A stone disc depicting an ancient Mayan ball game has been unearthed in the iconic Chichén Itzá region of southern Mexico. Known simply as “pelota” (“ball”), the sport is believed to have played an important role in the social and political life of the Mayan Empire, and archaeologists believe the artifact may have been built to commemorate a match played more than 1,100 years ago.
The work, engraved with a strip of glyph text, featuring two figures wearing traditional pelota suits, was called the Pelota Players’ Disc. Inside the inscription, researchers found a reference to a Mayan calendar date corresponding to 894 AD.
The artifact, which is 32.5 centimeters in diameter and 40 kilograms in weight, was found inside a structure called Casa Colorada (Colored House). Also known as the Chichanchob, named after its red-painted interiors, the complex had its own pelota court.
Archaeologist Francisco Pérez Ruiz said in a statement published by Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), “Hieroglyphic writing is rare in this area, and even rarer to find a complete text. “It has been 11 years since the last specimen was found.”
According to the date mentioned in the inscription, the disc probably dates back to the Classical or Early Post-classical Maya period. According to Pérez Ruiz, the piece probably marked an important event related to a pelota match that was taking place at the Casa Colorada at the time.
Describing the engraved image, archaeologist Santiago Alberto Sobrino Fernández says, “The character on the left wears a feathered headdress and a sash with a flower-shaped element, possibly like a lotus. In line with the face, there is a scroll that can be interpreted as breathing or sound. The opposing player wears a headdress known as a ‘snake turban’, which has been seen many times represented at Chichén Itzá. The individual wears a protective suit to play the pelota.”
The identity of the players mentioned on the disc, as well as the outcome of the match, are unknown, but further interpretation of the text could reveal both the nature of the match and the final score.
What is pelota?
Pelota was typically played with a rubber ball that players pushed using their hips, elbows or knees. Researchers believe the game has a symbolic meaning, and previous research has shown that some pelota balls even contain the ashes of dead Maya rulers.
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