This altarpiece is a fascinating example of the
detailed and massive sculptural rendering of the
ancient Costa Ricans. Undoubtedly serving an
important ritual function, this altar was either
used for sacrificial purposes or it may have been
used as a platform, where revered animals
representing deities were worshipped. The
central figure is a human wearing an alligator
mask, standing proudly atop an outstretched
jaguar with his arms open wide, one resting on
the tail of the jaguar and the other resting on a
leg of the altar. Protruding from each of the
three legs are trophy heads on which rest the
claws of a jaguar, which has a monkey perched
on his hind side. Most probably the animals are
placed in a particular vertical and horizontal
order representing ancient Costa Rican
cosmogony. The plate of the altarpiece has fifty-
seven trophy heads hanging from the exterior of
its rim, possibly symbolizing something in
ancient Costa Rican mythology, whose meaning
has not yet been discovered. The monumentality
as well as the detailed harmonious composition
of this piece is awe-inspiring, reflecting the
delicate and precise order of ancient Costa Rican
rituals.
- (PF.2818)
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