How it began
UNESCO dates the traditional Costa Rican oxcart to the mid-19th century. Carts were used to carry coffee beans from the central valley over the mountains to Puntarenas on the Pacific coast, a trip of ten to fifteen days. The first carts were rough-hewn, rectangular vehicles with cane frames covered by rawhide tarps.
How it works
The cart ran on spokeless wheels, which UNESCO describes as a hybrid between the disc used by the Aztec and the spoked wheel brought by the Spaniards. The solid wheel cut through mud without getting stuck. Each cart was also built to make its own sound, a chime produced by a metal ring striking the hub nut as the cart bumped along, and makers chose the best woods for the sound.
How it spread
Painting the carts began in the early 20th century. At first each region had its own design, so the origin of a driver could be read from the wheels. Flowers, faces and small landscapes were then added beside patterns of pointed stars, and annual contests still reward the best painters.
What changed first
The oxcart made the coffee export trade possible before railways, linking farms in the central valley to the Pacific port. In many cases it was a family's only means of transport, and it became a sign of social status. As carts became a source of pride, more care went into building them.
Where it stands today
Trucks and trains replaced oxcarts as transport in most regions, and UNESCO reports that the number of artisans able to build and decorate them has fallen sharply. The cart was named Costa Rica's National Labor Symbol in 1988. UNESCO proclaimed the oxherding and oxcart traditions in 2005 and placed them on the Representative List in 2008. Carts still appear in parades and celebrations.
