The Ballgame of the Maya

The Maya ballgame, called "pitz" or "pok-ta-pok," was an important ritual and sport played by ancient Maya civilization. Teams used a rubber ball to score points by passing it through stone hoops or hitting specific targets without using their hands. The game symbolized cosmic struggles between worlds, often involving religious and political significance. It was played on a special stone court with sloped sides and hoops. While it could be competitive, it also had ritual meanings, sometimes culminating in human sacrifices tied to mythological beliefs about death and renewal.