Yoke (Yugo) in toad form at the UEA, Norwich, UK

myminifactory

It has been suggested that stone yugos or yokes, so-called because their shape resembles an ox yoke, may have been worn by players during a ballgame as protective belts. However, this is unlikely due to their heavy weight. They may have served as moulds for leather belts worn as protection during the game. A game was often performed to obtain a good harvest and the imagery on these yugos may have been related to concepts of fertility. This example is carved with a frog or toad's head in the centre of the curve, with its body and legs shown on the sides. Frogs and toads are closely associated with concepts of fertility because of the numerous eggs they lay.   This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for the public to access for free. Scan the World is an open source, community effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.