A fierce feline, probably a jaguar, is carved onto a stone metate from Nicoya, Costa Rica, between 500–1000 CE. In this video, we explore what a metate is, how it was used for grinding grains like maize (corn), and why some metates, like this one, were elaborately decorated and reserved for ceremonial or symbolic use rather than everyday food preparation. Perfect for anyone interested in:

• Ancient Costa Rican art

• Pre-Columbian cultures

• Mesoamerican symbolism

• Art History

• Ancient Americas

• Global Medieval Art

CHAPTERS

0:00 What is a metate?

0:34 Nicoya region in Costa Rica and metates

0:54 Metate forms in Nicoya

1:10 Ceremonial Metate

1:53 Felines and power