Costa Rican Jade Mace Head, Nicoya-Guanacaste

Alfonso Jimenez, Costa Rica

Lin and Emile Deletaille, Brussels, acquired from the above in 1982

Thence by descent

Marcq-en-Baroeul, Fondation Septentrion, Civilisations Précolombiennes du Costa Rica et du Panama, February 24 - May 15, 1989

Brussels, Royal Museums of Art and History, Trésors du Nouveau Monde, September 15 - December 27, 1992

Sergio Purin, Civilisations Précolombiennes du Costa Rica et du Panama, Marcq-en-Baroeul, 1989, p. 86, fig. 50

Emile and Lin Deletaille, eds., Trésors du Nouveau Monde, Brussels, 1992, p. 258, fig. 226

The creative association of anthropomorphic, zoomorphic and supernatural traits is a distinctive feature of ancient Central American artistic production.

The ceremonial finial features a human trophy head with tubular side projections sporting a half mask of a monkey with large, sunken eyes, the forehead is carved with a serrated crest reminiscent of crocodilian scales, with incised details overall; in polished olive green jade.

Such finely carved mace heads were most probably badges of office or clan affiliation rather than used as weapons. Along with jades and metates, they form part of the funerary offerings of high-ranking personages.

For another crested mace head, see Christie’s, New York, November 12, 2004, lot 81 (illus.).