Closed yoke (“yugo”), Classic Period, ca. 450 - 900 AD ·  Mexico, Veracruz · ID: 3053018

Description

basalt,

This particular form of a closed “yoke” is an early form of the well-known Classic Veracruz “yugo” or “yoke” sculptures, which mimic the thick, protective belts worn in mesoamerican ballgames.

The closed end of this stone belt features two deity heads facing each other. The horseshoe-shaped sides are decorated with ornamental reliefs, which may have been added later, perhaps during the Late Classic period when open “yokes” and other ballgame regalia were routinely covered with intricate designs.

Mesoamerican ballplayers wore various protective gear to prevent injuries from the impact of the heavy, fast-moving ball. Ballgame equipment, including “yokes”, “palmas”, and “hachas”, is frequently depicted in carved or painted representations and was originally made from perishable materials such as cloth, wood, or leather.

Heavy stone sculptures like this example, however, were likely awarded as trophies, used for ceremonial purposes, or placed as funerary offerings.

Comparing literature

Finamore, Daniel & Stephen D. Houston, Fiery Pool, The Maya and the Mythic Sea, Essex 2010, p. 270 f.

Notices

This object is subject to the UNESCO Cultural Heritage Protection Act. Export documents are required for export (subjected to a fee).