Description:
These two red clay earthenware tripod jars are from the Late Mayan Period IV (100BC – 500AD) of the central highlands of Costa Rica. These jars originate from a smaller sub-group of the Mayan civilization, called the Corobicis. The one jar is round and stands on three animal feet with a frog’s head at its top. There is a bead pattern on the rim of the pot. On the engraved sides of the pot just above each foot is an insect in relief. The other jar has three short conical feet and the belly of the jar touches the ground. On the shoulder of this pot there is a bead pattern with three small frog heads (one is missing). Between the flaring lip of the jar and the bead pattern is a criss-cross mesh pattern incised into the clay. Both these pots were donated to the University of Pretoria by Dr Hilgaard Muller. They were given to him as a gift in Costa Rica.