PELOTA JUEGO

The Ball Game is a reference in every Maya city, from the very beginning of the preclassic period. Studies show that Copán is one of the largest in Central America, with its 29 m long and 7 m wide. The various rules that governed the game were thought to vary from one city to another. At Copán, the game was to keep a heavy rubber ball in motion, bringing it back on the sides of the ground, using the elbows and legs. The goal was to reach the center of the ground to score points, the ball never before touched the ground. It was a violent and religious game, and some players would have left their lives there. At Copán, the losers served as offering to the gods (or winners, depending on who interpreted the symbols). You can see in the site museum the markers used to delimit the lines on the ground.