Zacpeten, Mini Axehead

Zacpeten. Miniature Axe Head, Serpentine

Overview

Greenstone and serpentine axe heads were primarily encountered in ceremonial contexts at Zacpetén. These objects were symbols of lightning and often associated with God K, a deity closely related to power and dynastic descent (Taube 1992: 69-79). Chak, the rain deity, frequently carries one of these objects in Maya codices (Villacorta and Villacorta 1930: 74). They are found in the eye of the head variant glyph for the number six. Stone axes heads are also mentioned as a form of currency in the Contact period (Thompson 1970: 138).