Bird Pendant

Unknown

4th–7th century · Jadeite · Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Tropical Costa Rica is the habitat of an enormous number of bird species, many of which acquired symbolic dimensions in depictions in stone. This pendant, made of a jadeite of great clarity, features a toucan. Yet its upright stance and folded arms indicate that the figure is anthropomorphic, implying perhaps that it is a masked or transformation figure. Greenstone pendants were manufactured from a variety of raw materials in the Central and the Greater Nicoya regions of Costa Rica starting as early as 500 BCE, until around 800 CE. Although some of those materials were locally available, the nearest known source specifically of jadeite is in the region of the Motagua River in Guatemala. Therefore, the use of jadeite in ancient Costa Rica reveals long-distance connections across Central America. The appearance of this distinctive style of pendant, made from imported materials, during a period of incipient social inequalities, suggests that they were a sign of prestige and differentiation.

Artist

Unknown

Date

4th–7th century

Medium

Jadeite

Culture

Central Region

Department

Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Credit line

The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979