Hacha in the Shape of Bound Hands 4th-7th century Veracruz This sculpture, made of volcanic stone, takes the form of two larger-than-life-size hands with clenched fists. The hands are placed back to back, with fingers facing outward. On each side, fingers descend to the palm in an even line, while incised lines delineate the pad of the palm and the joints of the thumb. Although the hands look naturalistic, the artist has chosen to stress uniformity and symmetry rather than depict the irregularities of human hands; the pinkies and thumbs, for example, bend toward the palms in an exaggerated U” shape rather than at distinct joints. This work is an hacha,” a type of sculpture associated with the ballgame in ancient Mesoamerica. Named after the Spanish term for axe,” hachas are representations of gear worn in the ballgame. Imagery from Veracruz and the Maya area depicts ballplayers wearing hachas on top of yokes, U-shaped stone objects worn around the waist (see MMA 1979.206.423 and MMA