Played for thousands of years, the Mesoamerican ballgame was first introduced by the pre-Columbian peoples of Mesoamerica and has been played since at least 1000 B.C. The sport had many reiterations over the ages and was played in many different regions. The modern version of the ballgame is called Ulama.
Ancient ball courts have been discovered across Mesoamerica and have a wide range of sizes and styles. These courts have been found from Nicaragua to Arizona. The one commonality that all the courts share is that they all have long narrow alleys with side-walls against which the balls could bounce.Large ball courts have been found at Copan, Uxmal, Xochicalco, Monte Alban, Toluquilla and at the Chichen Itza sites.
While the actual rules of the game are unknown, the basic premise was similar to some modern ball games. The object was to keep the ball in play, by bouncing the ball off various parts of the body. There was a later addition of stone rings that were placed high on the walls through which the ball could pass in order to score points.
Typically, players struck the ball with their hips, although some versions allowed the use of forearms, rackets, bats, or hand-stones. The ball was made of solid rubber and weighed up to 4 kg (9 lbs) or more. The size of the ball differed greatly over time or according to the different versions played.
It is believed that the ballgame had very strong ritualistic aspects, Popular belief is that competing teams from other cities or regions would engage in ceremonial matches. The captain or leader of the losing team could be decapitated and have their head placed on a spike as an offering to the gods. The game was also part of the everyday culture of Mesoamerica and was enjoyed by women and children.
The origins of the game come from the Popol Vuh ("Book of the People"). The Popol Vuh's prominent features are its creation myth, its diluvian suggestion, its genealogies and its epic tales of the Hero Twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque.
In one version, the Hero Twins find the ballgame equipment in their father's house and begin playing, but annoy the Lords of Xibalba. The twins are summoned to play the ballgame amidst trials and dangers. In a notable version, Hunahpu is decapitated by bats and his brother must use a squash as Hunahpu's substitute head until his real one, now used as a ball by the Lords, can be retrieved and placed back on Hunahpu's shoulders.
While some scholars debate the origins of the game or the significance it has played in the Mesoamerican cultures, all agree that it is the oldest recorded sporting event and that its influence can be seen in even today in all modern ball games.
Ancient ball courts have been discovered across Mesoamerica and have a wide range of sizes and styles. These courts have been found from Nicaragua to Arizona. The one commonality that all the courts share is that they all have long narrow alleys with side-walls against which the balls could bounce.Large ball courts have been found at Copan, Uxmal, Xochicalco, Monte Alban, Toluquilla and at the Chichen Itza sites.
While the actual rules of the game are unknown, the basic premise was similar to some modern ball games. The object was to keep the ball in play, by bouncing the ball off various parts of the body. There was a later addition of stone rings that were placed high on the walls through which the ball could pass in order to score points.
Typically, players struck the ball with their hips, although some versions allowed the use of forearms, rackets, bats, or hand-stones. The ball was made of solid rubber and weighed up to 4 kg (9 lbs) or more. The size of the ball differed greatly over time or according to the different versions played.
It is believed that the ballgame had very strong ritualistic aspects, Popular belief is that competing teams from other cities or regions would engage in ceremonial matches. The captain or leader of the losing team could be decapitated and have their head placed on a spike as an offering to the gods. The game was also part of the everyday culture of Mesoamerica and was enjoyed by women and children.
The origins of the game come from the Popol Vuh ("Book of the People"). The Popol Vuh's prominent features are its creation myth, its diluvian suggestion, its genealogies and its epic tales of the Hero Twins Hunahpu and Xbalanque.
In one version, the Hero Twins find the ballgame equipment in their father's house and begin playing, but annoy the Lords of Xibalba. The twins are summoned to play the ballgame amidst trials and dangers. In a notable version, Hunahpu is decapitated by bats and his brother must use a squash as Hunahpu's substitute head until his real one, now used as a ball by the Lords, can be retrieved and placed back on Hunahpu's shoulders.
While some scholars debate the origins of the game or the significance it has played in the Mesoamerican cultures, all agree that it is the oldest recorded sporting event and that its influence can be seen in even today in all modern ball games.
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