- Title
- Quetzal Celt Pendant
- Culture
- Greater Nicoya
- Date Made
- 300–700 CE
- Medium
- Jadeite
- Dimensions
- 6 2/5 x 1/2 x 1 in. (16.256 x 1.27 x 2.54 cm)
- Accession Number
- M.2010.115.353
- Collecting Area
- Art of the Ancient Americas
- Curatorial Notes
This pendant in the form of stylized stacked birds was probably carved from a quarter or sixth of a celt. The artist composed it so that certain shapes form multiple different body parts depending on the angle at which the piece is viewed: when seen from the front, the lateral protruding eyes of the main figure simultaneously form the wings of the bird that sits on top of its head. There is a transverse perforation drilled through the neck for threading a string.
These kinds of pointed avian celtiform pendants are relatively common and have been found on opposite sides of Costa Rica, from the Caribbean lowlands to the Pacific coast. Their exact meaning still eludes us. Stacked animals or beings with animals on top of the head have been theorized to represent alter egos or spirit helpers of powerful persons or characters. Nearly all celtiform jade pendants from Costa Rica take either avian or anthropomorphic forms, but the specific significance of birds in their cultural context remains elusive.
Julia Burtenshaw
2024