Tripod Feline Effigy Bowl | Guanacaste-Nicoya Culture | Costa Rica | 800–1200 AD
Description
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Historical Context & Origin
Region: Guanacaste-Nicoya, Costa Rica
Material: Burnished earthenware with red slip pigment
Period: Circa 800–1200 AD
Description
This rare and expressive tripod bowl originates from the Guanacaste-Nicoya culture of ancient Costa Rica, dating between 800 and 1200 AD. Skillfully hand-modeled from burnished earthenware, the vessel rests on three stylized animal-form legs, likely representing feline or spirit guardians. Each leg is hollow and was designed to produce a soft rattle sound when moved—an acoustic element symbolic of life and awakening in ritual contexts.
The shallow bowl features faint red linear bands encircling the rim and base, evoking vitality, fertility, and ceremonial energy. Crafted using traditional coiling and low-firing techniques, the piece embodies both artistic refinement and spiritual depth, characteristic of Nicoya ritual ceramics.
Features
- Hand-modeled tripod bowl with hollow rattle legs shaped as feline effigies
- Red slip decoration along the rim and base representing ritual vitality
- Burnished earthenware construction using traditional coiling methods
- Distinct mineral deposits and patina consistent with great age
- From a private Pre-Columbian collection
Cultural Significance
Tripod bowls of this form were central to Nicoya ceremonial and funerary traditions, often placed in tombs as offerings or used in shamanic rites. The feline-like forms symbolized spiritual guardianship and transformation, while the hollow legs may have produced sound during ritual movement—an invocation to awaken protective spirits or deities of fertility and the underworld.
Condition
Excellent preservation with surface wear and scattered mineral encrustation consistent with age. Professionally stabilized at minor leg joins; no modern repainting. Exhibits a strong sculptural and ceremonial presence.
Dimensions (Approximate)
Height: 4.75 in
Diameter: 6.75 in
Age
Circa 800–1200 AD
Learn More & Explore
Explore More Pre-Columbian Artifacts — Browse other authentic Pre-Columbian pieces from the Relic & Rarity collection.
Harn Museum – Guanacaste-Nicoya Tripod Bowl — Compare a similar tripod vessel from a major museum collection.
Peabody Museum – Nicoya Tripod Bowl — Learn more about Nicoya ceramic artistry and symbolism.
Description
Historical Context & Origin
Region: Guanacaste-Nicoya, Costa Rica
Material: Burnished earthenware with red slip pigment
Period: Circa 800–1200 AD
Description
This rare and expressive tripod bowl originates from the Guanacaste-Nicoya culture of ancient Costa Rica, dating between 800 and 1200 AD. Skillfully hand-modeled from burnished earthenware, the vessel rests on three stylized animal-form legs, likely representing feline or spirit guardians. Each leg is hollow and was designed to produce a soft rattle sound when moved—an acoustic element symbolic of life and awakening in ritual contexts.
The shallow bowl features faint red linear bands encircling the rim and base, evoking vitality, fertility, and ceremonial energy. Crafted using traditional coiling and low-firing techniques, the piece embodies both artistic refinement and spiritual depth, characteristic of Nicoya ritual ceramics.
Features
- Hand-modeled tripod bowl with hollow rattle legs shaped as feline effigies
- Red slip decoration along the rim and base representing ritual vitality
- Burnished earthenware construction using traditional coiling methods
- Distinct mineral deposits and patina consistent with great age
- From a private Pre-Columbian collection
Cultural Significance
Tripod bowls of this form were central to Nicoya ceremonial and funerary traditions, often placed in tombs as offerings or used in shamanic rites. The feline-like forms symbolized spiritual guardianship and transformation, while the hollow legs may have produced sound during ritual movement—an invocation to awaken protective spirits or deities of fertility and the underworld.
Condition
Excellent preservation with surface wear and scattered mineral encrustation consistent with age. Professionally stabilized at minor leg joins; no modern repainting. Exhibits a strong sculptural and ceremonial presence.
Dimensions (Approximate)
Height: 4.75 in
Diameter: 6.75 in
Age
Circa 800–1200 AD
Learn More & Explore
Explore More Pre-Columbian Artifacts — Browse other authentic Pre-Columbian pieces from the Relic & Rarity collection.
Harn Museum – Guanacaste-Nicoya Tripod Bowl — Compare a similar tripod vessel from a major museum collection.
Peabody Museum – Nicoya Tripod Bowl — Learn more about Nicoya ceramic artistry and symbolism.
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