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Learn about the Ball Game Courts: the ball game was invented about 3,000 years ago by the Olmec civilization. More than 600 ball courts have been unearthed in Mexico alone, and it is believed that countless more have yet to be discovered.
The majority of courts have a similar architecture of two parallel walls along the sides of the field. By 800
A.D., stone circles or hoops had been added, attached to the side walls at the center of the court. The ball was not allowed to touch the ground; it was bounced off the walls of the court and off the players themselves. Points were scored by directing the ball through a stone circle hoop much like modern-day basketball. In ancient times, war prisoners were often forced to play, and the winners were beheaded. There are two regions in Mexico where the games are still played today – in Sinaloa the game Ulama is played, closely related to the Aztec variation of the Olmec ball game, as well as in the valley of Oaxaca. |
