This Palma is a replica in stone of a piece of palm worn as protective gear around the waist of the players in a ritual ball game played between two teams representing the dualistic cosmic forces of the universe. The captain of the losing team was killed as a sacrifice to placate the gods and to assure the continuing fertility of the land. Here a monkey-headed god stands on the chest of a sacrificial victim. Behind him are stalks of corn, the staple food of ancient Mexico.
Details
| Artist | Veracruz, Precolumbian |
|---|---|
| Title |
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| Date | between 250 and 950 |
| Medium | basalt |
| Dimensions | Overall: 19 1/8 × 8 1/2 × 4 1/2 inches (48.6 × 21.6 × 11.4 cm) |
| Credit Line | City of Detroit Purchase |
| Accession Number | 47.180 |
| Department | Africa, Oceania & Indigenous Americas |
| On View | Native American S131, Level 1 (see map) |
Provenance
1947-present, purchase by the Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit, Michigan, USA)
Published References
Bulletin of the DIA 29, no. 3 (1949-50): 56-58, (ill. p. 57).
100 Masterworks from the Detroit Institute of Arts. New York, 1985, pp. 84-85 (ill.).
100 Masterworks from the Detroit Institute of Arts. New York, 1985, pp. 84-85 (ill.).
