Skip to main content
Advanced Search
Spherical mace head with cylindrical hole carved from top to bottom in center. Human face carved into one side with large beak like nose, jutting mouth, shallow depressions for eyes, large nubbins for ears, back carved with vertical grooves (possibly hair).
Human-head mace head
Courtesy of the Harn Museum of Art, Photography by Foad Seyed Mohammadi

Human-head mace head

Artist Costa Rican Artist
Date300-500
Place of originCaribbean Watershed, Costa Rica, North and Central America
MediumStone
Dimensions2 1/2 x 3 5/8 x 3 1/2 in. (6.4 x 9.2 x 8.9 cm)
ClassificationsSculpture
Credit LineGift of Irvin Ebaugh
Object numberS-74-24
Collections
Visual DescriptionSpherical mace head with cylindrical hole carved from top to bottom in center. Human face carved into one side with large beak like nose, jutting mouth, shallow depressions for eyes, large nubbins for ears, back carved with vertical grooves (possibly hair).
Spherical mace head with large cylindrical hole carved from top to bottom in center with simplified horned owl head design - cylindrical nubbins on top for ears, triangular hooked beak with large round eye panels, polished smooth surfaces
Owl-Head Mace Head
Costa Rican Artist
300-500
Stone mace head, half is spherical with cylindrical hole from top to bottom other half carved to resemble feline head with small ears, broad nose, open toothed mouth, large eyes on side; features formed by drilling, either partially or completely into stone - through ears and mouth, depressions for eyes and nostrils
Mace Head of Skeletal Feline Head
Chorotegan Artist
100-300
Oval stone, small hand-held size, with wide groove carved around side forming at "V" - not completely encircling - one surface with seven grooves running lengthwise. Used to beat inner tree bark into pulp for paper and cloth.
Bark Beater
Costa Rican Artist
1-500
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
Costa Rican Artist
1200-1550
Globular jar with hemispherical bottom, supported by large conical tripod legs with rattles and small firing slits, bottom joins into spherical wall with short raised rim larger effigy face on side of wall raised loops for ears small nubbins for mouth and nose indented circular rings for eyes.
Globular tripod jar with effigy
Costa Rican Artist
1200-1550
Carved stone head representing a jaguar; round face with extension of neck in back, features cut and grooved into smoothed surface. Wide mouth, teeth showing with large incisors; nose indicated by two grooves, large donut-shaped eyes, stubby feline ears, low and rounded. Traces of red pigment in grooved areas and pits of limestone.
Architectural Head of Jaguar
Olmec Artist
800-1000
Stone tool, rounded crescent shape with wide carved groove (finger width) on inner side of curve - possibly used for smoothing and shaping.
Stone Shaping Tool
Costa Rican Artist
undated
Large globular jar with hemispherical bottom curving up into wall beginning to curve inwards at half height, raised ridge at 3/4 height forms angel break, inward slope of wall to raised neck with stepped rim 2 raised rings with notched below neck, another larger ring below stepped rim. grey ware with black slip figure head attached at angle break somewhat lopsided, modeled ears, large forehead, small donut eyes, pointy snout (possibly monkey) 3 small nubbins on the quadrants of angle breaks wi…
Large globular jar
Costa Rican Artist
1200-1550
Standing anthropomorphic figure in the form of an axe head, feet form chisel end with grove carved between on front and back, arms indicated at side, hands across abdomen, figures shown by cut grooves, features shallow, wide flat nose, heavy brow, head tapers toward top
Large male axe-head figure
Mezcala Artist
300 - 100 B.C.
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 stone naturally formed in diamond shape with a bulbous end emphasized by carved groove.
Small Grinding Stone (?)
Costa Rican Artist
undated
Standing female figure in the form of an axe head, feet form chisel end, separated by cut groove, hands on abdomen, arms indicated at side, breasts apparent, head tapers towards top, nose is large protruding blade, eyes and mouth are shallow grooves, top of head is pecked flat. Bottom of feet and top of head have peck marks as if used for striking.
Small female axe-head figure
Mezcala Artist
100 B.C. - 200

Collections research is ongoing. Information provided on the Harn’s website about collection objects may be updated, revised, or enhanced at any time.

Harn
Copyright © Harn
null