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Pendant

300–700 CE
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 360
Edged with abstract renditions of ten human trophy heads, this jade pendant has a large central hole and two upper perforations through which to thread a cord for suspension. The taking of heads as trophies in ancient Costa Rica is believed to have been a way in which victorious warriors appropriated the knowledge and power of their defeated enemies. Greenstone held a position of importance among the peoples of ancient Costa Rica, and jade objects—perhaps heirlooms—were occasionally recarved to suit new owners or different purposes. This pendant may have been reworked from a piece of jade already possessing a central hole.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Pendant
  • Artist: Central Region artist(s)
  • Date: 300–700 CE
  • Geography: Costa Rica
  • Culture: Central Region
  • Medium: Jadeite
  • Dimensions: H. 2 3/4 × W. 2 3/4 × D. 1/2 in. (7 × 7 × 1.3 cm)
  • Classifications: Stone-Ornaments, Jade
  • Credit Line: Gift of Carol R. Meyer, 1996
  • Object Number: 1996.81
  • Curatorial Department: The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing

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Winged pendant, Central Region artist(s), Greenstone, Costa Rican
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300–800 CE
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Frog pendant
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