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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.
The ball game, perhaps ritually signifying the
transit of the sun and moon between the
celestial and terrestrial spheres, was an
important event in Meso-American culture,
considered necessary to maintain the cosmic
cycle. The game was both a sport and a
sacrificial ritual. Made out of heavy stone, the
hacha was possibly used as an extra burden of
weight to test the physical prowess of the player.
In fact, relief sculptures and terracotta figures
show axe-shaped objects attached to ball-
players’ belts, which were used as deflectors and
protectors. The game itself used a large rubber
ball that could be hit by the elbows, knees or
hips but could not be touched by the hands or
feet. This is one of the earliest types of hachas
that were characteristically larger and rounder
than later flat, axe-shaped examples. Some
scholars believe that the origin of hachas might
be traced back to trophy heads as this early
example implies. This magnificent hacha likely
depicts the head of a man covered in a mask
representing an avian deity with a large central
crest crowning his head. However, the depth of
the barren eye sockets, recalling those of a skull,
imply that this might depict a mythological being
or deity related to death. In addition, the high
cheekbones and prominent brow convey a
powerful expression befitting of such a
mythological god. A few traces of red pigment
are still visible, most noticeable on the mouth
and crest. The beauty and intricate carving of
this hacha reveals the ceremonial significance of
the ball game in the daily lives of Ancient Meso-
Americans.
- (PF.6056)
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