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HOME :
Pre-Columbian Art :
Veracruz Art : Remojadas Sculptural Fragment of a Smiling Head
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Remojadas Sculptural Fragment of a Smiling Head - PF.3095
Origin: Veracruz, Mexico
Circa: 250
AD
to 600
AD
Dimensions:
4.25" (10.8cm) high
Collection: Pre-Columbian
Style: Remojadas
Medium: Terracotta
$5,000.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
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The Classic Veracruz cultures were small, tightly-
packed city states, all governed by hereditary
rulers, who sat at the top of highly stratified
social structures. Economically, it was based
upon slash and burn agricultural techniques,
supplemented by exploitation of marine
resources, as well as hunting. The culture was
fuelled by long- distance trade networks that ran
throughout Mesoamerica, as evidenced by the
spread of luxury items and exotic goods. In this
they strongly resemble the Olmecs, who
preceded them and to whom they owed a
considerable cultural and artistic debt. Religion
was based upon the Olmec “earth monster”, as
well as a death god who has been likened to
Mictlantecuhtli, a deity worshipped by their
cultural neighbour, the Aztecs. Like the Aztecs,
they were obsessed with death, sacrifice and the
Mesoamerican ballgame, another cultural
bequest from the Olmecs. There are accounts
stating that the losing team was sacrificed as an
offering to the gods; other chroniclers suggest
that it might have been used as a substitute for
warfare. As a result their iconography is
somewhat sanguineous – with decapitations,
blood-letting and bound prisoners common
themes – surrounded by extensive and
convoluted banded scrolls that can be seen both
on monumental architecture and on mobile art. A
defining characteristic of the Classic Veracruz
culture is the presence of stone ballgame gear:
yokes, hachas, and palmas. Yokes are U-shaped
stones worn about the waist of a ballplayer, while
the hachas and palmas sit upon the yoke. These
were probably worn ceremonially by the victors;
the actual pieces were probably made of wood
and leather. Interestingly, while hachas and yokes
are found throughout the range, the palmas
seem peculiar to what is today northern
Veracruz.
This extraordinary sculpture of a young boy's
smiling face captures viewers' eyes in an instant.
The clay sculpture of a small head shows
triangular flathead with two small holes on each
side. The eyes appear to be almost closed and
the mouth is open due to the big smile. Intricate
detail is evident in the portrayal of teeth and
tongue. Such smiling face sculptures date back
to early classical period in Vera Cruz. They
usually show children standing or sitting down,
and their faces are triangular and flattened
towards the top. In these sculptures, children
smile or seem to want to hide their laughter with
natural gesture. One hypothesis is that they
represent sacrificial victims who were ritually
intoxicated before putting to death. To our
surprise, behind this seemingly innocent smiling
face is a tale of human sacrifice. Ancient Meso-
Americans usually chose perfect young men for
their sacrificial rituals and such impeccable
beauty is clearly portrayed in this delicate
sculpture.
- (PF.3095)
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