Birth and Evolution of the Ritual Ball Game in Mesoamerica

In the article, the topic of the pre-Columbian ball game is discussed. The sport that has been practiced in Mesoa-merica for over 3,000 years has left behind many archaeological monuments. Ballcourts, rubber balls and players’special uniforms were necessary to play. Over the years, there were different rules of the game. The ball was mostoften be hit with the hip, abdomen or buttocks. However, it was more than just entertainment and recreation. Thegames performed various functions. On the one hand, it was a sport filled with rituals, while on the other, gam-bling, politics and armed conflicts were present in the game. The article is based on the basis of available studies aswell as written and unwritten sources. The considerations demonstrate how important this ballgame was as a validelement of life among pre-Columbian civilizations and how many aspects it concerned.