The Mesoamerican ball game is oldest known sport played in the Americas: the earliest example we have is at Paso de la Amada, dated to at least 1400 BC.
Mesoamerican Ball Game Mural at the Tepantitla barrio in Teotihuacan. Photo by Madman 2001
Although we don't know the name of the game, we do have an inkling about the varieties of the game, and we have images of ball playing and protective gear worn by the players. We know that the winners gained prestige and honors, and we know that the losers often lost more than their games.
For details about what archaeologists have learned about the deadly and fascinating game of skill and danger, including how the game was played, what the courts were like, who in the community was involved in the sports and where we believe the game originated, read Nicoletta's new article on the Mesoamerican Ball Game.
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