Trophy Head Effigy
Artist
Unknown
Datecirca 500–1000
MediumCeramic
Dimensions5 3/8 x 5 1/2 x 6 in. (13.7 x 14.0 x 15.2 cm)
ClassificationsCeramics
Credit LineGift of Dr. Clifton F. Mountain and Mrs. Marilyn T. Mountain
Object number96.4.26
On View
Not on viewMuch of the imagery on Costa Rican ceramics narrates mythological and religious themes, but warfare is also a recurrent subject. One of the images of warfare is the trophy head, the decapitated head of an enemy taken in battle.
Trophy heads, with their parted lips and bared teeth, may represent rigor mortis. The incised and painted motifs on this head represent either tattooing or face painting, which may have indicated the person's social status or territorial affiliation.
Exhibition HistoryRaleigh, NC, North Carolina Museum of Art, "Objects of Desire: The Museum Collects, 1994-2004," July 18, 2004-February 27, 2005. Object Rights Statement
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