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HOME :
Pre-Columbian Art :
Skull Masks and Sculptures : Guanacaste-Nicoya Stone Sculpture of a Skull
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Guanacaste-Nicoya Stone Sculpture of a Skull - PF.3719
Origin: Guanacaste, Nicoya, Costa Rica
Circa: 500
AD
to 1000
AD
Dimensions:
11" (27.9cm) high
Catalogue: V18
Collection: Pre-Columbian
Medium: Stone
Location: United States
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| Description |
Stone heads played a crucial role in cult rituals in
Ancient Costa Rica. Made of solid stone, they
were an ominous force and even today, they
seem to have a generally foreboding quality. The
red rivulets displayed, suggest the use of
cinnabar during the ritual act. To have the teeth
showing, heightens its forbidding nature but also
lends itself to curiosity. Though we cannot be
exact in our information concerning the ritual
behind this work, we can feel a latent power and
strength within the piece that the artist has
created, and thus feel a reverence and respect to
both art and its creator.
- (PF.3719)
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