The Ball Game, Sacrifice, and Skull Racks in Prehistoric Mesoamerica
Disciplines
Archaeological Anthropology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
The Postclassic period (AD 900-1519) in ancient Mesoamerica was dominated by three distinct cultures: the Toltec, the Maya, and the Aztec. These three cultures were interconnected by numerous aspects of both the physical and cosmological worlds. The creation myths associated with all three of these prehistoric civilizations place heavy emphasis on sacred animals such as the jaguar, the playing of the ball game, and the practice of human sacrifice. In fact, the ball game was so important in ancient Mesoamerica, that it became a central point of focus in the creation myths of all three cultures. While there is a plethora of academic information regarding the Mesoamerican ball game, there is a significant lack of information regarding the practices of human sacrifice that coincided with the game itself – specifically, the displaying of the loser’s decapitated head on architectural structures called tzompantli, or “skull racks.” The intention of this study is to gain a better understanding as to the significance of skull racks, why they were so important to Mesoamerican cultures, and why these mysterious structures continue to be an architectural enigma within the study of pre-Columbian civilizations.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Geography & Anthropology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Terry Powis
The Ball Game, Sacrifice, and Skull Racks in Prehistoric Mesoamerica
The Postclassic period (AD 900-1519) in ancient Mesoamerica was dominated by three distinct cultures: the Toltec, the Maya, and the Aztec. These three cultures were interconnected by numerous aspects of both the physical and cosmological worlds. The creation myths associated with all three of these prehistoric civilizations place heavy emphasis on sacred animals such as the jaguar, the playing of the ball game, and the practice of human sacrifice. In fact, the ball game was so important in ancient Mesoamerica, that it became a central point of focus in the creation myths of all three cultures. While there is a plethora of academic information regarding the Mesoamerican ball game, there is a significant lack of information regarding the practices of human sacrifice that coincided with the game itself – specifically, the displaying of the loser’s decapitated head on architectural structures called tzompantli, or “skull racks.” The intention of this study is to gain a better understanding as to the significance of skull racks, why they were so important to Mesoamerican cultures, and why these mysterious structures continue to be an architectural enigma within the study of pre-Columbian civilizations.