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The Ancient Mesoamerican Ritual Ballgame

The Ancient Mesoamerican Ritual Ballgame

Mexicolore play the ancient Mexican ballgame in a school!

This spectacular ancient ‘game’ - one academic book refers to it as ‘The Sport of Life and Death’ - never ceases to fascinate. Played by every great pre-Columbian Mexican civilisation, it is widely regarded as the earliest recorded ball game in the world, the earliest known team sport with a ball anywhere, and the ancient origin of modern basketball. We have been acting out a much simplified version in primary schools around England for many years...!

‘Oh Balls!’ - a little more information on the game...‘Have any ancient rubber balls been found?’‘Did they have medical teams on hand in case there were injuries?‘After the ballgame, did they perform human sacrifices straight away?’Our KEY POINTS about the ballgameSee an ancient Mesoamerican rubber ball, close-up...!Read a great re-telling of the ballgame from the Popol Vuh by Yr 5 kids at a London schoolNEH Summer Institute for School Teachers 2015: resources listing for teachers on the ballgame‘Ulama: The Pre-Columbian Ballgame Survives Today’Ceremonial ballgame belt: entry in the British Museum’s ‘History of the World in 100 Objects’ series‘The History of the Ichmul de Morley Ballplayer Panels’
How the ritual ballgame today

How the ritual ballgame todayis rejuvenating a community’s spirit

Ever wondered why the Maya glyph

Ever wondered why the Maya glyphfor a ballcourt is only ‘half’ a court?

The ancient, magic ingredient

The ancient, magic ingredientthat makes rubber balls bounce...

If hip-Ulama dies, it would be the end

If hip-Ulama dies, it would be the endof the oldest team sport in the world...

Could the reclining chacmool figure

Could the reclining chacmool figurebe linked to the ancient ballgame?

‘Recline and fall...’ - the end

‘Recline and fall...’ - the endof the established theory of the chac mool?

Maya bas-relief showing

Maya bas-relief showing a ball player in action

Trying to reconstruct the Maya ballgame

Trying to reconstruct the Maya ballgame- at a London academic institute!

Without {italictlachtli}, neither Cantona nor Beckham

Without tlachtli, neither Cantona nor Beckhamwould have been the ballpayers we know today...

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The Ancient Mesoamerican Ritual Ballgame

Mexicolore play the ancient Mexican ballgame in a school!

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