This unique type of carved stone metate was the
most important ritual object of its time in Costa
Rica. It served as a very special burial object for
wealthy, high-status members of society. In
everyday life the metate as a utilitarian grinding
stone had the power to transform seeds and
kernels into flour. When placed in the tomb, the
metate symbolized for the deceased the
assurance of another type of transformation--a
rebirth, the beginning of a new life. This
particular metate, carved in the stylized shape of
a jaguar, displays still another symbol of
extreme importance. To the Ancient Costa
Ricans the jaguar was regarded as the most
powerful animal in the world, to be honored and
revered; it even had certain divine characteristics.
In mythology, the most important God, Maira,
became the sun during the day, making the
great journey from east to wet across the lands.
At night, however, Maira assumed the form of a
jaguar and stealthily made his way from the west
back to the east, where in the morning he would
rise again in the form of the sun. These two
commanding attributes of transformation and
power are artistically portrayed in this
monumental metate. Here we see the
rectangular stone dish of the metate forming the
body of one jaguar, whose deftly carved head
protrudes with a mighty force. At the same time
the four legs of this jaguar are imaginatively
portrayed as two more jaguars, each animated
body facing in the opposite direction. A
boldness of spirit springs forth from this feline,
sculptural masterpiece, just as the ancient jaguar
springs courageously through the dark and
forbidding Costa Rican forest.
- (PF.2633)
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