The Ballgame: Its Connection to the Mayan World The Ballgame and the Mayan World The Ballgame: Its Connection to the Mayan World

Ballcourt Part of Maya Society Largest ballcourt in Mesoamerica Surrounded by temples, stelae, and altars. The six ballcourt reliefs are decapitation scenes Nearby a is a platform of human skulls skewered on stakes The Great Ballcourt of Chichén Itzá

Rules of the Game The Mesoamerican ball game was a complicated, dangerous game that symbolized the battle between life and death.

Maya Ball Player Ball Court size of football field Rubber Ball struck with elbows, knees, or hips Ball cannot touch ground Protective equipment worn Rubber balls and team sports imported to Europe

The Hero Twins Game celebrates the adventures of Xbalanque and Hunahpu - the hero twins Father and uncle died because they irritated the gods (Hun Came (meaning 'One Death') and Vucub Came ('Seven Death‘) of the underworld (Xibalba). These gods killed them through trickery.

Their dead father Hun Hunahpu impregnates a maiden Xquic with the Hero Twins Xquic is associated with the maize plant that she gathers to prove she is carrying Hun Hunahpu’s offspring.

History Repeats Itself Xbalanque and Hunahpu also like to play ball and, like their father, anger the gods of the underworld. These gods invite them to play ball at Xibalba. They accept the invitation. At one point, they play ball with a squash that looks like Hunahpu’s head.

The Twins As Fish Men The underworld gods want to trick the twins and kill them During one test twins must jump over a huge pit of fire They leap into the pit and die. Their burnt remains are thrown into the river. Five days later, they are resurrected as fish men and return to Xibalba.

Xbalanque and Hunahpu Through trickery, they kill one underworld god and reduce the power of the other one. Because of them, Xibalbá and the gods of death and disease will never be powerful again.

After Their Victory The twins then converse with the remains of their father and uncle. They tell them that they will always be respected and worshipped

The Hero Twin Triumphant Then Xbalanque and Hunahpu rise to the heavens where they become the sun and Venus (Mayan planet of war).

Evolution of Maya culture Olmec 1200-1000 B.C. Early Preclassic Maya 1800-900 B.C. Middle Preclassic Maya 900-300 B.C. Late Preclassic Maya 300 B.C. - A.D. 250 Early Classic Maya A.D. 250-600 Late Classic Maya A.D. 600-900 Post Classic Maya A.D. 900-1500

Hero Twin Reflect Mayan Values Cenotes, water-filled underground caverns Mayan’s primary source of water They had no rivers or lakes Also considered entrance to Xibalba (the underworld)

Hero Twins Reflect Society Rubber ball symbolizes blood The Hero Twins’ mother Xquic is associated with maize A squash, a substitute for Hunahpu’s head, was used to play ball. Maize and squash were staples of the Mayan diet.

The Mayan Calendar Xbalanque and Hunahpu become Venus and the sun, the two basic elements of the Mayan Calendar

Maya Capture Sacrificial Victim

Mayan Sacrifice

The Game and Life Xbalanque and Hunahpu use trickery to out fox the lords of the underworld. Mayans value trickery in the ballgame and life.

The End