A Costa Rican Marble Bird Mace Head, Greater Nicoya, Period IV, ca. 300 - 500 CE Funerary & Religious Equipment This beautiful intaglio is carved

This beautiful intaglio is carved in a piece of bright blue and green striped mosaic glass

was used to carve a distinctive type of cosmetic container for a short period between the late seventh and the early sixth century BCE  The elongated form has a deeply fluted exterior and a concave interior

much of Clark’s collection was gifted to the American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center

each holding the life sign ankh in their right hand and a was scepter in their left

with elaborate disc decorated bridle

A Costa Rican Marble Bird Mace Head, Greater Nicoya, Period IV, ca. 300 - 500 CE Funerary & Religious Equipment This beautiful intaglio is carvedCarved from smooth white marble, the round body with a stylized bird head featuring an elongated beak gently carved to indicate a mouth and a raised double head crest along the top of the head. Used as a symbolic object rather than a functional one, mace heads of this type occur in many different materials, sizes, and subjects. Found in most high status graves, mace heads most probably served as identifiers of the person's clan or family through a