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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 striking portrait vessel, found along the
coast of Mexico in Veracruz, makes a powerful
impression. The highly expressive facial features
are just slightly exaggerated and stylized. The
ears, flared and pointed, are decorated with large
ear plugs. His elegant arched eyebrows, half-
massed eyes, and archaic smile draw us into his
meditative spell. Was the artist depicting man or
deity? Or perhaps even a ceremonial ballplayer?
We can tell that he was once adorned with nose
and ear jewelry, which indicates that he w as
undoubtedly a figure of great importance. This
portrait, whether a God, man, or a shaman, was
important enough to be portrayed on a vessel
that at one time was probably used as a
ceremonial drinking cup. Our minds must travel
back in time to imagine not only who drank from
this, but what the consequences might have
been.
- (PF.2798)
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