The found scoreboard for a ritual ball game in Mexico is a new discovery for researchers and lovers of ancient Mesoamerican culture. According to the National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico, this stone disk was discovered at Chichen Itza on the Yucatan Peninsula, one of the most magnificent centers of the Maya.
Tlachtli, or the Mesoamerican ball game, was not only a pastime, but also a ritual practice associated with human sacrifice. At the same time, playing ball could also serve as a unique way to resolve internal conflicts.
The disk, found in the Casa Colorada building in Chichen Itza, depicts two figures of players standing next to a ball, as well as text that refers to a date in the Mayan calendar corresponding to 894 AD. Researchers were unable to determine the identities of the players or the outcome of the match, but subsequent deciphering of the inscriptions may reveal the purpose of the competition and the score.
For the Mayans, playing ball was not just entertainment, it was an important element of their culture and rituals. Finds such as the stone tablet from Chichen Itza help researchers better understand the life and culture of this ancient people. They also remind us that human history has many unique and interesting traditions that we can still study and admire today.