ge is located with an area of five square kilometers (1.9 square miles). Most of the site is located at the base of the hills, on relatively level ground. The hillside is terraced to contain a mass of structures. The building plan resembles that of the Classic Maya centers, with building laid out in courtyards. The public buildings fall into the recognizable categories of temple, elite residences, and ball courts. At this site, there are eleven ball courts. Elements of sculpture at the ball court and temple depict human sacrifice, warriors, and the ball game.
The largest ball court in Mesoamerica is located at Chichen Itza, a center of pilgrimage. It was believed that Chichen Itza was the home of the rain god. At Chichen Itza, there is evidence of human sacrifice to the rain god. The ball court measures approximately 150 meters long and is adorned by small temples and sculpture. A second plaza, also surrounded by large structures, has a ball court to the east (Adams 289-291).
The Maya Highlands, with their small Classic states, are composed of smaller regional centers with dense populations. These centers also contain the temple, elite residences, and ball courts which are typically found. Initially these villages were located on open ground in the valleys. After 1000 A.D., these sites moved to higher defendable ground (Adams 314).
The ball courts are found at sites from all of the time periods from the Late Formative to the Aztec. There is evidence that a version of the game is still played along the seacoast in Central America by poor peasants and by some native American Indians. Archaeological evidence for the ball game can be found at sites dating from the Middle Formative through the Aztec periods.
Ball courts were located in public ceremonial areas. They appear to have been sponsored by the local ruler or an elite group of individuals. The ball courts often contained sculpture and sometimes small...