The artist who created this fascinating
skull
stone mask was not only an exceptional
lapidary
artist; he was also very perceptive in
the type of
stone he chose for the mask. It is a
rare stone
that is similar to human skulls.
Notice the vein
formation and color. It has a
remarkable realistic
human resemblance. The artist may have
gone
through many quarries to find this
special stone
for a very special person. This person
most
probably desired this mask to represent
the
death deity for ritual performances.
In general,
the Meso-Americans believed the
universe
embraced the heavens and underworld as
one.
There was no separation between the
terrestrial
world and the supernatural world.
Everyday
experience incorporated these two
worlds
together; it was an ordinary aspect of
their
reality. Thus, the world of the dead
was closely
integrated into the world of the
living. Deceased
ancestors were believed to have
powerful
influences upon the living. Major
festivals
honored the dead. The person who
adorned this
mask during rituals most probably acted
as the
death deity. By appeasing the death
deity
through ritual, the Ancient Costa
Ricans may
have felt that their ancestors would be
safe in
the Underworld and have favorable
influences
upon the living. Or perhaps the death
deity acted
as an intermediary for the humans to
communicate with the deceased. Due to
their
perception of the unity of the
terrestrial,
supernatural worlds and the Underworld
as one,
we can only imagine that this mask and
the ritual
performances in honor of the death
deity had
good intentions for all: the gods,
humans and
the dead.
- (PF.3165)
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