Hacha representing the head of an old man seen in profile. - Lot 402

Hacha representing the head of an old man seen in profile. Granite with traces of cinnabar. Height: 23.8 cm Width: 21.5 cm Maya culture, ca. 450-650 A.D. Guatemala Hacha representing the head of an old man, perhaps the Old God of Fire. His face is carved on both sides, while the stone is almost flat and thin. The top of the skull is rounded. Wrinkles are prominent, like ripples under the eyes. The nose is aquiline, almost curved. The mouth is open, showing thick lips. The chin is square. The Hacha is an important sculpture in the Mesoamerican area, as it is part of the ball game: one of the features shared by all Mesoamerican cultures. It is associated with palmas and yokes. At the back, an angular tenon is used to fix the hacha high up on the walls used for ball games, perhaps to delimit their contours. Provenance: Collection of Monsieur F. Christie's, New York, November 21, 2006, lot n°171