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"Mace heads are
hard-stone objects approximately the size of a closed fist that were
worked in a wide range of form, from plain to complex image."----1998,
Julie Jones, "Jade In Ancient Costa Rica," p. 17.
"Maces or club heads of stone are very typical
in Nicoya graves (in northwestern Costa Rica)."---------1948,
Wm. Duncan Strong, "The Archaeology Of Costa Rica And Nicaragua,"
Handbook Of South American Indians, Vol. 4, p. 129."
"In northern Costa Rica (around
500 B.C.) there developed a specialized funerary complex
including various combinations of zoned bicrome ceramics, ceremonial
stools or thrones, jade pendants, and mace heads," 2010, Susan
Toby Evans & David L. Webster, "Archaeology Of Ancient Mexico And
Central America, An Encyclopedia, p. 519.
"Major effigy
forms (of stone maces in Costa Rica)
include human heads, owls, birds, coyotes, felines, and bats. Functional
types include plain, banded, and knobbed varieties. There were also a
variety of miscellaneous forms."--------1988,
E. Ivonne De La Cruz, "Mace Heads As Stylistic Signaling Devices,"
Costa Rican Art And Archaeology, Essays In Honor Of Frederick R.
Meyer, p. 122.
"The earliest
mention of stone mace heads is in an exhibition catalog accompanying
Costa Rican archaeological collections sent to Madrid, Spain, in 1893."--------1988,
E. Ivonne De La Cruz, "Mace Heads As Stylistic Signaling Devices,"
Costa Rican Art And Archaeology, Essays In Honor Of Frederick R.
Meyer, p. 115.
"The Emperor
(Inca ruler)
carried a mace, with a golden star-head and a handle about 23 inches (60
cm) long; attendants carried two
similar maces with long-pole handles, as a color-guard for the royal
standard."------1946, John Howland Rowe, "Inca
Culture At The Time Of The Spanish Conquest," Handbook Of South
American Indians, Vol. 2, p. 258.
"The (Mochica)
chiefs (in Peru)
were both protectively and gorgeously attired. The helmet or headdress
was amply quilted in order to deaden the blows of the mace."--------1946,
Rafael Larco Hoyle, "A Culture Sequence For The North Coast Of Peru,"
Handbook Of South American Indians, Vol. 2, p. 168.
"The
favorite weapon of the Incan proper was a club with a circular stone,
copper, or silver head, common in museum collections, is often called
the "star-headed mace. The shafts seem to have average 3 feet (1m)
long."----1946, John Howland Rowe, "Inca
Culture At The Time Of The Spanish Conquest," Handbook Of South
American Indians, Vol. 2, p. 276.
"The term
"mace-head" is one that has come into use comparatively recently (in
the British Isles, northern Europe),
having gradually replaced there older expression "stone hammer" or
"hammer-head," and it is now standard practice to describe as mace-heads
all those stone implements with shaftholes that do not have a cutting
edge."---------1968,
Fiona Roe, "Stone Mace-Heads And The Latest Neolithic Cultures Of
The British Isles," Studies In Ancient Europe, p. 145.
STONE MACE HEADS
COSTA RICA, CENTRAL AMERICA
est. 500 B.C. TO A.D. 1550
Costa Rican stone maces are unique for their many different
carved forms that illustrate both the natural and metaphysical world.
Some of the images are represented in highly stylized forms. Costa Rican
maces are typically found in tombs with wealthy individuals, rather than in utilitarian
contexts. They also have a close connection with other items of
wealth in the form of carved jades and ceremonial metates (which
are also referred to as ceremonial stools and thrones).
Costa Rican maces were considered important and valued items within the
culture. |
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COMPUTER ALTERED IMAGES FROM LITHIC CASTING LAB'S COLLECTION OF
ORIGINAL IMAGES
CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE
COMPUTER HAFTED STONE MACE HEADS
COSTA RICA, CENTRAL AMERICA
est. A.D. 300 TO 1550
These five stone mace heads were
found on archaeological sites in Costa Rica. They have been mounted
hypothetically onto computer generated handles. Their size ratio,
one to another, is not accurate. The second and third owl figures,
from the left, are reported to have been found on sites in the
central highlands. The god figure on the left and both bird figures
on the right were found in northwestern Costa Rica in the province
of Guanacaste. The mace on the left is actually the largest in this
group. It measures 5 inches (12.6 cm) long. |
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Stone maces have been used throughout the ancient world. The
earliest stone mace heads were simple drilled pebbles and were most
certainly used as weapons. But when they appear in later more advanced
cultures, in highly refined forms, they are believed to have been used
more as symbolic emblems rather than weapons. Recent studies indicate
that many of the stone maces from Costa Rica represent signage that convey
symbolic information, such as social rank and tribal or clan connections. |
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COMPUTER ALTERED IMAGES FROM LITHIC CASTING LAB'S COLLECTION OF
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OWL MACE HEADS
COSTA RICA, CENTRAL AMERICA
est. A.D. 300 TO 1550
This picture shows two common
forms of Costa Rican owl effigy mace heads. The hafted example
has a computer generated handle. In the past and around the world, owls
have been seen more as a negative influence. They have been linked to
death, magic, the underworld, harbingers of disaster, darkness, demons,
prophesy, north wind, witchcraft, drought, a god of death, bird of ill
omen and demonic influences, just to name a few. But on the other hand,
they were seen by the Greeks as wise, by the Aztecs as having a powerful
force of rejuvenation, and by the Australian aborigines as a sacred bird
associated with rain, water and birth.
