The Mayan Ball Game Trivia Quiz

Answer: Kemari

While Kemari is an ancient ball game that originated in Japan, the other three names are all names of the same Mesoamerican ball game that was widely played for centuries. In Yucatec Maya it was known as 'pokolpok'. In Classical Maya it was called 'pitz'. In the Aztec language of Nahuatl it was called 'ollamaliztli' or 'tlachtli'.

For the purposes of this quiz, and keeping with the original author's intention, we can refer to it as tlachtli but keep in mind that it had other names.

Answer: Rubber

There are two possible origins for the game, both centralized around locations where the rubber trees were abundant. In fact, the Olmec, centered around San Lorenzo and El Manati, were the tribe known as the 'rubber people'. The other option is the Tlatilco people, centered around Tlatilco and Tlapacoya.

The ball itself varied in size and weight over the years. It may have weighed up to 4 kilograms (9 lbs) and has been found to have been of various radii.

Answer: Racquetball

As far as anthropologists have found, the original rules of the Mesoamerican ball games like tlachtli were similar to that of racquetball. The ball had to be kept in play, bounced off of the walls of the court, and was not allowed to drop. The team that let the ball drop either lost a point or lost entirely, depending on whether they were playing for points or a 'sudden-death' version.

In some versions there may have been a net or a rope that made it similar to volleyball, however, the physical evidence points to the racquetball-style of play.

Answer: Stone rings as goals

The addition of stone rings, one on each side of the court, was a late addition to the game of tlachtli. It may have originated with the Mayans, but the rings were also found with the Aztec version of the game. The rings were meant as an immediate win, however, the likelihood of a player getting the heavy rubber ball through the ring was very low.

The great majority of games were decided on points, though players routinely attempted to end the game with the one, well-placed, and oft-lucky shot.

Answer: False

Though the sport started out innocently enough, over time, more and more evidence has shown that human sacrifice was a part of the game of tlachtli. In fact, there is hard evidence for sacrifice in the Mayan culture, and, before that, in the Classic Veracruz culture. Now, it is not clear if the losers got sacrificed, the coach alone, or perhaps even the winners were the ones who were sacrificed, but, in the important matches, somebody's head would roll after the game.

Answer: The struggle between day and night

The Mesoamerican ball games like tlachtli has a recurring theme of the struggle between light and dark - day and night. The ball itself represents the sun in its power and resiliency. The rings that were added as goals were said to represent either sunrise and sunset, or the two equinoxes.

The duality of day and night is a prevalent theme, based on drawings and records found. The game may also represent a portal to the underworld, which is why human sacrifice became a ritual part of the match.

Answer: A wall of skulls

Tzompantli are walls of skulls that were found all over the Mesoamerican cultures, and on some of the tlachtli courts. They are made from horizontal poles arranged one above the other. Skulls are bleached and holes are drilled in either side to slide them onto the poles.

The skulls may have served as a warning, as a trophy of victory, or as a sign that the people whose skulls were on the tzompantli were now elevated to the level of the gods.

Answer: I

The court for the Mesoamerican ball game tlachtli (named for the tlachtli courts that were used) closely resembles an upper-case I (when viewed from above), the kind with the long centre and the top and bottom lines as well. The walls of the court were stone and sloped so that the ball could be bounced off of it.

A massive ball court is located in Chichen Itza and is the largest ever found, about the size of a modern football field.

Answer: Warfare

The game of tlachtli and other Mesoamerican ball games were used, in certain opportunities, as an alternative to the bloodshed of warfare. It was an honourable game and leaders could wager their kingships over their nation on the outcome of the game. This was a better option, in many cases, to having people fight it out and the greater loss of life that came with that.

One legend tells of the Toltec king Topiltzin who played the game against three other rivals for the domination of these respective kingdoms. Topiltzin came out victorious and won three lands without losing a single soldier.

Answer: Ulama

A version of tlachtli is still being played these days. Called 'ulama' and revived in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, the name comes from the Nahuatl word 'ōllamas' which means 'ball game' or perhaps 'ōllei' which means 'rubber'. The game of ulama has a court drawn up with chalk or rope, and two 'end zones' as well as a center line defined. The two teams need to try and get the ball across the end line to store points.

Three versions of ulama exist nowadays, one played with the hip, another played with the forearm, and a third version played with heavy wooden paddles.

Don't worry, ulama has no ritual sacrifice involved, in case you wanted to get into the game...