The Mayan Ball Game

            The Mayan civilization located in South America flourished from 2000 B. During this time the culture that stretched over what is now Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Belize lived a religious life free from conflict. MBG or the Maya ball game was a sport developed entirely by the Mayans used for physical activity and religious rituals. The game involved a three pound rubber ball, a court with a vertical wall 8 feet high with a stone ring located 7 feet high on the wall, special clothing, and a scoring system. This game was essential to the culture of the Mayans in many different aspects, without this game the shape of the civilization could have changed drastically.
             The Mayan ball game, for its time was an extremely sophisticated sport the was taken very seriously and held in high regard. the ball game involved two teams battling to score on a grass playing area which consisted of a rubber ball and a stone ring 7 feet up on a wall. The usual attire for MBG players is from findings that players adapt into uniforms. These costumes consisted primarily of leather material that would protect parts of the body that hit the ball, protecting the hips, chest, and also sometimes knees, and arms. The clothing was used to protect against the impact of the ball as well as strike. Some players would wear special articles of clothing such as headdresses made of killed animal pelts (Blumchen, 2009). Being a game developed thousands of years ago many games practiced today resemble aspects of the ancient ball game. All games like soccer, tennis, basketball, and football all have similarities to this game. The Mayan ball game being created thousands of years ago contains principles that are still used in the most serious and popular games practiced today.
             This ball game was not just a game, often times this game meant making the ultimate sacrifice. This was due to the religious ties and rituals the game had in place.