05/31/2026
The jaguar palmas of Veracruz are masterpieces of the Classic Veracruz style (roughly 600–1000 CE), named after palm fronds due to their tall, often flaring shape. They are frequently represented in stone and can take the form of arms, hands, a player or a fan-tailed bird.
The palmas were part of a standard “ritual complex” of three stone items related to the Mesoamerican ballgame:
Yokes: Heavy U-shaped stones worn around the waist.
Hachas: “Axes” or thin stone heads that notched into the front ot back of the yoke.
Palmas: Tall, fan-like sculptures that sat on the front of the yoke, resting against the player’s chest.
The stone yokes, hachas, and palmas were ceremonial replicas of lighter, practical gear used during actual matches. While the stone versions could weigh up to 50 pounds, the “working” equipment, made of wood and/or leather, was designed for high-speed athletic movement.
Stone versions may have been worn briefly during pre-game ceremonies or post-game celebrations, but they have been found in high-status burials, intended to accompany the deceased into the afterlife ballgame. Stone palmas may also have served as trophies.
In Veracruz art, the jaguar wasn’t just an animal; it was a spiritual protector. Jaguars were seen as masters of the underworld and the “watery abyss.”
Many jaguar palmas – such as this one – show the animal with an open mouth or a protruding tongue, which scholars link to blood sacrifice and the regeneration of life.
Jaguar Palma, Veracruz culture, Mexico, 800-1000 CE
stone , 15.5 x 7 x 5.25 inches
Provenance:
Private collection, Morgan Hill, CA
Private collection, San Francisco, CA, 1975-1990
Private collection, Los Angeles, CA, 1990-2016
