"In the centuries (in Costa Rica) when jade was the most important symbolic material, special, ornately sculpted metates became the principal sculptural vehicle through which the deities linked to agriculture were portrayed"----1998, Michael J. Snarskis, "The Imagery And Symbolism Of Precolumbian Jade In Costa Rica" Jade In Ancient Costa Rica, p. 62.
    "It has been proposed by Lange that the Nicoya metates found in the elite graves at Las Huacas (Costa Rica) and elsewhere functioned as chieftains seats, signifying their status and power. The idea stems from the custom of Circum-Caribbean groups who bury chiefs with their stools."--------1988, Alice C. Tillett, "Sacred Symbols Of Life And Death In Northern Costa Rica," Costa Rican Art And Archaeology, Essays In Honor Of Frederick R. Mayer, p. 50.
     "The interrelated religious connotations of corn, the color yellow, and the chiefly status held by the metate reflects several levels of religious and political significance in prehistoric Lower Central America."----1988, Alice C. Tillett, "Sacred Symbols Of Life And Death In Northern Costa Rica," Costa Rican Art And Archaeology, Essays In Honor Of Frederick R. Mayer, p. 51.
    "---we found a large stone metate (on the Loma Corral 3 site in northwestern Costa Rica), placed plate up, with extremely fragile human teeth on top of the plate. ---(it) had been ceremonially killed by the removal of one support that we never found elsewhere."---------2013, Michael Snarskis, "Loma Corral 3, Culebra Bay, Costa Rica, An Elite Burial Ground With Jade And Usulutan Ceramic Offerings,"  Pre-Columbian Art & Archaeology, Essays In Honor Of Fredrick R. Mayer, pp. 65 & 69.
    "Burial VIII (at Las Huacas in northwestern Costa Rica) held the remains of three persons together with three decorated metates and various small objects"----1998, Julie Jones, "Jade In Ancient Costa Rica," p. 16.
     "The richest burials included imported Usulutan pottery, decorated local pottery, pendants of both true jade and social jade, and tripod metates."----2013, Michael Snarskis, "Loma Corral 3, Culebra Bay, Costa Rica, An Elite Burial Ground With Jade And Usulutan Ceramic Offerings,"  Pre-Columbian Art & Archaeology, Essays In Honor Of Fredrick R. Mayer, p. 81.
   "In the cemetery at Tibas, Snarkis reported a burial extended on metates of the Atlantic watershed type accompanied by northwestern Costa Rican style jadeite pendants and carved mace heads, and Guerrero found a similar burial at La Fabrica de Grecia."----1988, Alice C. Tillett, "Sacred Symbols Of Life And Death In Northern Costa Rica," Costa Rican Art And Archaeology, Essays In Honor Of Frederick R. Mayer, p. 50.

 
CEREMONIAL METATES
NORTHERN COSTA RICA
est. A.D. 300 to 1000

      Ceremonial metates are one of the most recognized stone artifact types in Costa Rica, next to giant stone spheres, maces and axe-god jade pendants. They  are remarkable for their artistic qualities, diversity of style and fine craftsmanship. Ceremonial metates were made by full-time craftsmen who produced some of the best stonework ever made in the Americas.

    Metates were used as kitchen tools for grinding corn. Only a few were made especially for ritual purposes. Common metates have thick grinding plates and are supported by three short legs. The more rare refined forms are referred to as ceremonial metates. They are taller with three or four legs and have thinner grinding plates that curve slightly upward on each end.

    Some ceremonial metates are undecorated. But the more refined examples are engraved with complex designs on both the legs and the plates. The most impressive metates are carved with heads and bodies of various types of birds, reptiles, mammals, and even corn. Some of the metates from the Atlantic watershed on the eastern side of Costa Rica are described as having four legs, a raised rim around the grinding plate and several small heads carved onto the lower edge of the plate.

    Costa Rican ceremonial metates are found exclusively in burials. They are often found with rich offerings of carved jades and maces that indicate high ranking individuals. The "metate and greenstone ornament combination" is an archaeological burial feature that has been observed throughout Costa Rica.

     Metates were made from several different types of stone. From the desert southwest in the U.S. to South America, they were made from granite, rhyolite, andesite, basalt, quartzite, sandstone, and limestone. Vesicular (pitted) basalt is and was the best type of stone to use. This type of volcanic stone is long-lasting and self-sharpening. As the natural pits in the stone are worn away new ones open up. Many of the ceremonial metates of Costa Rica are made of basalt.

    In mythology, metates are connected to life through their association with maize (corn). The Olmec recognized the maize god as their second most important deity and they saw maize as a divine substance. The Mayans believed that man was fashioned from yellow and white corn. The color yellow is also associated with the sun's cosmic energy. Even today, when Mayan women are interviewed about the importance of metates they will say "the metate is the reason we are alive" or "if we have no metate, we wouldn't eat (2011 Searcey)."

    The connection between ceremonial metates and maize is obvious, but it's still not exactly clear how these specialized grinders were used. They have been found both face up and face down in graves. Two individuals, in different cemeteries, are reported to have been laid on top of several metates. In another grave, jade artifacts were laid on the grinding plate. The remnants of poorly preserved human teeth were found on another grinding plate. They have been described as chieftains' seats and as ritual grinders of food and drugs for special ceremonies. They were probably used in several different ways. We do know, for sure, that they are very unique forms of stone sculpture that have a rich archaeological history from one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

"REFERENCES"

1984, Snarskis, Michael J., "The Archaeology Of Lower Central America," Central America: The Lower Caribbean.
1988, Tillett, Alice C., "Sacred Symbols Of Life And Death In Northern Costa Rica," Costa Rican Art And Archaeology, Essays In Honor Of Frederick R. Mayer, p. 50.
1998, Jones, Julie, "Jade In Ancient Costa Rica," p. 16.
1998, Snarskis, Michael J., "The Imagery And Symbolism Of Pre-Columbian Jade In Costa Rica" Jade In Ancient Costa Rica, p. 62.
2011, Searcey, Michael T, "The Life-Giving Stone, Ethnoarchaeology Of Maya Metates," p.138.
2013, Snarskis, Michael, "Loma Corral 3, Culebra Bay, Costa Rica, An Elite Burial Ground With Jade And Usulutan Ceramic Offerings,"  Pre-Columbian Art & Archaeology, Essays In Honor Of Fredrick R. Mayer, pp. 65 & 69.

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