GAME BEHIND MAYANS!!!

We all know that the Mayans excelled in the field of science, mathematics, art and so on.. But did you guys know that the Mayans were very much interested in games... Yes! They were...

But did they play for fun....Or did they have an ulterior motive??? Let’s wait and see...

Before answering this question, let me introduce the game that interested the Mayans that is, ”Pitz”. This game has different names in different languages some of them are, in Nahuatl (the language of the Aztec) it is called ōllamaliztli or tlachtli. In Classical Maya, it was known as pitz. In modern Spanish, it is called juego de pelota maya ('Maya ballgame') and in English it is called as pok-ta-pok or pok-a-tok.

This game is played in two teams with team members varying from 2 to 4.. The main motto of the game is to keep the ball in the air without using their hands or feet. That means, the ball must be hit with the help of their upper arms, thighs, hips or knees. The ball has to pass through the ring In order to win the game . The ball they used is made out of solid rubber and weighed as much as 4kg (a mini shotput) and did vary in both size and weight. So in order to protect their body they wore safety guards... So just imagine, it’s like a ball game played with a shot put. Can you imagine their strength. Also, can you imagine the outcome of any injury. Yes, it may even lead to death.

Like other ball games, pitz also has a court and a referee . This court is mostly located at the base of the temple ,to represent the underworld. The court is of I-shaped structure with figures of Mayan gods and demons engraved on it. The court has a ring through which the ball has to pass. If the ball goes through the ring then the referee declares a instant win. But there is no time limit for the game.. It can even extend till 2 days...

Did you know that, Mayans begin the game by worshipping Hunahpù (Mayan God who was sacrificed after losing a game). They also wore a headdress and paint, leather skirts (of some sacred animal) or loincloths. The ball they used represents the sacred stars, that is, Sun, Moon and Venus.

The picture below exactly describes the game...Here the spot light(which suddenly looks like dragon) is the ring through which the ball should pass.

Now answering the question, this game was played by the Mayans for both the reasons. One for fun and the other they considered this game as a substitute for war. For war you may be wondering.. Yes, for war. The losing team would end up with the king or the captain captured. In the worst case the lost may be sacrificed also.. In addition to both reasons Mayans played Pitz to maintain the order of the cosmos and the fertility of the lands (triumph of life) in times of shortage (evils of man) and important reason is to get a response from the gods: one team represented a “yes” and the other a “no” – the answer depended on who won the game. Let me end the game behind Mayans with some interesting facts. Just recently a Pitz court was discovered in Mexico city in an Aztec temple, underneath a 1950s-era hotel. A point to be noted is that the game is till practiced in Central and North America, but just as a cultural activity. Another amusing fact is that, in the preview of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, this ball game was a part of the official cultural program, since this “Pok-a-tok” is what football is today... Yes I guess it was a base for football... Now, I hope you all know the starting point for football and some reasons behind the Mayans’ game.

Stay tuned... Keep Exploring...

-Nandhitha Kalyanasundaram