Lot 95A
Pre-Columbian, Classic Maya, ca. 300 to 900 CE. A nice example of a figural hacha, hewn from a large chunk of grey volcanic rock, basalt, that was part of the ritual items associated with the Mesoamerican ballgame. Like this one, hachas often depict heads, flattened to resemble a symbolic axe - hence the name "hacha," meaning "axe" in Spanish. Here, the head has deep, oval eyes, a wide nose, and a mouth whose fleshy lips are curved upward in a smile. Size: 5.25" W x 5.75" H (13.3 cm x 14.6 cm); 7.65" H (19.4 cm) on included custom stand.
The Mesoamerican ballgame was a ritual event, not just for entertainment (although it would have been that too!), and as a result had elaborate attire and accessories. Stone hachas were not actually used to play the game, but instead were probably worn or carried, hafted onto wooden poles like standards, in ritual processions where the elite sponsors of the game displayed them to demonstrate their wealth - a little like seeing the owners of your local team out on the field after a championship win or on Opening Day.
Provenance: private Lexington, Kentucky, USA collection; ex private Dr. Robert W. Rieber collection, Professor Emeritus, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, of New York, USA and Prospect Point, Maine, USA
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#130562
- Condition: Piece is a fragment as shown, with an old break along the eye line. Surface wear and pitting commensurate with age.
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