Monkey mace-head finial,

400–1200 CE

Objects like this traditionally have been called mace heads due to their size, large holes for hafting, and occasional spikes; however, most known examples exhibit no evidence of having been used in battle. Instead, they likely served ceremonial roles for the ancient cultures of the Greater Nicoya region of northwest Costa Rica. They may have been fixed to staffs of authority made to resemble weapons, set on poles and displayed in the homes of high-ranking people, or worn on the body in some fashion. They are typically in the form of animal heads; this example represents a spider monkey.