A Great Ball Court is the Mesoamerican equivalent of the Colosseum. Even though ball games are played by the common man and even children for fun, serious matches are sometimes played with ritualistic significance – The game’s injuries are serious, and enough blood is spilled to count as a form of bloodletting.
Even though armour fashioned from wood and padded cotten is created for the contestants, many die from their injuries... or as a reward for winning, a quick path to a truly honourable death.
中美洲地區也有與羅馬類似的大競技場。儘管普通部民甚至兒童都可以在內進行球賽,但此地首要用途為在祭典中舉辦大型比賽。這種比賽通常十分殘酷,競技場內往往血肉橫飛。
儘管球員們都身穿棉質鑲甲進行防護,但每次賽後仍有不少人重傷死亡,失敗一方則作為獎勵,由勝利方處決後進行獻祭。 |