palma
Quick Summary
The term Mesoamerica refers to the region of Mexico and Central America that was urbanized before Spanish colonization. This area includes parts of modern-day Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador. Mesoamerica is characterized by two distinct regions: highlands and lowlands. The Maya people, known for their advanced civilization, primarily inhabited the lowland Petén-Yucatán Peninsula.12
Mesoamerican art, particularly that of the Maya, is distinct from other regions. Maya art is narrative and often elaborate, with a strong painterly tradition. While much of their art on perishable materials has been lost, surviving works include intricate stone reliefs, carvings, and polychrome pottery. The Maya also highly valued and skillfully worked with jade.1
A unique artifact found in the Veracruz region is the palma, or palmate stone. Initially thought to have religious significance, it is now believed to be a ritual object or trophy associated with the ceremonial ball game known as tlachtli.3
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Native American artMexico and Middle AmericaOne of the objects, the palma, or palmate stone (shaped like a hand with extended fingers), was first thought to have had some religious significance. Experts now consider the palma a ritual object or trophy representing an actual protective device—worn together with the yugo, or yoke, and the hacha, or…
Read MoreOne of the objects, the palma, or palmate stone (shaped like a hand with extended fingers), was first thought to have had some religious significance. Experts now consider the palma a ritual object or trophy representing an actual protective device—worn together with the yugo, or yoke, and the hacha, or…
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pre-Columbian civilizationsClassic Central VeracruzPalmas are paddle-shaped stone objects with trilobed bases and exhibit a much richer subject matter than either hachas or yugos, quite often illustrating brutal scenes of sacrifice and death, two concepts that were closely associated with the ball game on the Gulf coast.
Read MorePalmas are paddle-shaped stone objects with trilobed bases and exhibit a much richer subject matter than either hachas or yugos, quite often illustrating brutal scenes of sacrifice and death, two concepts that were closely associated with the ball game on the Gulf coast.
Read More