Pre-Columbian, Mayan Territories, ca. 550 to 900 CE. A finely carved stone effigy hacha depicting a serpent. Hachas were believed to be ceremonial axe heads, hence the name, which means "axe" in Spanish. Usually depicting highly symbolic animals or deities, they served as portable stone court markers placed around the arena of the traditional Mayan ballgame. This particular example depicts a snake or serpent, a fascinating creature in the Pre-Columbian world with layers of meaning that demonstrate the ancients' embrace of dualism, as it was simultaneously regarded to be a beneficial source of nourishment and at the same time a fearsome, deadly entity possessing poisonous venom. Also important to the indigenous was the fact that snakes shed their skin annually thus rejuvenating themselves and serving as symbols of renewal and good health. A powerful sculptural rendering, carefully carved with an expressive visage with intimidating, beady eyes, flaring nostrils, and an extended bifurcated tongue - perfectly capturing the character of this important animal that portended danger yet also had connotations of honor and renown as a metaphor for blood and rain and blood, two life-giving liquids associated to the Mesoamerican rain cult. (In fact, the rain god Chaac was thought to have emerged from the jaws of a serpent.) A very special example with a custom, museum quality stand. Size: 7.25" W x 8.75" H (18.4 cm x 22.2 cm)

The mythical narrative most often associated with the ballgame is that of the Maize Gods and the Hero Twins from the Popol Vuh, the Quiché Maya book of creation. According to legend, the Maize Gods were passionate ballplayers who the Lords of Xibalba (the Underworld) killed and buried on the court, because their loud racquet was a nuisance. The leader of one of the Maize gods was hung from a tree in the Underworld, and as a daughter of the Lord of the Underworld passed, he spat into her palm, miraculously impregnating her. The daughter promptly gave birth to twin sons, the legendary Hero Twins, who bravely avenged their father and uncle’s deaths by magically resurrecting them on the ballcourt. The Hero Twins continued to survive the nightmarish tribulations of Hell incited by the death gods. In the meantime, the reborn Maize Gods remained on the ballcourt for humankind to revere. Thus, the Maya believed that they had to play the game to ensure their own survival. Henceforth, the Mayan ballgame provided an opportunity to demonstrate devotion to the deities by sacrificing mighty kings and lords - the unfortunate losers of the ballgame.

Provenance: Ex-Private Pasadena, CA collection

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#117874

A few old chips. One incised mark on the lower end. A few areas of discoloration, a few marks of white pigment, and expected surface wear.