Ballcourt Rites, Paradise, and the Origins of Power in Classic Veracruz

Abstract

As this volume makes clear, origin places are much more than the spaces in which humans first appeared. The first instance of certain critical practices are often just as important as the creation of humans. For Mesoamericans in particular, the first fire, the first sunrise, and the first sacrifice are often major events in sacred narratives (Hamann, 2002). Tales of the origins of practice complement human creation tales by modeling behavior that is seen as integral to the functioning of human society (Lopez Austin, 1996:17–18). This chapter explores one such originary act, that of ballcourt sacrifice, in a specific Ancient Mesoamerican setting—the Classic Veracruz site of El Tajin. El Tajin was the capital of a regional culture that flourished in north central Veracruz (Mexico) from c. A.D. 650–1000. During that period, ballcourt construction and ballgame-related accouterments were a major facet of the regional culture. The center of El Tajin contained 11 masonry courts, and the regional culture produced large quantities of finely carved stone objects called yokes, palmas, and hachas that were closely associated with ballcourt ritualism. The imagery associated with these objects and courts emphasize the decapitation of a sacrificial victim in a ballcourt context. Numerous depictions of ballcourt sacrifice in Classic Veracruz public art show the victim dressed in ballplayer equipment, seated in the middle of the court, and decapitated. While the practice of decapitation associated with the ballgame can be traced back to the Late Preclassic in Central Veracruz (Daneels, 2006), during the Epiclassic (c. 650–1000), this codified ballcourt imagery featuring the decapitation ceremony appears on some of the most important ballcourt and ballcourt-related programs in the region, including Las Higueras and Aparicio as well as El Tajin. Interestingly, several other areas of Mesoamerica also participate in this specific ballcourt decapitation iconography at this time (Pasztory, 1972, 1978:138; Taube, 1994:228–229). In all these regions, the decapitation scene is often paired with signs of lush vegetation or large amounts of water. In the specific case of El Tajin, we also have depicted an elaborate round of ceremonies that framed the sacrificial act. These ceremonies led to the investiture of the ruler, and thus the right to govern