Regional Spheres of Gameplay: A Preliminary Comparative Analysis of Patolli, a Mesoamerican Board Game

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The precolumbian game of patolli was imbued with ideals of competition, risk, and ritual significance. The board game had a widespread presence across Mesoamerica throughout the Classic period (~ AD 250–820) and was often etched into the surfaces of monumental architecture. Recent excavations led by the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance project at the Maya site of Xunantunich have yielded the second most extensive collection of patolli yet recorded at a given site. The Xunantunich patolli assemblage presents a variety of board sizes and placement locations; however, the board styles adhere only to the Type II style and do not represent any other types in patolli board typology. This poster presents a comparative analysis of patolli boards found in central Belize and the neighboring Petén region to assess greater patterns in patolli type, regional location, and associated material culture and architecture. These variables allow us to better understand the sociocultural significance of the game and the individuals partaking in the game while also contributing to the broader archaeological discourse on human behavior and agency.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37306.0