Lot 89
Pre-Columbian, Costa Rica, Pacific Slope, Diquis/Nicoya region, ca. 900 to 1530 CE. A huge jaguar metate with a very large table/seat, expertly carved from one piece of volcanic stone with refined dimensions and intricately incised details. The sculptor of this piece successfully created an expressive countenance; just look at those gnashing teeth/fangs, alert ears, and snarling snout as he stands proudly on all four paws with a bifurcated tail, each end grabbing a rear leg with what appear to be hands. Note the wonderful stylized circular and diamond motifs adorning the top of its head, those concentric circles representing the jaguar's spotted coat and thought to symbolize the starry night sky (the jaguar being nocturnal) continuing over the limbs and tails of the wild cat's body, and double striations with scalloped motifs in some areas around the seat. Truly one of the most magnificent examples we have ever had the pleasure of handling. Size: 27.25" L x 15.25" W x 9.25" H (69.2 cm x 38.7 cm x 23.5 cm)
Metates were initially created to grind foods such as corn, certainly a utilitarian purpose, as well as hallucinogenic substances, medicines, etc. for ceremonial rituals; however, they evolved into meaningful ritual objects in and of themselves, replete with strong iconography and intriguing sculptural forms have transformed these objects into much more than pragmatic tools. Examples of a larger scale, like this one, but with a similar degree of decorative carving and iconographic symbolism were sometimes used to seat a departed lord on his journey to the afterlife. Jaguar imagery symbolized power and might throughout the Pre-Columbian world; hence, warriors, rulers, hunters, and shamans alike associated themselves with this king of beasts, the largest and most powerful feline in the New World.
Provenance: private Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA collection
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#124489
- Condition: Minor surface wear and a few chips to rim. Nice remains of golden orange pigment.
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