Honduras -- The Mayan Ruins of Copan 12

As Promised, here are two pictures of the "ball court" at Copan. This court, said to be the 2nd largest ever found in Meso America, was used in the "playing" of a game called "Tlachtli." But there is some question as to whether it really was a game, or maybe a ritual. There is some debate about whether the "players" were really players, or just captives from some war, playing to see who lost. This was because, it is believed, if they lost, they were then ritually killed right then and there.

The contest, let's not call it a game, involved moving a hard rubber ball around the court, and attempting to send the ball through a stone ring mounted on the wall. In doing this players apparently could not use their hands arms or feet, only their hips and torsos.

This contest was not "invented" by the Mayans. Apparently earlier civilizations had devised it (the Olemics?). Nor did it stop with the fall of the Mayans. The Azetecs later played it, and there is even a description of a game by one of the members of the early Spanish priests.

Now, before we dismiss all the above as "primitive nonsense," consider where we are in our culture. We are into the build-up for the "Super Bowl." What will later civilizations have to say about our civilization based on how we conduct our games?

Or better yet, consider this: WVU had a football coach making 1.7 million last year, and he left for a better offer! And now they are emboiled in a lawsuit! And the state is struggling to pay public school teachers a "living wage" and some have suggested one way to do this is to cut all funding to Public Libraries. Is football "just a game?" Or is it "a ritual," as well. And as for sacrifical rites for the losers, what do we see here?