Ancient Basketball - Why The Ancient African Warriors Lay The Foundation Ancient Basketball?

http://www.omec-arkofthecovenantmystery.com/article/the-mayan-ball-game-african-olmecs-first-play-basketball/
Ancient Basketball - Why The Ancient African Warriors Lay The Foundation Ancient Basketball?
The ancient Maya ballgame named pitz was basically an aspect of Maya political, religious, and social life. Played out by using some sort of rubber ball ranging in proportions from that of a softball to your soccer ball, players would need to try to bounce the ball without resorting to their hands through stone hoops attached to the sides of the particular ball court. The entire ball court by itself must have been a center of attention among Maya cities and furthermore symbolized the main city's abundance not to mention power. The playing arena was actually in the shape of an I with high platforms on both sides of the court permitting many spectators. Movable stone court markers known as hacha ordinarily depicting animals or skulls were positioned surrounding the arena. Murals depicting captives, warriors, Creation myths, along with transfers of political power from one ruler to another were painted around the ball court. The very ballgame offered bordering cities an alternative to conflict for settling differences.

Ballplayers wore protective equipment throughout the game to avoid bodily damage because of the really hard rubber ball that sometimes weighed up to 20 lbs. To safeguard ribs and also the torso players would wear a yoke of leather or even wood all around their waists. Stone hachas had been often attached to the front of the yoke after the game meant for ceremonial purposes. Additionally they wore padding all-around knees and arms, and huge stylized animal headdresses that could have showed what they thought to be their animal counterparts or way. Handstones called manopla were actually held to hit the ball with more force, and may even have been used to begin the ball in play.

The spiritual account most associated with the ballgame is that of the Maize Gods and the Hero Twins from the Quich Maya book of creation, the Popol Vuh. Just as the tale goes, the Maize Gods were actually devoted ballplayers who were killed and buried on the court by the Lords of Xibalba (the Underworld) for bothering them with the disturbance of the game. The head of one of the Maize gods ended up being hung from a tree inside the Underworld, and as a daughter of the Lord of the Underworld passes, it spit in to her palm, miraculously impregnating her. The daughter bore twin sons, the Hero Twins, who avenge their father and uncle's deaths by resurrecting them on the ballcourt. The Hero Twins go on to survive the ordeals of Hell presented to them due to the death gods, while the reborn Maize Gods remain on the ballcourt for humans to honor. The Maya consequently considered that it was essential to take part in the game for their own survival. The ballgame provided a chance to demonstrate devoutness to the gods by means of sacrificing captured kings and also high lords, or the losing opponents of the game.

Popol Vuh

A lot of Maya tradition revolved surrounding the text of the Popol Vuh, or Book of Counsel. The text recalls the creation of humans by the Heart of Sky and the Sovereign Plumed Serpent within a series of attempts, using materials such as clay, wood, and finally maize. The most important gods included Itzmna, lord of life; Ali Kin, the sun god; Ah Puch, god of death; Chac, god of water and rain; Yumkax, the corn god; and Ixchel, goddess of the moon, pregnancy, and of abundance. The Maya believed there are a total of 13 heavens above earth and 9 underworlds beneath it. A god ruled each of these skies and lower worlds. The Maya honored these many gods talked about in the Popol Vuh with sacrificial ceremonies by which food, pottery, animals, as well as humans were offered.