Turkey Palma 7th–10th century Veracruz A number of blank palmas are known, but most are covered in imagery ranging from abstract swirls to full human and animal forms, often reflecting the ballgame’s themes of sacrifice, death and rebirth. In this example, these themes are suggested by the unusual motif of a dead turkey. Bird heads are a common motif on hachas (see MMA and ) but the image seen on this palma is otherwise unknown. The upended turkey hangs down loosely, the legs awkwardly bent, as if the body had been hung for display. Its long tail feathers point upward

Turkey Palma 7th–10th century Veracruz A number of blank palmas are known, but most are covered in imagery ranging from abstract swirls to full human and animal forms, often reflecting the ballgame’s themes of sacrifice, death and rebirth. In this example, these themes are suggested by the unusual motif of a dead turkey. Bird heads are a common motif on hachas (see MMA and ) but the image seen on this palma is otherwise unknown. The upended turkey hangs down loosely, the legs awkwardly bent, as if the body had been hung for display. Its long tail feathers point upward, creating the palm frond shape that gives this type of ballgame regalia its name. The head and snood (the thin, fleshy red cord that hangs above the beak of the male turkey) curl upward, touching the bird’s breast; the turkey’s caruncles, flesh bumps on the head, are indicated by rows of feathers that cover a turkey’s body and wings vary in length, pattern, and colors that range from pure white and black to brilliant iridescence. Each distinct feather of the body, wings, and tail are reflected here in different patterns of incising. The long tail feathers that form the upper portion of the sculpture are separated by incised lines and separate into individual feathers at the top. At the base of the tail, the shorter feathers of the corona overlap, edged in a double line. The spaces between beak and breast, and the upper and lower legs create negative space and lighten the form. The curled claws and slightly open beak increase the figure’s realism and further counteract the heaviness of the slumped long, fleshy snood protruding from the forehead identifies this turkey as male. The snood falls limply over the beak except in times of courtship display it becomes engorged and erect. Rendered here as a thick coil extending upward from the body of a dead bird, the snood suggests the common ballgame theme of death and stone palma such as this on

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