Mayan Ball Game
The Mayans are known for playing a ball game called "pok ta pok"
- The game was played on an "I" shaped ball court with hoops on either side. A small rubber ball, which usually weighed about 6 pounds, was to be bounced through the small hoops.
- Players were not allowed to use their hands or feet to get the ball through the hoop.
- Players wore a hard band around their waist and tried to hit the ball of the waist band. Some stone hip bands have been uncovered in Mayan cities, others were wood covered with leather
- Players would use a "manopla", a hand stone, to begin the game of Pok ta Pok
- Later in Mayan history pictures show that a losing player, possibly the captain of the team, would be sacrificed to the Gods.
Below are pictures of different ball courts from various Mayan City-States
Visit this interactive site to explore more about the mesoamerican ball game: Mesoamerican Ball Game
The video is from mypapalote on YouTube
Images are from Chas on Flickr and Wikipedia
Images are from Chas on Flickr and Wikipedia