PHOTOGRAPHY UNAVAILABLE
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Besides the hacha and palma, another commonly portrayed element of ballgame attire is the yoke, the protective padded waist belt worn by Mesoamerican ballgame players for deflecting the heavy rubber ball. The name derives from the animal working equipment, as it is similar in shape. Elaborately carved, open-ended stone yoke sculptures are abundant in various parts of Mesoamerica throughout the Classic period (from about 600 to 900 CE). During the Classic period, city centers created ball courts where they played ritual ballgames with their sacrificial victims, highborn lords who were taken in battle. From the Early Classic period (200–600 CE) onward, the lowland Maya borrowed regalia and conventions of ball playing from the Gulf Coast peoples.
This greenstone yoke is likely a ceremonial replica of a wooden original and originates from Veracruz, thus attributed to the Classic Veracruz style. Along with the pattern of scrolls and interlacing there are skeletal and reptilian motifs, which may depict elements of a frog, toad, or serpent. This may relate to the earth monster who is associated with the watery underworld, and thus this supernatural and skeletal imagery further connects with the idea of blood and sacrifice associated with the ballgame in order to promote fertility and nourish the earth. Many replicas of such ballgame accoutrements are commonly found throughout the Gulf Coast region and the Maya area.
Drawn from
- Carol Robbins, Label text [1973.35], A. H. Meadows Galleries, 2010.
- "Frog Yoke (1978.412.15)." In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–.http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1978.412.15/. (August 2009).
- "Closed Yoke (69.237)." In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–.http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/69.237/. (August 2009).
NOTES
JR 2018----CANNOT ARCHIVE BECAUSE LOAN
- 300–900 C.E., NOT updated by KJones in TMS.
- Long-term loan, known Provenance:
- Until 1991: Private Collection [1], [2]
- From 1991: Dallas Museum of Art, on long-term loan from the above [1], [2]
- [1] The main source for this provenance is existing information in TMS. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
- [2] Josefowitz Collection (Nicholas Josefowitz), Switzerland is the Private Collection.
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Pre-Columbian (American): AAT: 300016619
Gulf Coast Mesoamerican styles: AAT: 300108063
Classic Veracruz styles: AAT: 300017056
Late Classic Veracruz: AAT: 300266231
Geography
Veracruz (state): TGN: 7005599
Mexico (nation): TGN: 7005560
Process/materials
greenstone (rock): AAT: 300386691
carving: AAT: 300053149
incising: AAT: 300053847
polishing (finishing): AAT: 300053867
drillwork (sculpture technique): AAT: 300186211
relief (sculpture techniques): AAT: 300053622
Historical periods
Classic (mesoamerican period): AAT: 300016983
Late Classic Period: AAT: 300016986
Individuals
Subject terms
sculpture: AAT: 300047090
effigies (funerary sculpture): AAT: 300047108
ceremonial objects: AAT: 300234117
protective wear (costume): AAT: 300209266
worn costume accessories: AAT: 300209274
yokes (animal equipment): AAT: 300255560
belts (bandas / cinturones / costume accessories): AAT: 300210002
rubber (material): AAT: 300012941
ball game equipment: AAT: 300211062
ball games (games / activities): AAT: 300239662
ball courts (Mesoamerican): AAT: 300007324
replicas (reproduction): AAT: 300015642
creation (doctrinal concept): AAT: 300069002
mountains: AAT: 300008795
Creation Mountain (Mesoamerican doctrinal / religious concept): DMA
myth: AAT: 300201023
rituals (events): AAT: 300065284
king: AAT: 300025481
rulers (people): AAT: 300025475
sacrifices: AAT: 300263243
blood: AAT: 300011797
bloodletting (self-sacrifice / ritual): DMA
captive (prisoners of war): AAT: 300259895
nobility (nobles / aristocracy): AAT: 300025942
battles: AAT: 300185692
wars: AAT: 300055314
figures: AAT: 300189808
profiles (figures): AAT: 300123319
head: AAT: 300262520
faces (animal or human components): AAT: 300251798
eyes (animal or human components): AAT: 300400484
mouth: DMA
animals: DMA
serpents (snakes/Serpentes suborder): AAT: 300250870
frogs (animals): AAT: 300250018
toads: AAT: 300252284
reptiles: AAT: 300265956
water: AAT: 300011772
underworld (doctrinal concept): AAT: 300343823
supernatural (concepts): AAT: 300055947
skeletons (animal components): AAT: 300191778
cosmic monster (earth monster / sky monster / celestial snake / Milky Way): DMA
monsters (mythical or legendary beings): DMA
deities: AAT: 300343850
fertility: AAT: 300379149
geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764
scrolls (spirals/motifs): AAT: 300010094
lines (geometric concept): AAT: 300056279
interlace (patterns): AAT: 300080898
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
IMAGE ASSETS
WEB RESOURCES
Khan Academy~Watch a video about the Mesoamerican Ballgame and a Classic Veracruz yoke, with Dr. Rex Koontz and Dr. Steven Zucker.
