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HOME :
Pre-Columbian Art :
Stone Trophy Heads : Basalt Trophy Head
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Basalt Trophy Head - PF.2581
Origin: Costa Rica
Circa: 1000
AD
to 1550
AD
Dimensions:
10.25" (26.0cm) high
x 7.25" (18.4cm) wide
x 8.5" (21.6cm) depth
Collection: Pre-Columbian
Medium: Basalt
$9,600.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
Masterfully carved from a single piece of volcanic
rock with only the use of stone and wood tools
plus abrasives, this dramatic trophy head is a
prime example of Pre-Columbian Costa Rican
religious ideology, manifested in the form of
sculpted stone. In Ancient Costa Rican religion,
the act of human sacrifice served as a generator
of agricultural fertility, and the human head was
looked upon as the 'fruit' of human life. Because
the number of inhabitants in Costa Rica at this
time was increasing, populations were constantly
competing for the choicest, most fertile land.
The resulting battles ended with the victor taking
trophy heads, a ritual act that was looked upon
as necessary for both agricultural fertility and the
continuation of human life. Here, we experience
an artist's imaginative rendering of an enlarged
version of one such head, adorned with an
elaborate hairdo, characteristic of the period. A
simple rendering of the facial features results in
a face that reveals a powerful energy, one that
speaks of a people's deep understanding of the
forces of nature and the rituals essential to their
fruitful continuation.
- (PF.2581)
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