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HOME :
Pre-Columbian Art :
Tlaloc Effigy Vessels : Guanacaste-Nicoya Tlaloc Effigy Vessel
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Guanacaste-Nicoya Tlaloc Effigy Vessel - PF.3541
Origin: Guanacaste, Nicoya, Costa Rica
Circa: 1200
AD
to 1400
AD
Dimensions:
10" (25.4cm) high
Collection: Pre-columbian
Medium: Terracotta
Location: United States
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| Description |
This Nicoya polychrome vessel belongs to the
pataky polychrome type, the striking black-and-
red-on-white pottery. This elite-associated
ceramic may have been manufactured for rituals
or ceremonies, which were to ensure agricultural
prosperity and fertility. These pear-shaped
vessels had mythological symbolic contexts,
often showing gods and mythological animals. In
a high-relief style, the front of the vessel depicts
an image of an important Meso-American god,
Tloloc--a rain God who brought life to the soil
of Ancient Costa Rica. Its wide-open eyes are
producing streams of "tears," a symbolic
portrayal of water and rain. The vertical
elongation of the mouth seems to represent a
beard-like image, which is a common attribute of
Tloloc. Wearing large earpools and with its
elaborately decorated arms firmly resting on the
legs, the vessel successfully generates the divine
and austere aura appropriate for a powerful god.
Furthermore, the band that encircles the neck of
the vessel portray zoomorphic images that are
possibly associated with gods and the spiritual
realm. The warm earthy colors delight our eyes
with a sense of serenity, and the complementing
black paint defining features and decorative
patterns adds a strong visual impact to this
magnificent sculpture. As we contemplate this
ancient evidence of belief, we recognize that our
desire for prosperity remained the same
throughout the obstacle of time.
- (PF.3541)
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