In Mesoamerica the owl is connected to the underworld and the
abode of the dead but also to a warrior class. At Teotihuacán (central
Mexico), owls are depicted on stone
sculpture and ceramics as wearing weapons and shields. The Peruvian
Moche culture also depicts the owl as a warrior. These Costa Rican owl
maces may have once belonged to members of a warrior caste of wealthy individuals.
Both of these maces were found on sites in the central highland of Costa
Rica. The example at top appears to be made of a granite-like stone and
it measures 2 inches (5.1 cm) high. |
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Some of the most artistically crafted stone-work in northern
Costa Rica began to be produced within the
chronological sequence known as Period IV, between 1000 B.C. and A.D.
500. Quality stones like jadeite, quartz and serpentine were extensively
used in the period between 100 B.C. and A.D. 700. Stone mace heads were
also produced during this period and most probably continued to be used
until the Spanish conquest in 1522. |
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COMPUTER ALTERED IMAGES FROM LITHIC CASTING LAB'S COLLECTION OF
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PARROT MACE HEAD
COSTA RICA, CENTRAL AMERICA
est. A.D. 300 TO 1550
This stone mace was found
on a site in northwestern Costa Rica in the Province of Guanacaste. It
was made in the form of a bird that is identified as a parrot. Parrots
are unique for their ability to talk which is the quality that gives
them some symbolic significance. In some cultures they serve as
messengers between humans and gods. The parrot is represented in one of
the Mayan creation myths as helping Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent,
to create four new beings to populate the earth. Parrot feathers were
also highly prized as some of the most colorful. Some maces are
extremely stylized. This example was carved with much of the natural
lines of a bird and is easy to identify. This mace is made of good
quality hard stone and it measures 3 inches (7.6 cm) high. |
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Maces have been used throughout history for thousands of
years. Estimates of their earliest use range between 8,000 and 10,000
years ago. Egyptian Predynastic maces first appear between 5,000 and
6,000 years ago. Stone fighting maces were in use in New Guinea as
recently as the 1900's. |
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COMPUTER ALTERED IMAGES FROM LITHIC CASTING LAB'S COLLECTION OF
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TAPIR MACE HEAD
COSTA RICA, CENTRAL AMERICA
est. A.D. 300 TO 1550
The odd looking figure is identified as a tapir. Tapirs are nocturnal animals. They
are not represented in Mesoamerica as well as other animal forms. The
Mayans did associate it will other animals of the underworld but
especially with sexual potency and fertility. This mace seems to be made
of some type of hard stone of good quality. It measure 1 3/4 inches (4.4
cm) high. |
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Stone mace heads from the Americas, Egypt and Europe are
similar in two basic ways. They are drilled for hafting to a wooden
handle and they are non-bladed. Fighting maces were designed for
striking a hard blow rather than cutting. The surface shape is generally
more rounded but some examples were designed with multiple spikes or
knobs that could cut into simple padded armor. Medieval maces, made of
metal, had spikes that were designed to puncture through metal armor. |
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COMPUTER ALTERED IMAGES FROM LITHIC CASTING LAB'S COLLECTION OF
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KNOBBED MACE HEAD
COSTA RICA, CENTRAL AMERICA
est. A.D. 300 TO 1550
This is a good example of a
simple knobbed style mace head. It appears to have at least six large
knobs carved around its perimeter and it has a good polish. The stone
looks like it might be granite. |
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Costa Rican maces were manufactured by shaping the
surface with a hammerstone and smoothing by grinding and polishing. They
were drilled with large holes for hafting to a wooden shaft. An estimate
for the various range of sizes of holes may be between 1/2 to 1 1/4
inches (1.3 cm to 3.2 cm). The holes for maces were drilled through
from one side with tubular drill bits along with the use of water and
grit. The drill bits were made from either cane or copper. |
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COMPUTER ALTERED IMAGES FROM LITHIC CASTING LAB'S COLLECTION OF
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"GOD FORM" MACE HEAD
COSTA RICA, CENTRAL AMERICA
est. A.D. 300 TO 1550
This mace is
intricately carved with a complex design of a god form. It's identified as
representing the Plumed Serpent. Imagery from the central valley of
Mexico begin to show up in increasing numbers on ceramics in
northwestern Costa Rica around 1000 A.D. The Plumed Serpent is one of
the most important and long lasting Mesoamerican symbols to reach Costa
Rica during this time. This mace is made of some type of stone that's
been nicely smoothed but is not the quality of stone that polishes to a
sheen. It measures 5 inches (12.7 cm) long. |
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Costa Rican maces were made from a wide range of
different types of stone. Some of the reported types are jade, jadeite,
granite, chalcedony, andesite, diorite, conglomerate, green slate, green
talc, tuff, tomsonite, quartz, and black slate (1988, De La Cruz). Every
type of both hard and soft stone was apparently used to make maces.
