Greater Nicoya Jaguar Vessel
2018 © Maxim Tabachnik
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Greater Nicoya Jaguar Vessel

320
This ceramic jaguar, modeled on the body of a vessel (800–1350), represents strength, night, and shamanic power in Greater Nicoya cosmology. Its detailed pattern evokes the spotted pelt of the sacred feline, a key spiritual and political symbol linking rulers to the supernatural realm.