This Costa Rican basalt sculpture is of a couple
engaging in a sexual activity. Sculpted in a
stylized, minimal manner, the sculpture
generates undeniably bold, strong presence. The
male wearing a flat headdress stands behind the
female, with his hands firmly holding her
shoulders. Her hair is neatly combed back and
her knees are slightly bent to achieve a sense of
balance. Such bold sculpture is a symbolic
representation of concepts of fertility, power, and
balance in which Ancient Costa Ricans believed.
Wearing little clothing was a symbol of high class
for Ancient Costa Ricans because only people
who worked in the fields had to wear clothing to
protect their sensitive areas such as the genital
area. The subject of erotic acts indicates a tribal
reliance on fertility and fear of destructive power,
which often has marked sexual aspects. Costa
Ricans also considered sex as the unpredictable
force, which often leads to tension and
destruction. Thus, sex was naturally analogized
with beings of aggressive power, such as human
males who were often warriors. The basalt
sculpture, then, embodies more symbolism than
sex itself. Copulation leading to conception of a
human soul, fertility and prosperity, and
recognition of power and unavoidable
destruction of the natural world are all expressed
in the sculpture. Looking at this work of art, we
realize that there are many different symbolisms
of different cultures that need to be learned.
- (PF.3506)
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