Pre-Columbian, Central America, Costa Rica / Nicaragua, Greater Nicoya culture, ca. 500-1000 CE. The indians of Greater Nicoya, an ancient region that extended from southwestern coastal Honduras to the far northwestern Pacific coastal region of Costa Rica and the Pacific side of coastal Nicaragua, thrived for many centuries before the first Spanish explorers arrived in 1500 CE. They had no written language but spoke Nahuatl and had continual contact with the Aztecs of Central Mexico. As artisans, the people of Nicoya created wondrous polychrome ceramics. This lot includes a whistle featuring a lively jaguar atop, all richly painted in red and black on cream. The female figure in the lot is also intricately painted with a red and black geometrical program perhaps representing tattooing or body paint. 4-1/2"T x 3-3/4"W x 2"D (figure) and 2-7/8"T x 2"D (whistle), traces of museum wax on the bottom to previously secure the item during display.
Provenance: Ex-Museum of Fine Arts Boston, MA (whistle) and Ex-Malcom Parker, Ex-Danny Lee, Ex-Robert White, originally acquired in the 1950's (figure).