"Hacha" in shape of a human skull in profile, ca. 500-950 AD ·  Mexico, Veracruz · ID: 3046564

Description

heavy brown volcanic stone, acrylic base

There are different theories concerning the meaning of the “hachas”: they could have been a kind of heraldic symbol, belonging to certain groups,
families or even individual beings. They could have been thought as burial objects as well.

Most of the time however, they are mentioned in connection with the ritual ball game. A culture known as Classic Veracruz produced three kinds of stone objects symbolic of the actual equipment used in the game: “hachas” (axes), “jugos (“yokes”) and “palmas” (long narrow stones).

Stone “jugos” are the ritual counterparts of leather-and-wood yokes worn around a player’s waist to protect him from the heavy rubber ball. “Hachas” and “palmas” were set on the yoke, in front of the player, possibly to help control the ball or as a component of the ceremonial dress.

The object “Hacha” in shape of a human skull in profile, ca. 500-950 AD with the object ID 3046564 was last part of the auction 94th Tribal Art Auction at March 7, 2020 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 141 achieved a sales price of EUR 2,000.

Here you will find more objects and interesting facts about American art and Pre-columbian art.

Comparing literature

Rickenbach, Judith, Präkolumbische Kulturen am Golf von Mexiko, Zürich 1997, p. 276, ill. 62 Edwin M. Shook, "Secrets in Stone: Yokes, Hachas and Palmas from Southern Mesoamerica", American Philosophical Society, 1996

Notices

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