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Based on the images and available information, this item is:

A Bribri Pre-Columbian statue. This fired-clay statue originates from Pre-Columbian Central America, specifically Costa Rica, dating back to approximately 1000 to 1500 CE. The statue portrays an animal figure, its facial features abstract yet remarkably emotive. While most Sukia figures are commonly illustrated as smokers, this particular instance deviates from the norm. In this representation, the figure emerges, possibly post a smoking ritual, with its gaze directed upwards, and its lips puckered, as if exhaling smoke towards the celestial realm above.

Bribri art is a form of indigenous artistic expression practiced by the Bribri people, an indigenous group located in the Talamanca region of Costa Rica and Panama. The Bribri are part of the larger Bribri-Cabécar cultural group and are known for their rich cultural heritage, including their unique art forms.

Bribri art is deeply intertwined with their spiritual beliefs, cosmology, and everyday life. It often reflects their close connection to nature, their reverence for ancestral spirits, and their understanding of the world around them

Good condition.

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