hacha
Quick Summary
The term "hacha" refers to a type of carved stone object associated with the ancient Mesoamerican ball game, tlachtli. These objects, often shaped like axes or thin stone heads, were part of the ritualistic gear worn by players, alongside the yugo (yoke) and palma (palm) stones. The hacha and other ball game paraphernalia are characterized by elaborate low-relief carvings, often depicting life forms intertwined with scroll designs. This artistic style is believed to have originated from late Olmec art on the Gulf coast and is primarily associated with the Classic Central Veracruz region. The hacha may have served a religious or symbolic purpose within the context of the ball game, which sometimes involved human sacrifice.12
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Native American artMexico and Middle America…yugo, or yoke, and the hacha, or axe—used in tlachtli, the ceremonial ball game. Tlachtli was not unlike modern football (soccer); the object was to propel a gutta-percha ball through the air without touching it with the hands; if it went through a small hole in the carved stone disk…
Read More…yugo, or yoke, and the hacha, or axe—used in tlachtli, the ceremonial ball game. Tlachtli was not unlike modern football (soccer); the object was to propel a gutta-percha ball through the air without touching it with the hands; if it went through a small hole in the carved stone disk…
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pre-Columbian civilizationsClassic Central VeracruzThe earliest hachas, which were characteristically notched to fit on the yugos, were quite thick human heads and may well date to the Late Formative or Proto-Classic. In time, these become very thin and represent human heads wearing animal headgear. Palmas are paddle-shaped stone objects with trilobed…
Read MoreThe earliest hachas, which were characteristically notched to fit on the yugos, were quite thick human heads and may well date to the Late Formative or Proto-Classic. In time, these become very thin and represent human heads wearing animal headgear. Palmas are paddle-shaped stone objects with trilobed…
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