherished. One crucial aspect of
Mesoamerican sculpture is the image of jaguar.
In Costa Rica, jaguars were considered as a
powerful god and their images were often used
to represent royalty, priests, and warriors. This
marvelous mask carved with the image of a
jaguar, then, most likely is a sculptural rendition
of a significant individual. Moreover, the tongue
outside the mouth was symbolic of a person
taking a journey into the underworld of the
deceased. This marvelous mask, then, possibly
had an important function in funerary rituals or
ceremonies. Other unusual features such as the
openings under the nose and the connective
strings stir our curiosity--the features and
decorative elements of Ancient Meso-American
art carried meanings. Sculpted in a bold,
geometric manner, the mask is full of symbolic
features that embody cultural history and
practice. It brings a part of Ancient culture to the
modern day and we undoubtedly appreciate its
beauty that would last throughout the ages to
come.
- (PF.3265)
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