A VERACRUZ STONE MONKEY HACHA, MESOAMERICA Circa 6th - 8th Century Of highly stylised form, the monkey is depicted with a raised crest running along its head, with deep-set eyes and a long nose terminating in curved nostrils, with a wide upward turned mouth, 18cm high, (28cm high inc. base) Provenance: Property of an important private UK estate, acquired in November 1990 from Spencer Throckmorton, Fine Arts of Ancient Lands Inc., New York. Footnotes: Hachas were part of protective gear worn by players of a ballgame in Mesoamerica, protecting the abdomen from the impact of the solid rubber ball. Taking various forms, ranging from human heads, animal heads, and more elaborate scenes, the name ‘hacha’ comes from the Spanish word for ‘axe’ which is reference to the overall axe-like shape of most examples. Stone hachas are more likely to have been worn in ceremonial ballgames rather than active games, where lighter wood would have been used.