The Symbolic Element of Jade
In the beliefs of the people, corporal death was not the end of existence. They believed that at the moment of death something flew out of the body. This spirit left to unite with the great beyond and initiate the cycle of "eternal return".
In this passage to the "other life" they carried with them the material objects that the dead individual used while he was alive. These were to guide and protect him from the dangers that could present themselves during the journey, and also to have the tools necessary to begin the new life.
In archeology the word "jade" is assigned to all those objects wrought in stones or gems of a green color. Their derivations are jadeite, nephrite, chalcedony, serpentine, diorite, tufa or tuff, serpentinite, sandstone and lava.
According to recent studies cited by the departments of the Protection of the Patrimony and the National Museum of Anthropology and History, Guanacaste and the Atlantic plain have been defined as the two most important lapidary centers in the obtaining and production of jade objects, although other areas of production are considered important as well, such as Arenal Lake and the steppes of San Carlos in the north of the country, the Barranca and Grande de Tarcoles rivers in the Pacific north and the banks of the Reventazon River.
None the less, other objects made in Costa Rica were produced from materials brought in from the basin of the Motagua River in Guatemala.
Manufacture and Design
The first materials were obtained from the banks of the rivers. To extract blocks a wooden bow with hemp rope of very tensile and resistant fibers were used. With this, along with the aide of grindstone powder, they succeeded in cutting the blocks. The striations made over the surface of the object were made with an implement of harder stone.
Perforations were obtained with a solid conical or tubular instrument, passing through the object to obtain a suspension hole or to carve decorative motifs on the surface.
Rubbing them with some type of leather or grease or beeswax mixed with volcanic ash polished the objects.
In Costa Rica, the discovery of jade objects with Mayan glyphs and Olmeca styles has been reported. This suggests contact with other, more distant human groups. This could possibly be through commerce or the exchange of products such as feathers, salt, textiles and ink from mollusks.
The production and use of jade is placed between 500 BC and 800 AD. The majority of the objects have been found in the northeastern zone of Costa Rica. The wrought styles are highly varied and very characteristic of the country, which evidences a clearly native production.
The use of jade is tied to social rank, in agricultural societies and with persons highly qualified in the manufacture of these types of objects. The use of these green stones was linked to a body spirit relationship. This was an intrinsic relationship that connected the material world and divine protection, to their vision of life after death, an eternity that is arriving to us today...in body and soul.
Travel to Costa Rica 
