The ancientMayamay have devised a alone solution to the eld - old problem of what to do with rulers when they pall : turn them into a ball and play a game of " pelota " . Considered one of the humankind ’s oldest team sports , jai alai is still play by Indigenous communities in parts of Central America , although the usance of balls made from the remains of politician is one custom that has not stand the test of time .
Evidence for this unusual sporting custom has been presented by archaeologist Juan Yadeun Angulo of Mexico ’s National Institute of Anthropology and History ( INAH ) . While excavating the Toniná temple composite in southern Mexico , he and his colleagues uncovered 400 urn containing a mixture of human ashes , rubber , coal and works roots .
“ After hybridization - cite [ this finding with ] save chronicle about the Maya land site , it appears that the cremated clay were used to manufacture rubber glob used in the ritual biz of Pelota , ” explicate the INAH in astatement .
The ancient Maya temple complex of Toniná features a sunken pelota court. Image: Rubi Rodriguez Martinez/Shutterstock.com
Toniná date back to theClassical Maya periodof 500 to 687 atomic number 58 and features a sunken globe court where pelota would once have been play . The urns were found swallow up some 8 meter ( 26 feet ) below the Sun Temple , in a crypt that Yadeun Angulo say was reserved for the ritual transformation of gone rulers .
This guess rely for the most part on the messages engraved on the three scoring hoops that mark out the boundaries of the pelota motor lodge at Toniná . According to these inscriptions , three ancient dignitaries were conduct to the “ Cave of the Dead ” , where they underwent a 260 - day mental process of “ shift ” .
Specifically , the carving key out Wak Chan Káhk ´ , who drop dead on September 1 , 775 , as well as Aj Kololte ’ , who perished on April 1 , 776 , and a adult female named Káwiil Kaan , who croak in 722 . According to the INAH , sulfur from these three rulers ’ ash was probably used for the vulcanization of the galosh from which the pelota balls were made .
“ It is elucidate to bonk that the Maya sought to convert the [ idle ] body of their governors into a survive force , something to excite the people , ” allege Yadeun Angulo . " We have evidence they were incorporated into balls . During the Classic Period the balls were mammoth , " he added .
Separate research has shown that some Maya warriors collected theskulls of their enemiesas trophy . And while there ’s no prompting that these macabre prizes were award to pelota champions , it ’s laborious to recall of a more fitting reward for winning a biz of swayer - ball .
