City of Thunder El Tajin, the ball game ritual and the early classic period

El Tajin n Discovered in 1785 completely overgrown by jungle. n Modern questions: Was the culture of El Tajin Maya, a Mayan predecessor, a late Olmec descendant, or some other culture? n Are the descendants the modern Totanac or the Huastecs? n What was the purpose of the city?

n Unlikely Olmec (they fade away by 300 BC) n Probably Maya related culture n Inherited complete suite of ball game ideology n City may have been devoted to the ball game cult. n Eleven ball courts, many associated with the sacred sector

Linguistic analysis suggests Totanac not related to any other Mexican language group; an isolate

Site plan. Tajin Chico in upper half was a royal or elite residential area.

Temple of the Niches.

n Eleven ball courts n Close association between elite residences and ball courts n Iconography focused on ritual game n Architectural singularity

The Ball Game n Ritual violence n Sacred event: part sport part religious rite. n Evidence from stelae that participants risked their lives in the game and losers (and occasionally winners) could be sacrificed. Most common manner portrayed was by beheading.

Artifacts and features n Only first and second tier cities had ball courts, linking the game to political power. n Prestige for cities with multiple courts. n Courts architecturally always associated with principal ritual centers linking it to the sacred; and with elite residence sectors.

n Considerable paraphernalia and gear for players include: hip protectors, knee pads, front and back protectors. n Sculptures show various injuries received from the game and degree of pain experienced.

Twice size of modern football field

Small ritual court.

Yoke worn around waist.

Reenacted for tourists.

Purpose of the ritual game? n Political power and prestige. n Social control n Rituals controlled by elite linking religion and myth. n Specific social values metaphorically expressed in the game. n Relates to twin heroes who had to play the game in the underworld to survive.

n The ball must be kept in motion and represents the moon and the sun, the court the earth. n The game was played to perpetuate survival of the Maya. n The (occasionally) sacrificed players were sent as messengers to converse with the gods.