Pre-Columbian, Costa Rica, Pacific Slope, ca. 900 to 1530 CE. One of the finest metates we have ever had the honor of handling, depicting a fierce jaguar with a large table/seat, expertly carved from one piece of volcanic stone with refined dimensions and intricately incised as well as openwork details. The sculptor of this piece skillfully created an expressive countenance on the wild feline; just look at those wide open eyes, gnashing fangs, alert ears, and snarling snout with flaring, openwork nostrils - not to mention those curly, bristling brows and the undulating neck frill with circular negative spaces perhaps intended to represent his spotted coat which the ancients associated with the starry night sky. In addition, the jaguar's head is decorated with a bold woven pattern, and the borders of the seat are adorned by bands of stylized pseudo glyphs at the front and back as well as borders of repeated sinuous motifs on the sides. He stands proudly on three legs, the front one being openwork. Size: 25.5" L x 9.875" W x 12.5" H (64.8 cm x 25.1 cm x 31.8 cm)

This metate is also paired with its grinding tool which was apparently custom made, as one side was intentionally carved so as to fit the width of the table, leaving rounded handles at either end.

Metates were initially created to grind foods such as corn, certainly a utilitarian purpose; however, they evolved into meaningful ritual objects, replete with strong iconography and intriguing sculptural forms that have transformed these objects into much more than tools. Examples with this 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. An exceptional example, most likely created for ceremonial purposes and intended to seat an elite individual.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#131889

Seat repaired from two large halves. Expected surface wear with abraded areas commensurate with age. Earthen deposits in the recessed areas.