One of the best known and most incredible of all the extant Mayan ruins, Chichn Itz contains many fascinating structures, sculptures, and architectural wonders. One of the most popular and interesting locations within the site is the Great Ballcourt, which lies at the northwest corner near the perimeter of the city. Through diligent archaeological excavation and study, experts on the history of the Maya have uncovered some fascinating details about the game which was played there, and indeed in many other cities and villages throughout Mesoamerica. Its name in the Nahuatl language is tlatchtli, and is known to have been played from at least 1,400 BCE. Although much is still uncertain and the precise details of how the game was played are not fully known scholars look to the modern-day game of ulama, a similar sport that survives in western Mexico, for comparison and clues as to the origin of this sport which held such great significance for the Mayan people.
The main ballcourt at Chichn Itz follows the usual tlatchtli court design, being shaped like a capital 'I'; many casual observers will also be familiar with the stylized and ornately decorated stone hoops which were affixed at the sides of the court. These hoops were actually a later addition to the game, and probably changed the game considerably from its most widespread earlier form. Before the hoops, we think that tlatchtli was played similar to modern-day takraw or volleyball, minus the net, with two teams attempting to keep the ball in play and force the other team into errors. Once the hoops were added, the possibility of an instant win for one team was instituted, should one of their members manage to pass the game ball through the center of the hoop. This required extraordinary skill, and most games were probably still won on points, which could also be collected by bouncing the ball off the the sides of the hoop.
Although the rules of play remain somewhat obscured by the passage of time, historians theorize that there were probably many variations throughout the game's long lifespan, and there is evidence that everything from body parts like hips and forearms to wooden implements like bats or rackets were used at different times and in different places. The ball itself was probably rather large, weighing up to 9 pounds; we don't have any surviving examples of game balls, but archaeologists have unearthed ceremonial balls that were buried as offerings in swamps or springs. These were probably somewhat larger than the average balls used in actual games; paintings also depict game balls of various sizes, many which seem unrealistically huge and were probably drawn as such for ceremonial purposes.
Real tlatchtli balls were mostly likely constructed from Guamol vines and rubber; a probably size for a typical ball would have been between 10-12 inches in diameter, weighing about 3-6 lbs. Larger balls are often shown in murals and painting of tlatchtli competitions, though it's thought the size of the balls in these pictures was intentionally exaggerated for aesthetic reasons. Ulama players often report painful and sometimes serious injuries, including huge bruises and even broken bones, accrued in the course of normal gameplay, so it is likely that tlatchtli was equally rough on the human form. Indeed, archaeological evidence seems to suggest that direct strikes to the head or abdomen could even be fatal to an unwary athlete. When ceremonial balls are depicted in Mayan artwork, they are often shown in association with the feathers of a quetzal, a bird which held great religious significance to the Maya.
Chichn Itz's Great Ballcourt is the largest ever discovered. Measuring 150 meters in length by 45 meters wide, it outranks the ballcourts of similarly grandiose cities like Tikal by a substantial margin. The hoops at Chichn Itz's great court are set high above the playing field and carved with elaborate images and glyphs; historians believe that because of its size and quality, it may have been a chiefly ceremonial court, hosting matches between the most skilled athletes on occasions of greatest import to the city's rulers or populace.
Popular belief has it that human sacrifice was a central part of the games at Chichn Itz, and the archaeological record does seem to support this, at least in the latter part of the Mayan reign over the Yucatn. Judging from artwork and carvings located around the fields at Chichn Itz and Aparicio, slaves and captives may have been forced to compete in rigged games and then sacrificed after their predictable losses. Statues of beheaded ballplayers are common, as are various artworks that feature the severed heads of unfortunate competitors.
We must rely similarly on artwork to get an idea of the uniforms worn by tlatchtli players, as no examples have endured the ravages of time. Protective padding seems to have been minimal, and experts suppose that most players wore a simple loincloth, with leather hip guards made of straps wound around he thighs as their only protection. The heft and strength of the ball, coupled with the violence surely utilized during matches in which competitors sometimes played for their very lives, must have meant that a tlatchtli player needed all of his wits, willpower, and a good dose of luck in order to prevail though perhaps the consequences of losing did much to encourage vigorous competition!
The main ballcourt at Chichn Itz follows the usual tlatchtli court design, being shaped like a capital 'I'; many casual observers will also be familiar with the stylized and ornately decorated stone hoops which were affixed at the sides of the court. These hoops were actually a later addition to the game, and probably changed the game considerably from its most widespread earlier form. Before the hoops, we think that tlatchtli was played similar to modern-day takraw or volleyball, minus the net, with two teams attempting to keep the ball in play and force the other team into errors. Once the hoops were added, the possibility of an instant win for one team was instituted, should one of their members manage to pass the game ball through the center of the hoop. This required extraordinary skill, and most games were probably still won on points, which could also be collected by bouncing the ball off the the sides of the hoop.
Although the rules of play remain somewhat obscured by the passage of time, historians theorize that there were probably many variations throughout the game's long lifespan, and there is evidence that everything from body parts like hips and forearms to wooden implements like bats or rackets were used at different times and in different places. The ball itself was probably rather large, weighing up to 9 pounds; we don't have any surviving examples of game balls, but archaeologists have unearthed ceremonial balls that were buried as offerings in swamps or springs. These were probably somewhat larger than the average balls used in actual games; paintings also depict game balls of various sizes, many which seem unrealistically huge and were probably drawn as such for ceremonial purposes.
Real tlatchtli balls were mostly likely constructed from Guamol vines and rubber; a probably size for a typical ball would have been between 10-12 inches in diameter, weighing about 3-6 lbs. Larger balls are often shown in murals and painting of tlatchtli competitions, though it's thought the size of the balls in these pictures was intentionally exaggerated for aesthetic reasons. Ulama players often report painful and sometimes serious injuries, including huge bruises and even broken bones, accrued in the course of normal gameplay, so it is likely that tlatchtli was equally rough on the human form. Indeed, archaeological evidence seems to suggest that direct strikes to the head or abdomen could even be fatal to an unwary athlete. When ceremonial balls are depicted in Mayan artwork, they are often shown in association with the feathers of a quetzal, a bird which held great religious significance to the Maya.
Chichn Itz's Great Ballcourt is the largest ever discovered. Measuring 150 meters in length by 45 meters wide, it outranks the ballcourts of similarly grandiose cities like Tikal by a substantial margin. The hoops at Chichn Itz's great court are set high above the playing field and carved with elaborate images and glyphs; historians believe that because of its size and quality, it may have been a chiefly ceremonial court, hosting matches between the most skilled athletes on occasions of greatest import to the city's rulers or populace.
Popular belief has it that human sacrifice was a central part of the games at Chichn Itz, and the archaeological record does seem to support this, at least in the latter part of the Mayan reign over the Yucatn. Judging from artwork and carvings located around the fields at Chichn Itz and Aparicio, slaves and captives may have been forced to compete in rigged games and then sacrificed after their predictable losses. Statues of beheaded ballplayers are common, as are various artworks that feature the severed heads of unfortunate competitors.
We must rely similarly on artwork to get an idea of the uniforms worn by tlatchtli players, as no examples have endured the ravages of time. Protective padding seems to have been minimal, and experts suppose that most players wore a simple loincloth, with leather hip guards made of straps wound around he thighs as their only protection. The heft and strength of the ball, coupled with the violence surely utilized during matches in which competitors sometimes played for their very lives, must have meant that a tlatchtli player needed all of his wits, willpower, and a good dose of luck in order to prevail though perhaps the consequences of losing did much to encourage vigorous competition!
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