Skip to main content
Close
Vilcek Foundation
  • About
    • About

      The Vilcek Foundation raises awareness of immigrant contributions in the United States and fosters appreciation of the arts and sciences.

    • Our Mission
    • Board & Staff
    • Press Center
    • Contact
  • Prizes
    • Prizes

      The Vilcek Foundation Prizes are awarded to foreign-born individuals for extraordinary achievement in the arts and sciences.

    • About the Prizes

      Learn more about the Vilcek Foundation Prizes and the prizewinners.

    • Vilcek Prizes

      Awarded to immigrants with a legacy of major accomplishments.

    • Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise

      Awarded to young immigrant professionals who have demonstrated outstanding achievement early in their careers.

    • Vilcek Prize for Excellence

      Awarded to immigrants who have had a significant impact on American society, or to individuals who are dedicated champions of immigrant causes.

    • Prize Recipients
    • Grants for Organizations
  • Art
  • Events
  • News
Sign Up Search
Home > Art > Costa Rican Vessel

Costa Rican Vessel

Polished vessel with stylized carving of identical canine heads on each side.
Artist

Unknown Artist

Date

600-900 CE

Medium

Black jade

Object Type

Sculpture

Dimensions

H- 2 1/4 x W- 3 1/2 x D- 2 1/2 in. (5.7 x 8.9 x 6.4 cm)

Collecting Area

Pre-Columbian

Credit Line

The Jan T. and Marica Vilcek Collection

Accession Number

2006.05.1

Copyright

© The Vilcek Foundation

Tags
animal Canine costa rica jade Vessel
Share this page
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
Polished vessel with stylized carving of identical canine heads on each side.

About the Object

Carved, polished, and hollowed out at the top out of the original black jade by the unknown Costa Rican artist(s), this work was eventually shaped into a rounded vessel. Perhaps the most striking feature of this jade work is the double-headed canine effigy, or sculpture, that has been carved with deep eyes and slightly open mouths. The two drilled holes at the top may indicate that the work was suspended or worn with two pieces of string or material. This may mean that the material carried within this object was associated with important rituals.

 

Additional Information

Throughout Mesoamerica and what is today Central America, jade and dogs were connected with cycles of life and death. Though dogs were occasionally raised for food, people also believed dogs accompany individuals when entering the afterlife. This may connect the work to mortuary practices or settings, or may have been used in fertility rituals associated with agricultural events.

[Throckmorton Fine Art, New York, NY];

Tags
animal Canine costa rica jade Vessel
Share this page
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn

Related Objects

Costa Rican Celt

Unknown Unknown Artist
A dark green and yellow jade celt featuring a Costa Rican bird wearing three-tiered crown.

Costa Rican Vessel and Lid

Unknown Unknown Artist
Vessel with stylized relief of two identical human heads on either side.

Costa Rican Pendant

600-900 CE Unknown Artist
Flat pendant with fish heads on each end.

Veracruz Maya Hacha

550-950 CE Unknown Artist
Stone carving depicting a mix of animal and human features with canine teeth.

Costa Rican Celt Pendant

500-800 CE Unknown Artist
A long vertical pendant with a canine figure at the center of the celt and an avian effigy emerging at the top.

Costa Rican Celt

250-950 CE Unknown Artist
Green celt with the handle carved in the shape of a parrot.

Figural Vessel

1100-500 BCE Unknown Artist
A jade bowl, carved to indicate a human figurelying on their stomach with legs extended backwards.

Chavín Stirrup Vessel

c. 1500-900 BCE Unknown Artist
Stirrup vessel in the shape of a jaguar.

Guanacaste or Nicoya Metate

300-700 CE (Las Minas/Matapalo Phases) Unknown Artist
Stone metate carved to resemble a jaguar.

Maya Pendant

600-800 CE Unknown Artist
Polished green stone carving of abstract human and animal forms.

Join our mailing list

Sign Up
Vilcek Foundation
21 East 70th Street
New York, New York 10021

Phone: 212.472.2500

Email: info@vilcek.org

  • About
    • Our Mission
    • Board and Staff
    • Press Center
    • Contact
  • Prizes
    • Vilcek Prizes
    • Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise
    • Vilcek Prize for Excellence
    • Prize Recipients
    • Grants for Organizations
  • Art
  • Events
  • News
  • Careers
Connect with us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Youtube
  • Vimeo
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Statement
© 2022   Vilcek Foundation