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

2. 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

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

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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

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

12. Evolution of Maya culture
Olmec B.C.
Early Preclassic Maya B.C.
Middle Preclassic Maya B.C.
Late Preclassic Maya 300 B.C. - A.D. 250
Early Classic Maya A.D
Late Classic Maya A.D
Post Classic Maya A.D

13. 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)

14. 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.

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

16. Maya Capture Sacrificial Victim

17. Mayan Sacrifice

18. 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.

19. The End