The Olmecs Ball Game - How Did Mayans Discover Basketball?

http://www.omec-arkofthecovenantmystery.com/article/the-mayan-ball-game-african-olmecs-first-play-basketball/
The Olmecs Ball Game - How Did Mayans Discover Basketball?
The original Maya ballgame designated pitz seemed to be natural part of Maya political, spiritual, and social interaction. Performed using an actual rubberized softball running in dimensions starting from a competitive softball to the soccer ball, competitors would most likely make an effort to hop the actual ball without making use of their hands using pure stone hoops connected to the sides of the actual ball court. This ball court alone was the center point for Maya cities and towns and also showed the entire city's prosperity as well as power. Typically the playing stadium was basically in the design of an I with higher platforms on each side of the court enabling a lot of viewers. Transportable pure stone court markers termed hacha normally depicting animals or skulls happen to be inserted all around the stadium. Wall art illustrating captives, fighters, Creation beliefs, and even transfers of political power from one leader to the next are actually painted surrounding the ball court. The entire ballgame provided nearby towns and cities a replacement for battle meant for resolving quarrels.

Ballplayers put on protective gear all through the competition in order to avoid bodily injury by means of the tough rubberized ball that typically weighed close to 20 lbs. To guard ribs along with the entire upper body participants might wear a yoke of leather material or perhaps wood about their waists. Natural stone hachas appeared to be occasionally coupled to the front side on the yoke soon after the match designed for ceremonial activities. In addition they put on extra padding all around knees and even arms, and enormous stylized animal headdresses which could have symbolized whatever they considered to be their particular animal counterparts or way. Handstones referred to as manopla were found to be used to strike the ball by using additional power, and could happen to be useful to commence the ball in play.

The main spiritual tale most related to the ballgame belongs to the Maize Gods and the Hero Twins from the Quich Maya book of creation, the Popol Vuh. For the story goes, the Maize Gods appeared to be serious ballplayers that were mortally wounded and laid to rest on the court by the Lords of Xibalba (the Underworld) for troubling all of them with the noises from the match. The head of one of the Maize gods appeared to be strung from a tree within the Underworld, and as a daughter of the Lord of the Underworld passes, it spit directly into her hands, unbelievably impregnating her. The daughter bore twin sons, the Hero Twins, who avenge their very own father and uncle's deaths by way of resurrecting them within the ballcourt. The Hero Twins go on to make it through the ordeals associated with Hell directed at them by means of the death gods, although the born-again Maize Gods remain upon the main ballcourt intended for humans to be able to honor. The Maya as a result thought that that it was required to play in the match intended for their own survival. The ballgame delivered a way to display devoutness towards the gods by way of sacrificing captured kings and even high lords, and the losing competitors of the match.

Popol Vuh

Very much of Maya traditions centered all around the written text of the Popol Vuh, or Book of Counsel. The writing takes note of the creation of humans through the Heart of Sky along with the Sovereign Plumed Serpent inside a number of efforts, by using materials which includes clay, wood, and then finally maize. The most significant gods involved Itzmna, lord of life; Ali Kin, the sun god; Ah Puch, god of death; Chac, god of water and rain; Yumkax, the corn god; and Ixchel, goddess of the moon, pregnancy, and of abundance. The Maya trusted there was clearly as many as 13 heavens over earth and 9 underworlds down below it. A god reigned over every one of these skies and lower worlds. The Maya respected all of these numerous gods mentioned within the Popol Vuh with sacrificial rituals where food, pottery, animals, and also humans were offered.