The Maya ballgame, Poktapok, as drawn by the Maya
The Maya ballgame, or Mesoamerican ballgame, has seen a resurgence with games being played in Mexico as well as Belize. The rules of the game, the points system, even the outcome of the game, has long been a subject of debate.
Researchers can speculate on the various symbolic aspects of the game, such as the ball representing the sun, or the alleyway being seen as a portal between the physical world and the spiritual. What is known is gotten from panels on ball courts, as well as from ceramic vessels. The vessels have given us our best knowledge of how they use to dress. These beautiful Justin Kerr rollouts help illustrate that fact.
Images courtesy Institute of Archaeology (NICH)
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