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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
Courtesy of the Harn Museum of Art, Photography by Foad Seyed Mohammadi

Effigy Figure

Artist Costa Rican Artist
Date1-500
Place of originCentral Highlands/Atlantic Watershed, Costa Rica, North and Central America
MediumCeramic with buff slip
Dimensions2 x 1 x 3 5/8 in. (5.1 x 2.5 x 9.2 cm)
ClassificationsFurnishings and Equipment
Object numberC-86-22
Collections
Visual DescriptionAnimal 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.
Tubular rattle with one tapered end, the other with a small fire hole and 3 nubbins around the edge - 2 more fire holes in line along length, at thirds, with 2 nubbins extending from side perpendicular to each hole (one set broken off). Brown ware with white slip.
Rattle
Costa Rican Artist
undated
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
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
Effigy figure with head, shoulders, and broken arm (leg?) stumps - circular mouth wide open, pointed jaw, coffee bean eyes, nubbins for ears - suspension loop at back of neck, hole at each shoulder - pipe mouthpiece extending perpendicular from body with tapered interior to hollow body.
Effigy Pipe Mouthpiece
Costa Rican Artist
1-500
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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

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

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