Monumental zoomorphic-effigy grinding stones
such as this magnificent stone jaguar metate
were the most important ritual objects of their
time in Costa Rica. Exquisitely carved from a
single piece of volcanic rock with only stone and
wood tools plus abrasives, these metates exhibit
remarkably graceful lines and proportion. Like
all mankind, the Ancient Costa Ricans sought to
relieve the uncertainty of death. This quest for
immortality and a reverence for ancestors led to
elaborate burial practices. This powerful metate
functioned as a special burial item, its presence
in the tomb insuring the deceased of an eventual
rebirth, the beginning of a new life. The metate
symbolized this transformation because of its
every-day utilitarian function as a grinding
stone, transforming a seed or kernel into flour.
This particular metate exudes an aura of power
and dynamism. The sweeping upward curve of
the metate plate which serves as the feline's
body, coupled with the large and powerfully
extended head, makes one expect to see the
animal move forward, giving an attribute of life to
this stone feline. The magnificent artistry of the
region is attested to by the striking openwork
carving on the tripod legs and the feline's head,
with its long graceful neck and snarling visage.
A legacy of these stunning ceremonial metates is
the later development of the first freestanding
sculpture in the region. The legacy of this work
of art continues into the present, for to behold
this feline is to revere it, just as it was revered so
many centuries ago. HT. 37cm(14 9/16IN): L.
94cm(37IN)
- (PF.2321)
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