Mesoamerican ballgame - Mesoamerican ballgame The Mesoamerican ballgame was a sport with ritual associations played for over 3000 years by the peoples of Mesoamerica in Pre-Columbian times, and in a few places continues to be played by descendants of the area Amerind inhabitants. The Great Ball Court at Chichén Itzá The Ball Court. A Ball Court Goal. As might be expected with a game played over so long a timespan in several different nations, details of the games varied over time and place, so the Mesoamerican ballgame might be more accurately seen as a family of related games. Some versions were played between two individuals, others between 2 teams of players. The games shared the characteristics of being played with a hard rubber ball in a court shaped like.
Gumarcaj - for construction material through the late 19th century, doing extensive damage to the remains of the old buildings. The site was extensively documented in the colonial era. Miguel Rivera y Maestre wrote a report of the site for the government of Guatemala in 1834. In 1840 it was visited by travel writer John Lloyd Stephens. A more detailed plan of the site was made by Alfred P. Maudslay in 1887. Archeological excavations were made in the 1950s and the 1970s. The site can be visited, although little restoration work has been done to it. Various temple pyramids, the remains of palaces (mostly reduced to mounds of rubble) and a court for playing the Mesoamerican ballgame can be seen. Some modern Quiché, although officially Christian, still burn candles and incense at the.
El Tajín - century it was visited by Guillermo Dupaix, Alexander von Humboldt, and Carlos Nebel, who published additional accounts. The first archeological excavation of the site was made by Jose Garcia Payon from 1943 through 1963. The Mexican Institute of Anthropology & History has made additional restoration to buildings at the site since the 1980s. Monuments The ceremonial center of the site is covers only about 1 km square, but there are mostly unexcavated remains of subsidiary buildings extending for a considerable distance beyond. The ceremonial center has number of temple-pyramids, palaces, and several courts for playing the Mesoamerican ballgame. The site's most famous building is the Pyramid of the Niches. The step pyramid of 6 terraces is some 60 feet high. The size is only medium as Mesoamerican pyramids go, but the.
Zaculeu - of Teotihuacan. The bulk of the site's construction dates from the Post-Classic era, from the 10th century until the early 16th century. The site contains a number of temple-pyramids and governmental palaces around a series of plaza, and a court for playing the Mesoamerican ballgame. The site was originally fortified with walls. The city was attacked Conquistador Pedro de Alvarado in 1525, but the well defended city at first threw back the Spanish. Alvarado left his brother Gonzalo de Alvarado in charge of a seige, with 40 horsemen, 80 Spanish footsoldiers, and some 2,000 native allies from central Mexico. The city was defended by Mam king Caibil Balam commanding some 5,000 (the chronicles are not clear if this is the number of soldiers or the total population of Zaculeu). After a.
591 - the former Bretwalda, is deposed. Agilulf marries Theodelinda and is made king of the Lombards. 21 May - Mesoamerican ballgame court dedicated at Maya city of Chinkultic. Births Deaths\n.
901 - 899 900 - 901 - 902 903 904 905 906 Events Mesoamerican ballgame court dedicated at Uxmal Births Deaths February 18 - Thabit ibn Qurra, Arab astronomer and mathematician\n.
Chichén Itzá - the vernal equinox, the Moon's greatest northern and southern declinations, and other astronomical events) sacred to Kululcan, the feathered-serpent god of the wind and learning. Temple of the Warriors Apparently about 987 a Toltec king named Quetzalcoatl arrived here with an army from central Mexico, and (with local Maya allies) made Chichén Itzá his capital, and a second Tula. The art and architecture from this period shows an interesting mix of Maya and Toltec styles. Chichén's "Temple of the Warriors" was clearly built as a copy of Temple B at the Toltec capital of Tula, although thanks to the Maya architects is grander than the original. This is a stone building (originally with a wood and plaster roof) atop a step-pyramid, with the columns in the interior carved with the likenesses.
Chinkultic - dating from 591 to 897. Post classic occupation of the site continued until the 13th century, after which it was abandoned. The site has some step-pyramids and some 200 smaller buildings, most in undisturbed ruin. Chinkultic has carved stone stelae depicting the site's rulers. The site contains a court for playing the Mesoamerican ballgame, which a marker tells us was dedicated on 21 May, 591. The first published account of the site was made by Edward Seler in the late 19th century. A detailed description of the site was made by Enrique Juan Palacios in 1926. The first archeological investigations of the site were conducted in 1966 under the direction of Stephan F. de Borhegyi of the Public Museum of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Starting in 1970, some further excavations and restorations of.
