Polychrome Tripod Urn with Modeled Animal Head
Nicoya Culture, Costa Rica
Circa 800–1200 CE
Painted ceramic
Height: 8 1/2" in height.
Provenance: Ex Roland Auctions, New York; from the estate of Ronald Blatt (owner of Blatt Billiards, NYC)

A striking example of Nicoya ceramic artistry, this tripod urn features a rotund body raised on three short, flared legs, each decorated with painted motifs and punctuated with suspension holes. The vessel is surmounted by a wide flaring rim encircled with a geometric register in deep red, black, and cream pigments typical of the Nicoya palette. One side of the vessel bears a modeled animal head—likely representing a monkey or feline—characterized by rounded eyes, a wide mouth, pierced nostrils, and incised detailing to suggest fur or facial patterning.

Prominent twin curvilinear serpent-like forms flank the head, raised in low relief and outlined in red, evoking mythological or protective iconography. The body is further divided into decorative vertical panels, possibly referencing ritualistic divisions or symbolic cosmological structure, while the reverse displays a stylized, radiating motif reminiscent of solar or plant forms.

This vessel exemplifies the cross-cultural aesthetics of the Greater Nicoya region, reflecting both Mesoamerican influence and indigenous innovation. The carefully balanced form, vivid polychrome design, and expressive modeled elements indicate its use in ceremonial or funerary contexts, where such urns often served to hold offerings or cremated remains.

Well-preserved with minor surface wear, mineral deposits, and some fading to painted areas consistent with age and burial. Some light paint touch up around the rim, face, and body. 

Comparable examples can be found in the Museo Nacional de Costa Rica and are illustrated in regional ceramic typologies such as The Art of Precolumbian Gold: The Jan Mitchell Collection and Art of Ancient Costa Rica: A Legacy of the Indigenous Peoples (Labbé & Stone).