Bowl, 11th-16th century, 4 1/2 x 7 x 7 in. ( x x cm), Earthenware, pigment, Costa Rica, 11th-16th century, The large, frontal, round eyes painted on this bowl represent the eyes of an owl. In the Nicoya-Guanacaste tradition, the owl held special ties to the Unknown, and was associated with the mysterious and sacred aspects of the afterlife. Owls, with their special nighttime vision, together with their ability to navigate long cavernous passageways, were seen as gifted creatures. The ancient Native cultures likened the owl's journey to the human journey into the afterlife

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Size: 4428px × 3540px
Location:
Photo credit: © Penta Springs / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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