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HOME :
Pre-Columbian Art :
Art of Costa Rica : Roller Stamp with Spiral Motif
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Roller Stamp with Spiral Motif - PF.2976
Origin: Guanacaste, Nicoya, Costa Rica
Circa: 1
AD
to 700
AD
Dimensions:
1.75" (4.4cm) high
x .875" (2.2cm) wide
Collection: Pre-Columbian
Style: Guanacaste-Nicoya
Medium: Terracotta
$500.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
Like the labyrinthine passage through a cave, the
spiral and meander symbolize the sacred way of
approach to a dimension invisible to human
senses. They are found on this rare stamp from
the New World 2,000 years ago and are found
incised on the Paleolithic Goddess figurines from
the Old World 20,000 years ago. The spiral form
is found in the
swirling of water, sea shells, the intestines, the
spider's web and the whirling galaxies of space.
All these enduring constellations of images
symbolize the intricate pathway that connects
the visible world to the invisible, perhaps the
imagined pathway that the souls of
the deceased would have taken to re-enter the
womb of the mother. It is assumed that this
roller stamp along with other stamps in Costa
Rica was used in body painting and textile
decoration. These spiral and meander images
point to cultures with highly developed
mythologies that wove together all these
elements of spiral forms in stories long since lost
to us. This spiral stamp may look simple at first
glance, but in actuality it perpetuates the
miraculous survival of these images throughout
20,000 years. At a second glance, it looks as
though our ancestors may have something very
important to teach us.
- (PF.2976)
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