Aztec Ball Court Discovered in Mexico City
Posted on June 9, 2017
Archaeologists have discovered the remains of ancient temple in Mexico City. The temple was dedicated to Ehecatl, an Aztec god of wind. An Aztec ritual ball court was located next to the temple.
Reuters reports that the ball court discovery confirms accounts made by Spanish explorers to the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan centuries ago. 32 severed male neck vertebrae were discovered in a pile next to the ball court.
Archaeologist Raul Barrera tells Reuters, "It was an offering associated with the ball game, just off the stairway. The vertebrae, or necks, surely came from victims who were sacrificed or decapitated."
More information about the Aztec ball game can be found here. The ball court was I-shaped and surrounded by high walls. Stone-carved rings were located next to the walls and the object was to get the hard 9-pound ulli (ball) through the opponent's ring. The ball was not allowed to touch the ground during the game.
The follow video about the discovery (in Spanish) was released by the INAH:
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