COLLECTION NAME:
The AMICA Library
mediaCollectionId
AMICO~1~1
The AMICA Library
Collection
true
AMICA ID:
MMA_.1986.200
amicoid
MMA_.1986.200
AMICA ID
false
AMICA Library Year:
2002
aly
2002
AMICA Library Year
false
Object Type:
Decorative Arts and Utilitarian Objects
oty
Decorative Arts and Utilitarian Objects
Object Type
false
Description:
Metates, tablelike objects of stone used in ancient Mesoamerica for the grinding of foodstuffs such as corn, underwent particular elaboration in Central America, where they took on special meanings as well as unusual sculptural forms. These new meanings are thought to be based on the original function of the metate as a tool: like the transformation of the workaday celt into a special ornament, the grinding table became a ritual object. In the Atlantic Watershed region, the source of the present example, the metate's three supporting legs were embellished with complex carvings of a wide range of imagery. On the underside of this metate, which is carved entirely from one piece of volcanic stone, five beady-eyed and snarling felines are worked into the legs. A tour de force of stone carving, metates of this type?called "flying-panel metates"?have been discovered in burials associated with jade objects.
opd
Metates, tablelike objects of stone used in ancient Mesoamerica for the grinding of foodstuffs such as corn, underwent particular elaboration in Central America, where they took on special meanings as well as unusual sculptural forms. These new meanings are thought to be based on the original function of the metate as a tool: like the transformation of the workaday celt into a special ornament, the grinding table became a ritual object. In the Atlantic Watershed region, the source of the present example, the metate's three supporting legs were embellished with complex carvings of a wide range of imagery. On the underside of this metate, which is carved entirely from one piece of volcanic stone, five beady-eyed and snarling felines are worked into the legs. A tour de force of stone carving, metates of this type?called "flying-panel metates"?have been discovered in burials associated with jade objects.
Description
false
Creator Nationality:
North American; Native American
crc
North American; Native American
Creator Nationality
false
Creator Name-CRT:
Atlantic Watershed
crt
Atlantic Watershed
Creator Name-CRT
false
Title:
Flying-Panel Metate
otn
Flying-Panel Metate
Title
false
View:
Principal view
rid
Principal view
View
false
Creation Date:
1st?5th century
oct
1st?5th century
Creation Date
false
Creation Start Date:
1
ocs
1
Creation Start Date
false
Creation End Date:
499
oce
499
Creation End Date
false
Materials and Techniques:
Stone
omd
Stone
Materials and Techniques
false
Creation Place:
Costa Rica
ocp
Costa Rica
Creation Place
false
Dimensions:
H. 10 in. (25.4 cm)
met
H. 10 in. (25.4 cm)
Dimensions
false
AMICA Contributor:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
oon
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
AMICA Contributor
false
Owner Location:
New York, New York
oop
New York, New York
Owner Location
false
ID Number:
1986.200
ooa
1986.200
ID Number
false
Credit Line:
Gift of Fine Arts of Ancient Lands Inc., in memory of John Ogle, 1986
ooc
Gift of Fine Arts of Ancient Lands Inc., in memory of John Ogle, 1986
Credit Line
false
Copyright:
Copyright ? 2002 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. All rights reserved.
ors
Copyright ? 2002 The Metropolitan Museum of Art. All rights reserved.
Copyright
false
Rights:
orl
<a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/education/er_photo_lib.asp"target="_new">http://www.metmuseum.org/education/er_photo_lib.asp</a>
Rights
false
Related Image Identifier Link:
MMA_.h1_1986.200.tif
ril
MMA_.h1_1986.200.tif
Related Image Identifier Link
false