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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 Mesoamerican 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 earlier types of hachas that
were characteristically larger and rounder than
later flat examples. Some scholars believe that
the origin of hachas might be traced back to
trophy heads. This magnificent hacha depicts the
head of a deity, likely the god of fire. His mouth
is open as if shouting. Some of the surface still
retains some of the original red polychrome,
likely made from cinnabar. The high cheekbones
and fierce glare convey a powerful expression
befitting of such a mythological God. The beauty
and intricate carving of this hacha reveals the
ceremonial significance of the ball game in the
daily lives of Ancient Mesoamericans.
- (X.0508)
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