Ballgame Stone Head (Hacha)
Unknown Artist
450–550 CE
Medium
gray volcanic stone
Dimensions
{"overall":{"height":0.211,"width":0.153,"depth":0.162}}
Classification
Sculpture
Department
Art of the Americas
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel D. Wise
Accession Number
1945.124
About this artwork
Little can be said about this head’s identity and meaning, although the deep, dramatic furrows that line the face suggest age and the crest that curves across the top of the head has been compared to that of a bird. Such heads were one element of the regalia used in an ancient ballgame associated with complex mythology and equally elaborate art production on Mexico’s Gulf Coast, in present-day Veracruz.