Flying Panel Metate

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Metates or grinding stones have been used across the Americas for thousands of years. Consisting of a flat or shallow table, often with three or four supports, metates are tools for processing corn, but also seeds, leaves, and tubers.

In ancient Costa Rica, however, a tradition of highly elaborate metates emerged during the first few centuries of the Common Era. While each region had their own style (see MMA 1979.206.429 and MMA 1986.200), artists from the Central Region created “flying panel” metates. Carved from a single block of stone, the abundance of negative or empty space between the carved elements gives the illusion that the zoomorphic figures are suspended from underneath the table, rather than being part of the support.

The long beak, small body, and short tail of the three birds perched on the supports indicate that these are likely toucans. The posture of the bird in the center, with the wings semi-extended, the protuberance on top of the head, and the curved-down beak are reminiscent of a vulture.

This metate is a testament to the range of knowledge and skills of the artist(s) who made it, from the selection of the raw material to the manner in which it was carved, including the requisite knowledge of engineering required to maintain the equilibrium of such an intricate and heavy sculpture.

Archaeological excavations have revealed that flying panel metates have been found in funerary contexts along with other special objects, such as jade pendants, stone mace heads, and fine ceramics. Some of these metates have no traces of use, suggesting that they were likely manufactured specifically as funerary offerings. However, the protruding rim and slightly concave shape of the plate suggest that this metate might have been used to process an unidentified substance.

Amanda Suárez Calderón, Samuel and Gabrielle Lurie Resident Scholar, 2025

Further reading

Graham, Mark. “Traditions of Costa Rican Stone Sculpture” In Between Continents/ Between Seas: Precolumbian Arts of Costa Rica, edited by Elizabeth Benson. New York: H.N. Abrams, Detroit: Detroit Institute of Arts, 1981.

Los metates o piedras de moler se han utilizado a lo largo del continente americano por miles de años para procesar maíz y otros productos vegetales, incluyendo semillas, hojas y tubérculos. Generalmente consisten en una mesa plana o poco profundo con dos o tres soportes.

Una tradición de metates altamente elaborados surgió durante los primeros siglos de la era común en lo que actualmente es el territorio de Costa Rica. Mientras que cada región tuvo su propio estilo (ver por ejemplo MMA 1979.206.429 y MMA 1986.200), los artistas de la Región Central crearon metates de “panel colgante”. Tallados a partir de un solo bloque de piedra y con abundantes espacios vacíos, las figuras zoomorfas que los adornan parecen colgar debajo de la mesa, en lugar de ser parte de los soportes.

El pico largo, el cuerpo pequeño y la cola corta de las tres aves perchadas en los soportes indican que posiblemente representan tucanes. La postura del pájaro en el centro, con las alas semiextendidas, así como la protuberancia en su frente y el pico curvado hacia abajo asemejan un zopilote rey.

Este metate es un testamento de la amplitud de conocimientos y habilidades del artista o artistas que lo fabricaron: desde la selección de la materia prima y las técnicas de tallado, hasta la ingeniería necesaria para mantener el balance en una escultura tan intricada y pesada.

Metates sumamente elaborados se han encontrado en excavaciones arqueológicas como parte de contextos funerarios, junto a otros objetos especiales como colgantes de jade, remates de bastón de piedra y cerámicas finas. Algunos de estos metates no tienen rastros de uso, y posiblemente se manufacturaron específicamente como ofrendas funerarias. Sin embargo, el reborde y la forma ligeramente cóncava del plato en este ejemplar sugieren que pudo haber sido utilizado para procesar alguna sustancia.

Amanda Suárez Calderón, Samuel and Gabrielle Lurie Resident Scholar, 2025

Lectura adicional

Graham, Mark. “Traditions of Costa Rican Stone Sculpture” In Between Continents/ Between Seas: Precolumbian Arts of Costa Rica, edited by Elizabeth Benson. New York: H.N. Abrams, Detroit: Detroit Institute of Arts, 1981.