Source 1: The Mayan Ball Game: A Deadly Sport
One of the ways that the Mayan peoples competed against each other was by playing their dangerous Ball Game. They used a rubber ball (9 lbs.), about 20 inches in diameter, to play the Game, which was played on a stone "court" of different sizes. (The largest one found so far measures 459 feet by 114 feet – way bigger than a football field.) The court had walls that sloped inward, and hanging high on the walls were stone rings.
The goal of the game was to pass the ball around, without having it touch your hands, and then get the ball to pass through one of the rings. Since the rings were so high and players were not allowed to use their hands, it was extremely difficult to get the ball through a ring. In fact, when a player did manage to get a ball through a ring the game ended. The game ended otherwise when the ball touched the ground.
Mayan Stone Court is shown above. To the right is a artist sketch of Mayans playing the game
The Mayan Ball Game was a serious experience, filled with ritual importance. Religious leaders attended, as did most government leaders. Sacred songs were sung and played. Other religious activities took place as well. The winners were treated as heroes and given a great party. The penalty for losing a game was sometimes unusually harsh, death! The leader of the team who lost was sometimes killed.
1. How is the Mayan game similar to American sports?
The two obvious answers are basketball and soccer (no hands). Add the following to the similarities: they played team sports, dignitaries attending games, and “Sacred songs were sung and played,” similar to our
National Anthem and theme oriented half-times. The games were not timed, but played until someone won the game. Baseball is not timed like other sports.
2. How is the Mayan game different from American sports? When we lose, we do not lose our lives. The height of the basket is much higher than in our game. The basket is also vertical and not horizontal in position, like ours. Rules were different, as was the court material.

3. What does the Mayan game tell us about the Mayan civilizations? Obviously, they were competitive and took their sport seriously. They made an attempt to have a “fair” way to sacrifice someone. Religion was more important than sports.
Source 2: Mayan Numbers
Note: The symbol for
“O” is a shell.
The Maya developed an important system of mathematics that was more advanced than the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, or Romans. The Maya were perhaps the first people to use the idea of a zero – a very important invention.
This system of mathematics helped them learn astronomy – the study of the stars and planets.
The Maya could accurately track the movement of the Earth, the moon, and the other planets in our solar system. They could also predict eclipses, which they believed were messages from the gods.
1.
What did the Maya use to represent their numbers? Items found in nature around them; stones/pebbles, sticks and shells found near the coast
1B. Why do you think they chose them? They had no Walmart or other similar stores to buy items. It was readily available and something they could identify and find easily.

2.
How would you represent the number “25” using this system? It should be a dot centered, then a space, then a bar. (Look at the example of 6, and have space between the dot and stick.)
3.
How is this system different from our number system? Although we repeat digits 0 –
9, they are placed in a value system that can be readily understood. Based on the example given, the Mayan numbers would be difficult to use in simple computation, never mind something difficult like: 1,783, 529 x 295 + 87. Which system is easier to use? Out present day number system is easier, albeit with difficult computations.
4.
What does the number system tell us about the Mayan civilization?
They were advanced enough to know the importance of math and they could use it in their building of pyramids and making calendars. However, various computations would be extremely difficult to visualize.
Source 3: Mayan Pyramid
Located at Chichen Itza, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. There 91 steps on each side of the pyramid and one step to reach the temple at the top. It is approximately 90 feet high.
The ruins of Mayan cities remained hidden for centuries in the dense jungles of Mexico and parts of Central America. Scientists are still discovering new cities and pyramids that were seemingly lost in time. At first, scientists believed that these pyramids were religious centers only, but after further study, they’ve realized that they were complete cities. The pyramids were the ceremonial center of the city and were usually surrounded with public buildings, houses, and ball courts.
1.
Describe the pyramid. (This, students should be able to do on their own.)

2.
How do you think the pyramid was built? Considering they had no construction equipment, they must have relied on large scale “simple machines” such as levers, ramps (inclined planes), possibly pulleys and wheels to move stone. As for labor, forced enslavement is a good possibility.
3.
What skills and knowledge did the Maya have in order to built the pyramid? Without a keen knowledge of math, science and masonry skills, it would not have been built.
4.
What does the pyramid tell you about the Maya civilization?
Similar to #3’s response, they had an advanced understanding of the world around them. Also, they had religious ceremonies tied into the pyramid as well, which was especially important to the Mayan Empire.
Source 4: Mayan Calendar
The Maya had two different calendars. First is the Haab, which was a solar calendar with a
365 day year. It had 18 months of 20 days each. The five days that were left over, known as uayeb, were considered unlucky.
The second one was called the Tzolkin, which was the divine calendar consisting of the rituals (religious holidays) throughout the year. This calendar had 20 months with 13 days each, and each day was given a glyph , or symbol.
1.
Why do the Maya have 2 calendars? One was daily, one was for holidays.
2.
What type of knowledge do you need to know in order to create an accurate calendar?
They had a serious understanding of Astronomy and science in general. Tactically, they had incredible craftsmanship to chisel/chip away the shapes onto the round slab.

3. How are the Mayan calendars different from the calendar we use? They “had 18 months of 20 days each. The five days that were left over, known as uayeb, were considered unlucky.” We use 12 months with 30 days (average) and one day extra, every four years. We use “one size fits all” with our calendars, meaning our calendars are for daily use and include any holidays as they appear.
4. What can the calendars tell us about the Mayan civilization? Again, they had a strong understanding of math and science. Their religion was so important to them; they made a special calendar just for religious holidays/celebrations.
Source 5: Mayan Art
The earliest Mayan artists were primarily focused on religious themes. At this time, the
Mayans depicted such activities as human sacrifice, warfare, daily life, and religious rituals with startling realism.
All of the great Mayan cities created great sculptures. Sculptures enhanced Mayan temples, monuments, and buildings. Sculptors produced amazing images of mythological creatures, past rulers, gods, and supernatural animals. Lords and rulers were dressed in elaborate headdresses, costumes, and jewelry. Mayan sculptors preferred to work with limestone, but also used wood and clay.

Mural shows
Mayan musicians playing instruments.
Found in Chiapas,
Mexico
This mural uses brown, white, green, blue, yellow colors.
Painting was another major Mayan art form. Scientists have discovered brightly colored murals where the Maya once lived. The murals portrayed scenes of daily life as well as religious ceremonies.
1.
What did Mayan artists make sculptures of? “Sculptors produced amazing images of mythological creatures, past rulers, gods, and supernatural animals. Lords and rulers were dressed in elaborate headdresses, costumes, and jewelry”
2.
Why were sculptures of gods and past rulers important to the Maya? They believed that their rulers were selected by the gods and were the only people who could talk/communicate to the gods.
3.
Where do you think this mural would have been located? Possibly on the walls of the pyramids
4.
What is happening in this painting? It is difficult to see, but it looks as if someone is kneeling in front of another. It is probably some form of religious ceremony involving the two people in the center.
5.
What can art tell us about the Mayan civilization? To start, again, there were no
Walmart or Home Depots. Hence, no place to buy paint. They needed to make paint for their art. They had to make their own brushes. They also had to have an understanding of pitch and sound to make instruments. Their art depicts their ceremonies and possibly battles they had. They art shows how they looked and dressed.