Judging from the quality, it seems apparent that wealthy individuals
would have owned the most difficult stones to work, like jade. The maces
that were made of soft and delicate stones, like talc or tuff, seem more symbolic, rather than
weapons used for fighting. |
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COMPUTER ALTERED IMAGES FROM LITHIC CASTING LAB'S COLLECTION OF
ORIGINAL IMAGES
"STYLIZED BIRD FORM?" MACE HEAD
COSTA RICA, CENTRAL AMERICA
est. A.D. 300 TO 1550
This mace is very finely crafted and made in what appears to be a
highly stylized form of a bird. The stone is polished and of fine
quality. |
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Costa Rican maces appear in many different styles of animal,
plant, geometric and god forms. By the later part of the Phase IV period
they were made by full-time craftsmen. Their production of maces represents some of the most artistic and
skillfully crafted stone-work in the region. The images range in design
from very simple to highly ornamental complex stylized forms. Some are
mysterious as to their meaning while others are easy to recognize. They
have been found in the forms of, human heads, macaws, parrots, turkeys,
predatory birds, owls, coyotes, jaguars, ocelots, pumas, bats, tapirs, maize
(corn), round with knobbed surfaces, plain round, plain round with rings,
etc., etc. |
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CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER IMAGE
KNOBBED & MAZE EFFIGY MACE HEAD
(IMAGE SIZE RATIO COMPARISON IS
NOT ACCURATE)
COSTA RICA, CENTRAL AMERICA
est. A.D. 300 TO 1550
Both of these maces were
collected in Costa Rica. The example on the left is a common design. It
was made from a basic round shaped stone that was cut with grooves
to form small knobs or projections over its surface. It's a style that
was used in other parts of the world, in northern Europe and New Guinea.
It appears to be made of limestone and it measures 3 1/2 inches in
diameter.
The mace on the right is unique for the fact that it was made
in the form of a plant rather than an animal. It was carved into a
stylized shape of an ear of corn, also known as maze. Maze was the basic
food crop over a large area of the Americas, just as rice was to Asia
and wheat and barley was to Europe and Egypt. Artistic depictions of
corn by Aztec and Incan craftsmen have helped Botanists study ancient
varieties of this plant. The Incas produced images of corn in stone,
ceramics, textiles, gold and silver. Maze, or corn, did evolve into a
religious object in the Americas. The exceptional length of this mace
might suggest that it was used more as a symbol rather than a weapon.
This mace seems to be made of limestone and it measures 7 1/4 inches
(18.4 cm) long. |
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Ancient craftsmen left behind some of the most
iconic images of the Americas. The stone they used is one of the best
preservers of history. It's one of the few materials that survives in a
tropical environment. The ancient stone craftsmen of Costa Rica left
behind some of their most important imagery on mace heads, that
fortunately is a legacy that will live as long as the stone. |
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"REFERENCES"
1946, Rowe, John Howland, "Inca
Culture At The Time Of The Spanish Conquest," Handbook Of South
American Indians, Vol. 2, p. 258.
1948, Strong, Wm. Duncan "The Archaeology Of Costa Rica And
Nicaragua,"
Handbook Of South American Indians, Vol. 4, p. 129.
1968, Roe, Fiona, "Stone Mace-Heads And The Latest Neolithic
Cultures Of The British Isles," Studies In Ancient Europe, p. 145.
1974, Mangelsdorf, Paul C., "Corn, Its Origin Evolution And
Improvement," p. 187.
1988, De La Cruz, E. Ivonne, "Mace Heads As Stylistic Signaling Devices,"
Costa Rican Art And Archaeology, Essays In Honor Of Frederick R.
Meyer, p. 115.
1998, Jones, Julie, "Jade In Ancient Costa Rica," p. 17.
2006, Werness, Hope B., "Encyclopedia Of Animal Symbolism In
Art."
2009, Schott, Amy, "A Comparison Of Iconography From Northwestern
Costa Rica And Central Mexico," UW-L Journal Of Undergraduate
Research XII.
2010, Evans, Susan Toby & Webster, David L., "Archaeology Of
Ancient Mexico And Central America, An Encyclopedia, p. 519.
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