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Photo: Elizabeth Mann
Bowl with animal head legs
Photo: Elizabeth Mann

Bowl with animal head legs

Label TextGreater Nicoya high-status grave offerings included decorated ceramics that often depicted predatory animals—such as crocodiles, jaguars, and harpy eagles—as well as human (shaman?) figures with non-natural traits, like wings and animal heads. This tripod bowl with rattles in the legs contains stylized bird heads painted inside the bowl and anthropomorphic heads with teeth and enormous tongues that form the tripod legs.
Object number48.243
Photo CreditPhoto: Elizabeth Mann
Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Cosmic Beings in Mesoamerican and Andean Art, Nov. 10, 2018 - ongoing.
Credit LineEugene Fuller Memorial Collection
Dimensions4 3/4 in. (12.07 cm) Diam.: 8 1/2 in.
MediumCeramic with paint
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Ancient American
3rd century
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Polished black effigy beaker
Ancient American
ca. 13th - 15th century
Object number: 67.58
Photo: Elizabeth Mann
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Object number: 65.61
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500 B.C. - 1
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Two figures engaged in combat
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200 B.C. - 300 A.D.
Object number: 90.12
Ancient American
ca. 2nd century B.C.
Object number: 64.21