Tonina - town of Oscosingo. The site is medium large, with groups of temple-pyramids, the largest being some 250 feet high, a large court for playing the Mesoamerican ballgame, and over 100 carved monuments, most dating from the Maya Classic Era from the 6th century through the 9th century. A sculpture from Tonina, 1.2 meters high Table of contents showTocToggle("show","hide") 1 Rulers 2 Recent history of Tonina 3 External Links Rulers Rulers of Tonina recorded in heiroglyhphic monuments include: B'alam Ya Acal - 6th century Chac B'olom Chaak K'inich Hix Chapat - c. 595-665 king, name unknown - 668-687 K'inich B'aaknal Chaak - 688-715 King, name undecyphered - c.717 -723 K'inich Ich'aak Chapat - 723 - c. 739 K'inich Tuun Chapat - 8th century Ruler, name undecyphered - 787 - c. 806 Uh.
Tula, Mexico - pattern. The city was the largest in central Mexico in the 9th and 10th centuries, covering an area of some 12 km square, with a population of at least some 30,000, possibly significantly more. While it might have been the largest city in Mesoamerica at the time, some Maya sites in the Yucatan may have rivaled its population during this period. Distinctive Toltec features here include a terraced pyramids, colonnaded buildings, and relief sculptures. There are two large courts for playing the Mesoamerican ballgame. Some of the architecture is similar to that at Chichén Itzá. The site was extensively looted in Aztec times, with much of the artwork and sculpture carted off. The first scholarly description of the ruins was made by Antonio García Cubas of the Mexican Society of Geography.
Rubber - cut off from supplies of rubber during World War II, attempts were made to use such sources, before being supplanted by the development of synthetic rubber. In its native Central America and South America, rubber has been collected for a long time. The Mesoamerican civilizations used rubber mostly from Castilla elastica. The Ancient Mesoamericans had a ball game using rubber balls (see: Mesoamerican ballgame), and a few Pre-Columbian rubber balls have been found (always in sites that were flooded under fresh water), the earliest dating to about 1600 BC. According to Bernal Diaz, the Spanish Conquistadores were so astounded by the vigorous bouncing of the rubber balls of the Aztecs that they wondered if the balls were enchanted by evil spirits. The Maya also made a type of temporary rubber shoe.
Palenque - Palace, actually a complex of several connected and adjacent buildings and courtyards built up over several generations on a wide artificial terrace. the Palace houses many fine scuptures and stucco reliefs in addition to the distinctive 4 story tower. The Temple of the Cross, Temple of the Sun, and Temple of the Foliated Cross. This is a set of graceful temples atop step pyramids, each with an elaborately carved relief in the inner chamber. They commemorate the succession of King Chan Bahlum II to the throne after the death of Pacal the Great, and show the late king passing on his greatness to his successor. These temples were named by early explorers; the cross-like images in two of the reliefs actually depict the tree of creation at the center of the.
Olmec - Mojarra. Their homeland is characterized by swampy lowlands punctuated by low hill ridges and volcanoes. The Olmec response to this environment was the construction of permanent cities, and they are, in fact, understood to be the progenitors of every primary element common to later MesoAmerican civilizations. They were the first to build permanent city-temple complexes. They were the first to develop a hieroglyphic script for their language, the earliest known example dating from 650 BCE. They were perhaps the originators of the Mesoamerican ballgame so prevalent among later cultures of the region and used for recreational and religious purposes - certainly they were playing it before anyone else has been documented doing so. Their religion developed all the important themes (an obsession with mathematics and with calendars, and a spiritual focus.
Maya Hero Twins - devoted to stories of the Hero Twins. They are frequent subject of art on Maya ceramics. The stories of how the Hero Twins defeated the lords of Xibalba was taught as an example of how Maya people could also defeat demons in the afterlife. The Hero Twins were deft players of the Mesoamerican ballgame..
