Highly developed language
Advanced calendar
Advanced numerical system
Advanced societal structures
Architectural structures (Pyramids)
Religious, political systems
100
What does "Juego de Pelota " translate to in English?
What is BALLGAME!
100
What is the POPOL VUH?
The book/ story that narrates the creation myth of the Maya
100
When invited to face a series of trials in the underworld, how many challenges did the twins pass?
They passed everyone they were given
100
Where is the largest known ball court?
Chichén Itzá located in the Yucatán penninsula
200
Which present day countries are now where the Maya Empire was once located?
Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and parts of Mexico
200
What was the shape of the court?
The court was shape like a capital "I"
200
What is Xibalbá?
The Mayan underworld where the lords of death and disease lived
200
What roles did the twins have or think they had before they found out that they were ballplayers?
Hunters and / or farmers
200
List at least other items that the the Mesoamericans use rubber for?
To make shoes, containers, tools and medicines.
300
What was considered to be at the center of the Mayan Universe?
The Sacred Tree of Life
300
What is the milky substance that is harvested (by tapping) from rubber plants?
What is latex.
300
Which beings are created at an attempt to form creation on earth?
Animals, mud beings, wooden beings
300
Who or what was sent to summon the twins to play in the underworld and how many days did they have to get there?
The owl messengers/
seven days
300
Ancient Mesoamerican cultures played the ballgame as a way to please their gods and keep order in their world. What is the ballgame based on?
An ancient creation story. The POPOL VUH
400
Where is Mesoamerica located?
Between North and South America
400
How much did the biggest/heaviest balls weigh?
Balls could weigh as much as 8 lbs!
400
Who or what was responsible for revealing to the twins that they were ball players?
The animals / the Rat
400
When the Hero Twins grew old enough, what did they do to outsmart their older brothers who weren't very nice to them?
They tricked them to climb into a tree to gather birds and turned them into monkeys
400
What food is considered to be a sacred element to Mesoamerican cultures?
Maize / Corn
500
The ancient Mesoamerican ball courts featured elaborate reliefs that retold the stories of the legendary games. What is a relief?
A stone carving.
500
What was the secret to making a high bouncing ball?
What could be found at the core?
Adding morning glories (substance from the vines) to the latex.
Skulls could be found at the core of rubber balls.
500
How did the lords of the underworld react when they heard the first set of twins playing ball and what happened as a consequence?
They were invited down to play and were defeated and killed in the underworld.
500
How did the hero twins come to be?
A daughter of a god of the underworld gave birth to them after she visited the forbidden fruit tree and the head of the dead father spat into her hand.
500
What are yoke, palma, yuguito, manopla and hacha examples of?