Definition:
A ritual ball game of the Maya, versions of which are found throughout Mesoamerica. Played with a solid rubber ball, and heavy pads, the object of the game was to knock the ball with any part of the body except the hands through a stone scoring ring. It is thought that some versions may have employed a wooden bat used by the team captain. In certain contexts, the losing team would be sacrificed. The ball game figures prominently in the Maya creation myth, the Popol Vuh.
Type of Speech: