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Roughly spherical head, either human or monkey, hollow with circular mouth wide open, leading to inside, upturned nose with poked nostril holes, coffee bean eyes with small poked holes for pupils, ears with holes poked in lobes, crest on head with hole at forehead, neck broken off
Figure Head
Courtesy of the Harn Museum of Art, Photography by Foad Seyed Mohammadi

Figure Head

Artist Costa Rican Artist
Date1200-1550
Place of originNicoya, Costa Rica, North and Central America
MediumCeramic with red slip
Dimensions2 1/4 x 2 x 2 1/4 in. (5.7 x 5.1 x 5.7 cm)
ClassificationsSculpture
Object numberC-86-24
Collections
Visual DescriptionRoughly spherical head, either human or monkey, hollow with circular mouth wide open, leading to inside, upturned nose with poked nostril holes, coffee bean eyes with small poked holes for pupils, ears with holes poked in lobes, crest on head with hole at forehead, neck broken off
Animal effigy, probably dog or other canine, triangular head, pointy snout with teeth apparently bared, poked holes for eyes, small nubbins for ears, angular neck attaching tubular body (broken) with a large hole at each shoulder.
Effigy Figure
Costa Rican Artist
1-500
Small bowl with spherical bottom supported by small conical tripod legs, bottom curves up into wall, angle break at 2/3 height. Inward slope to rim, attached animal head, possibly monkey, at rim, bulbous ears, poked eye holes, curved mouth with receding jaw, curled tail on other side. Buff ware with brown slip, incised rings around rim and above angle break, vertical lines inscribed in panel between with 4 wide "x" patterns interspersed.
Small Tripod Bowl
Chorotegan Artist
1000-1550
Roughly shaped globular whistle with four holes poked in one side in a square pattern - one end pinched to nipple shaped mouth piece with sounding hole on opposite side as note holes.
Four Note Whistle (ocarina)
Costa Rican Artist
1200-1550
Period IV; human effigy legs, neg. black on red Small spherical bowl with high wall curving inward at top to rim - supported by tripod of conical legs formed to appear as monkeys - attached head with bulbous forehead, poked holes for eyes, slit mouth - attached arms on sides of legs, curving around to hands placed together below head. Brown ware with red slip - resist pattern of 3 groups of vertical stripes, between legs, from 1/2 height to rim, black pigment on top, red in areas of resist.
Small Tripod Bowl
Diquis Artist
1000-1550
Objects A-J = clay rocks Object B- globular 4 note ocarina with mouthpiece broken off, 4 holes poked in square pattern Object C- large clay pellet Objects H,I,J- small clay pellets from rattles Objects A,D,E,F,G- spindle whorls - clay pellets with hole through middle (D has 2 inscribed rings and scallop border on one side)
Spindle Whorls, Whistle (ocarina) and Rattle Pellets
Costa Rican Artist
300-800
Period VI; Small jar with rounded bottom, raised base ring, bottom rounds up into wall, curves inward at 1/3 height, at 2/3 height a rounded ring curves up to small raised rim with slight inward slope - small handle - ring attached from upper ring to shoulder of wall. Brown ware with dark brown or black slip, 3 small pellets attached on upper ring, arranged with handle at quadrants pinched with extended point in middle with 2 holes poked on sides; perhaps to form a face.
Small Jar with Handle
Costa Rican Artist
1200-1550
Cup with outward flaring base ring, wide saucer-like bottom gently curved on underside, flat on top - horizontal ring of 3/4" to wall of cup with gradual outward slope, wide flare of rim, small notched pattern in lower edge of rim, interior smooth with rounded bottom; brown ware with red slip, large modeled animal head attached to rim, hollow with rattle, small nub ear, incised face pattern, open mouth, bulbous nose with poked hole to make small cup, panel if inscribed weave pattern with line bo…
Footed Cup
Costa Rican Artist
1-300
Period IV (?); red-orange ware in black painted lines, surface like curridabot ware. Small bowl with wide rounded bottom, gradual outward curve to 1/2 height, changing to inward slope to rim - small triangular nubbins attached just below rim on opposite sides with holes poked through for hanging, small pellet nubs placed between to quarter. Brown ware with red slip, black vertical lines surround the four nubbins, with diagonal slashes running below.
Small Bowl
Costa Rican Artist
undated
Curridabot ware. Small jar with wide rounded base, rounding up into wall sloping inward after 1/2 height - rim raises up and flares out - two small nubbins below rim on opposite sides with holes poked through at wall - possibly to hang from. Brown ware with red slip.
Small Jar
Costa Rican Artist
c. 500-1000
Period VI; brown ware with appliqued figure. Small jar with wide, rounded base, slight concavity in middle - sharp curve up into wall that curves gradually inward - straight vertical raised rim, extending up to point on one side - hole in wall, 2/3 height, with raised broken area surrounding it, possible spout or handle. Brown ware with traces of buff slip - applied effigy face on raised point of rim - circles for eyes, ridge with small poked nostrils for nose, ridges for upper and lower lips …
Small Jar with Effigy
Diquis Artist
800-1550
Small jar with rounded bottom curving up into wall, rounding inward at 1/2 height, inward curve to outward flaring rim - two small nubbins, situated opposite each other just below rim, each with 3 small indented holes in a line with another indented hole on either side of nubbin. Buffware with red slip - three pairs, evenly spaced, of painted vertical bands radiating from center of bottom up to rim.
Small Jar
Costa Rican Artist
undated
Small thimble-like ceramic piece, possibly an animal head - flared base, rounded top, wide groove from top down one side, 2 large holes, one on either side of groove, with ridges around them (eyes), 2 small holes at top on sides of groove (nostrils) crescent incised line on opposite side (mouth).
Fragment
Costa Rican Artist
1-1000 ?

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