Monte Albán - language; the Zapotec name was Danipaguache, meaning "Sacred Mountain". The Aztecs knew it as Ocelotepec, or "Jaguar Mountain". This sacred Mesoamerican city is on an artificially flattened mountain top some 400 meters above the city of Oaxaca. History Monte Albán was built over a period of over 2,000 years, starting about 900 BC, by the Zapotec people. The early art shows Olmec influence. The most impressive building period was during the Mesoamerican Classic era, from about 550 to 1000. About 1300 the Zapotec were driven out of the site and surrounding area when was conquered by the Mixtec people. The Mixtec made further additions to Monte Albán until they in turn were conquered by the Spanish Conquistadores in 1521, at which time Monte Albán was abandoned. Engineer Guillermo Dupaix investigated the.
La Venta - and park in the city of Villahermosa, Tabasco. In its heyday, La Venta was a monumental center that contained an elaborate series of buried offerings and tombs as well as monumental sculptures similar to the many found at San Lorenzo, perhaps the most well known of the Olmec sites. Power of the Olmec culture passed down to La Venta after the downfall of San Lorenzo, in about 900 B.C. It is calculated that the site supported a population of at least 18,000 people during its principle occupation. Among the major features of the site at La Venta are Complex A and the Great Pyramid. The Great Pyramid is a huge clay pyramid 110 ft high, one of the earliest pyramids known in Mesoamerica. The current conical shape of the pyramid was.
List of sports - Acrobatics Artistic gymnastics Rhythmic gymnastics Trampolining Motorized Sports Sports based on motorized vehicles. Autosport Motorboat racing Motorcycle racing Other Sports not in any of the other categories. Children playground sport Combat robot Dance sport Disabled sports Foosball Footbag (hacky sack) Modern pentathlon Triathlon Mesoamerican ballgame Outdoor Sports Sports not based on a specific field. Aerobatics Aeromodelling Ballooning Casting Canyoning Flying disc Gliding Hang gliding Mountaineering Orienteering Parachuting Paragliding Scuba diving Skydiving Sled-dog sports Sport fishing Zorbing Power Sports Sports mainly based on sheer power. Bodybuilding Powerlifting Tug of war Weightlifting Racket Sports Sports where players use rackets to hit a ball or other object. Badminton Racquetball Real tennis Soft tennis squash Table tennis Tennis Skating Sports in which skates are used. Figure skating Roller hockey Roller skating, Inline skating Short-track speed.
Lubaantun - Modern History of Lubaantun At the start of the 20th century inhabitants of various Kekchi and Mopan Maya villages in the area mentioned the large ruins to inhabitants of Punta Gorda. Dr. Thomas Gann came to investigate the site in 1903, and published two reports about the ruins in 1905. The next expedition was led by R. E. Merwin of Harvard University's Peabody Museum in 1915 who cleared the site of vegetation, made a more detailed map, took measurements and photographs, and made minor excavations. Of note Merwin discovered one of the site's three courts for playing the Mesoamerican ballgame, which had stone markers with hieroglyphic texts and depictions of the ballgame. In 1924 Gann revisited the ruins, and then led adventurer F.A. Mitchell-Hedges to the site. In his typically sensationalistic.
Ancient Mesoamerican agriculture - Ancient Mesoamerican agriculture Ancient Mesoamerican Agriculture The origins of agriculture in Mesoamerica date to the Archaic period of Mesoamerican chronology, 8000-2000 BC. During this period many of the hunter gatherer micro-bands in the region began to cultivate wild plants. The cultivation of these plants probably started out as creating known areas of fall back, or starvation foods, near seasonal camps that the band could rely on when hunting was bad, or when there was a drought. The plants could have been brought purposely or by accident. The former could have been done by bringing a wild plant food closer to a camp site or to a frequented area so it was easier to get to or collect. The latter could have happened as certain plant seeds were.
The jaguar in Mesoamerican culture - The jaguar in Mesoamerican culture The jaguar played an important role in the culture and religion of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Quick, agile, and powerful enough to take down the largest prey of the jungle, the jaguar is the largest of the big cats in the Americas, and one of the most efficient and ferocious predators. Endowed with a magnificent spotted coat and well adapted for the jungle, hunting either in the trees or water, making it one of the only felines tolerant of water, the jaguar was and still is revered among the indigenous Americans who reside closely with the jaguar. For the Olmec and the Maya, this regal feline became a symbol of authority and one’s prowess in hunting and battle, as well as an integral part.
