Ceremonial Ballgame Object
| Culture | Veracruz |
|---|---|
| Title | Ceremonial Ballgame Object (Palma) |
| Date | 600–700 |
| Medium | Stone |
| Dimensions | Object: 15 1/8 × 7 1/8 × 6 3/8 in. (38.4 × 18.1 × 16.2 cm) Overall (includes mount): 17 5/8 × 8 1/4 × 7 1/8 in. (44.8 × 21 × 18.1 cm) |
| Credit Line | Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 62.18 |
| This artwork is currently off display. You may be able to see this artwork by filling out an art viewing room request. | |
A carved stone object with the head and chest of a bird. The object also has a band with geometric designs running in an upside-down "U" shape around the sides and back of the bird.
During the Mesoamerican ballgame, the Veracruz players wore palmas, made not of stone but a lighter material, perhaps leather or cotton, as one element of their regalia that served to protect the major organs from the hard rubber ball, which while hollow could be up to 16 pounds.
Stone palmas created in the Veracruz style, represent this attire and commonly are decorated with scrolls and birds. Birds had an important place in the ballgame as they were associated with visions and used as sacrifices. Some scholars have suggested that stone palmas were worn only during the ceremonial events which took place before and after a game.
Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.
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"Ceremonial Ballgame Object | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=62.18