ARCHIVAL RESOURCES
FUN FACTS
TEACHING IDEAS
RULES
apply to OBJECTS where id equals 4211306
Category
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General Description
Besides the hacha and palma, another commonly portrayed element of ballgame attire is the yoke, the protective padded waist belt worn by Mesoamerican ballgame players for deflecting the heavy rubber ball. The name derives from the animal working equipment, as it is similar in shape. Elaborately carved, open-ended stone yoke sculptures are abundant in various parts of Mesoamerica throughout the Classic period (from about 600 to 900 CE). During the Classic period, city centers created ball courts where they played ritual ballgames with their sacrificial victims, highborn lords who were taken in battle. From the Early Classic period (200–600 CE) onward, the lowland Maya borrowed regalia and conventions of ball playing from the Gulf Coast peoples.
This greenstone yoke is likely a ceremonial replica of a wooden original and originates from Veracruz, thus attributed to the Classic Veracruz style. Along with the pattern of scrolls and interlacing there are skeletal and reptilian motifs, which may depict elements of a frog, toad, or serpent. This may relate to the earth monster who is associated with the watery underworld, and thus this supernatural and skeletal imagery further connects with the idea of blood and sacrifice associated with the ballgame in order to promote fertility and nourish the earth. Many replicas of such ballgame accoutrements are commonly found throughout the Gulf Coast region and the Maya area.
Drawn from
- Carol Robbins, Label text [1973.35], A. H. Meadows Galleries, 2010.
- "Frog Yoke (1978.412.15)." In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–.http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1978.412.15/. (August 2009).
- "Closed Yoke (69.237)." In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–.http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/69.237/. (August 2009).
Fun Facts
Archival Resources
Web Resources
Khan Academy~Watch a video about the Mesoamerican Ballgame and a Classic Veracruz yoke, with Dr. Rex Koontz and Dr. Steven Zucker.
Notes
JR 2018----CANNOT ARCHIVE BECAUSE LOAN
- 300–900 C.E., NOT updated by KJones in TMS.
- Long-term loan, known Provenance:
- Until 1991: Private Collection [1], [2]
- From 1991: Dallas Museum of Art, on long-term loan from the above [1], [2]
- [1] The main source for this provenance is existing information in TMS. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
- [2] Josefowitz Collection (Nicholas Josefowitz), Switzerland is the Private Collection.
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Pre-Columbian (American): AAT: 300016619
Gulf Coast Mesoamerican styles: AAT: 300108063
Classic Veracruz styles: AAT: 300017056
Late Classic Veracruz: AAT: 300266231
Geography
Veracruz (state): TGN: 7005599
Mexico (nation): TGN: 7005560
Process/materials
greenstone (rock): AAT: 300386691
carving: AAT: 300053149
incising: AAT: 300053847
polishing (finishing): AAT: 300053867
drillwork (sculpture technique): AAT: 300186211
relief (sculpture techniques): AAT: 300053622
Historical periods
Classic (mesoamerican period): AAT: 300016983
Late Classic Period: AAT: 300016986
Individuals
Subject terms
sculpture: AAT: 300047090
effigies (funerary sculpture): AAT: 300047108
ceremonial objects: AAT: 300234117
protective wear (costume): AAT: 300209266
worn costume accessories: AAT: 300209274
yokes (animal equipment): AAT: 300255560
belts (bandas / cinturones / costume accessories): AAT: 300210002
rubber (material): AAT: 300012941
ball game equipment: AAT: 300211062
ball games (games / activities): AAT: 300239662
ball courts (Mesoamerican): AAT: 300007324
replicas (reproduction): AAT: 300015642
creation (doctrinal concept): AAT: 300069002
mountains: AAT: 300008795
Creation Mountain (Mesoamerican doctrinal / religious concept): DMA
myth: AAT: 300201023
rituals (events): AAT: 300065284
king: AAT: 300025481
rulers (people): AAT: 300025475
sacrifices: AAT: 300263243
blood: AAT: 300011797
bloodletting (self-sacrifice / ritual): DMA
captive (prisoners of war): AAT: 300259895
nobility (nobles / aristocracy): AAT: 300025942
battles: AAT: 300185692
wars: AAT: 300055314
figures: AAT: 300189808
profiles (figures): AAT: 300123319
head: AAT: 300262520
faces (animal or human components): AAT: 300251798
eyes (animal or human components): AAT: 300400484
mouth: DMA
animals: DMA
serpents (snakes/Serpentes suborder): AAT: 300250870
frogs (animals): AAT: 300250018
toads: AAT: 300252284
reptiles: AAT: 300265956
water: AAT: 300011772
underworld (doctrinal concept): AAT: 300343823
supernatural (concepts): AAT: 300055947
skeletons (animal components): AAT: 300191778
cosmic monster (earth monster / sky monster / celestial snake / Milky Way): DMA
monsters (mythical or legendary beings): DMA
deities: AAT: 300343850
fertility: AAT: 300379149
geometric motifs: AAT: 300009764
scrolls (spirals/motifs): AAT: 300010094
lines (geometric concept): AAT: 300056279
interlace (patterns): AAT: 300080898
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
source file
object_notes_2_b-0053.xml.nores