The Ball Game and Its Connections

The ball game — juego de pelota — was one of the most significant shared cultural practices across ancient Mesoamerica, appearing in archaeological evidence from sites stretching from the American Southwest to Honduras, and from periods extending back at least three millennia before the Terminal Classic.

The rubber ball used in the game was a product of the lowland forest regions where the rubber tree grows.

The ball was heavy and solid, and players moved it around a court using their hips, knees, or elbows rather than their hands or feet.