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Masked Figure Pendant

4th–8th century
Not on view
Excavations in Costa Rica have revealed that jade objects worn in life were consistently placed as offerings in burials; in some instances, they were found on the neck of the deceased. This standing masked figure with bent knees has arms raised to chest level, holding something between his hands or simply resting them on his plump abdomen. The figure is unclothed except for the mask, with its large upturned snout or beak and a tripartite crested headdress. Carved from a light green jade, shallow incisions and deep grooves interrupt the highly polished surface to delineate anatomy and ornament. A drill hole through the neck allows for suspension.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Masked Figure Pendant
  • Date: 4th–8th century
  • Geography: Costa Rica
  • Culture: Atlantic Watershed
  • Medium: Jadeite
  • Dimensions: H. 20 1/2 × W. 1 1/16 × D. 1 1/4 in. (52.1 × 2.7 × 3.2 cm)
  • Classifications: Stone-Ornaments, Jade
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Arthur M. Bullowa Bequest, 1994
  • Object Number: 1994.429
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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