Mesoamerican ballgame

The Mesoamerican ballgame (Classical Nahuatl: ōllamalīztli, Nahuatl pronunciation: [oːlːamaˈlist͡ɬi], Epigraphic Mayan: pitz; Spanish: Juego de pelota mesoamericano) was a sport with ritual associations played since at least 1650 BCE (the middle Mesoamerican Preclassic period of the pre-Columbian era) by the people of Ancient Mesoamerica. The sport had different versions in different places during the millennia, and a modernized version of the game, ulama, is still played by the indigenous peoples of Mexico in some places.

The rules of the game are not known, but judging from its descendant, ulama, they were probably similar to racquetball, where the aim is to keep the ball in play. The stone ballcourt goals are a late addition to the game.

In the most common theory of the game, the players struck the ball with their hips, although some versions allowed the use of forearms, rackets, bats, or handstones. The ball was made of solid natural rubber and weighed as much as 9 pounds (4.1 kg) and sizes differed greatly over time or according to the version played.

The game had important ritual aspects, and major formal ballgames were held as ritual events. Late in the history of the game, some cultures occasionally seem to have combined competitions with human sacrifice. The sport was also played casually for recreation by children.

Pre-Columbian ballcourts have been found throughout Mesoamerica, as for example at Copán, as far south as Nicaragua, and later, in Oasisamerican sites as far north as Arizona. These ballcourts vary considerably in size, but all have long, narrow alleys with slanted side-walls or vertical walls against which the balls could bounce.