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This item is a Huetar tripod “Alligator God” incense burner, made from terracotta, with red slip burnishing. It features three elongated legs topped by figures holding long snouts, possibly representing alligators, with additional details like white horizontal stripes, modeled head-dressers, and sgraffito decorations on the fingers and toes. This piece is from the Meseta Central Highlands, Costa Rica, though the specific time period is not definitively known. It measures 5 5/8 inches in height and 4 1/2 inches in depth, and is overall in great condition.

The Huetar people, an indigenous group from Costa Rica, are known for their complex belief system, which often included animals such as alligators that symbolized power and the connection between the earthly and spiritual worlds. The use of incense burners in ritual contexts was widespread in Mesoamerican cultures, used to make offerings to gods and ancestors. This particular piece may have been used in ceremonies to honor deities related to fertility, agriculture, or the natural world, considering the symbolic importance of alligators in these traditions.

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