Tlachtli & Patolli
Games and sports were an important component of Aztec culture. Beyond providing with a means of entertainment and activity, ancient Aztec games had a religious meaning and were often played as a part of their ritualistic ceremonies or during sacrifice.
The Aztec Ball Game
One of the best known sports among the Aztecs was Tlachtli. In this game, two teams on a field shaped like an H between two walls. The playing field was divided into two halves, with each team occupying one half. The main goal was to get a rubber ball, weighing between 2.5 and 3 kilograms, into the opposing team’s area. To add to the difficulty, players could only use their hips and feet to move the ball. In addition, a stone hoop was placed at each end of the field. The first team to pass the ball through the stone ring of the other team was the winner of this game. Since this was one of the roughest of the Aztec sports, players wore leather belts in order to protect themselves from being hurt.
Only the ruling class was permitted to participate in these high-energy Aztec games. Almost everyone could attend as a spectator, and betting was a common practice. Among the most frequent bets were gold, luxury items, slaves, and even personal freedom or that of their relatives.
The Aztec Board Game
Another of the popular Aztec games was Patolli. This game was played on a stone table in the shape of a cross, and in each of the four arms of the cross there were defined squares or spaces. The first player to make it around the board was the winner. Beans with marks representing numbers were used instead of dice. Since Aztec games had great cultural and religious significance, players often prayed before participating.
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