Topic 6: Sport in Eastern Civilizations and Pre-Columbian America PDF

Didactic Unit III. Sport in Eastern Civilisations and TopicPre-Columbian 6. Aztecs, Mayans, America Incas History of Sport Prof. Dr. Alejandro Leiva Arcas Grado en Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte ÍNDICE CON...

Didactic Unit III. Sport in Eastern Civilisations and TopicPre-Columbian 6. Aztecs, Mayans, America Incas History of Sport Prof. Dr. Alejandro Leiva Arcas Grado en Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte ÍNDICE CONTENIDO INDE S X 1. General historical introduction. 2. Mesoamerican ball game. 3. Aztec culture. 4. Mayan Culture. 5. Inca culture 2  Historical introduction Pre-Columbian America was a great mosaic of varied cultures, ethnicities and ways of life, ranging from small bands of hunter-gatherers to great civilisations such as the Mayan and great empires such as the Inca or Aztec. The Americas were populated by nomadic peoples from northeast Asia who, following animal migrations, crossed the Bering Strait (an isthmus at the time) 3  The cultures that reached the highest degree of development were the Mayan, Aztec and Inca. They were societies based on a socio-political system established on the basis of a strong hierarchy (personified in a king or emperor). The religious element was of great importance in the daily life of these peoples. Established on a fundamentally agricultural basis, these cultures were made up of non- productive classes who were able to develop very notable technical advances in fields such as architecture, astronomy, art, medicine, craftsmanship, and in some cases even developed an incipient writing system. 4  When Christopher Columbus arrived in America, only the Inca and Aztec empires were at their peak. The Mayan culture was at its height between 600 and 1000 AD. 5 Mesoamerican ball game 6 Ball Game (juego de pelota) It is the physical activity par excellence in the Mesoamerican region (Central America). It is a widespread game played by almost all the cultures of this geographical area, with more than 1,500 game courts having been found over a period spanning more than 2,000 years. This practice varied greatly according to each culture. However, common cross-cutting characteristics can be distinguished over time, along with other variable characteristics.  Ball Game Common characteristics It is always practised on a specific playing court for this activity. More than a sport, it is a sacred and ritual practice. A solid rubber ball is used. It is always played in teams (1vs1, 2vs2, 4vs4, 8vs8). There is a scoring area (stone rings). Variable characteristics Size and shape of the court. Duration of play. Forms of hitting (never with the hand). Player's clothing Human decapitation as part of the ritual ( winners or losers?). 8 Ball game in Copán, Honduras. Mayan culture. 5th-10th centuries AD. Ball Game Ball game courts The fields varied in shape, with the elongated 'H' shape being the most common. However, there are as many as 13 different types recorded. They were always outdoor spaces delimited by two more or less inclined parallel embankments topped by vertical walls. They were a central element in the urban planning of the cities and were used exclusively for ball games, which indicates that they were spaces of great 9 prestige and profound rituality. Plan of the Chichen Itza court 10 11  Ball Game The rules The aim was to get the rubber ball through the stone ring. The ball could be hit with any part of the body (hips, forearms, elbows, knees) except the hands and feet. All teams had to have a captain. Modalities : In large courts: the game ended when the ball was passed through the ring only once. Given the height and size of these courts, the game could last for hours. In small courts, a score was kept of the number of times the ball was put through the ring, and the winner was the team that reached the previously agreed number of points. In other versions without rings, the game consisted of keeping the ball in the air hit consecutively between team members. In other variants, one bounce was allowed per play. Violations (loss of possession or point for the opposing team): When the ball went out of the playing enclosure When a ball could not be hit or put in motion 12 Representation of the When itinwas Ball Game hit with the Codex an unauthorised Borbonicus. 1562 AD. part of the ball  Ball gameThe players The ball was solid and very heavy (between 1 and 3.5 kg) with a diameter of between 12 and 20 cm. It was the first bouncing ball in history. Due to the hardness of the ball, the players wore numerous protections made of leather and wood: a "yoke” (yugo) or hip protector, a forearm protector, knee pads, sandals, a skirt and feathered headdresses. The players were usually upper class, including nobles, princes and priests. There were also professional players. 13  Ball Game Human sacrifices It is not known whether the captain of the losing or winning team was beheaded. Two theories: Loser team: would indicate that defeat was a great dishonour. Winner team: would imply the fact that winning the game was a great honour and death would be a life offering to the gods, underlining the strong linkage of the ball game with Priest holding the head of a beheaded ball player. Maya culture. AD 300-900. Mesoamerican religions. Ball Game Videos available by clicking on the icons The Mayan culture 16  Historical introduction It was the longest-lived of the great American civilisations (2000 BC - 1546 AD). Located on the Yucatan Peninsula, it extended over an area that today encompasses parts of Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. It was not a homogeneous, centralised state, but rather a collection of city-states, independent of each other and often at war with each other. " Jungle of Kings ". Society organised in a well-established social- political hierarchy: - Ajaw (“king”): Maximum leader of his territory. - Nobles: constituted the governing bodies of the city. - Priests: spiritual and executive functions. Great social prestige. 17 - Merchants and craftsmen.  Historical introduction The basis of their economy was the production of corn, for self-consumption and trade with Mayan Calendar Wheel nearby villages. They also produced and traded cotton, textiles and cocoa. Their religious system was polytheistic and naturalistic. They occasionally practised anthropophagy and human sacrifice, although this was not a common practice. The worship of the gods was carried out collectively through great festivals which included the practice of dances and various kinds of games. A very advanced and precise calendar system. It was divided into 18 months of 20 days (360 days), supplemented by 5 additional days for ritual celebrations (total: 365 days). Its architecture is notable for being Ruins of Tikal, Guatemala. 18  Deportes y actividades físicas mayas Pok-ta-pok: name for the ball game played during the Mayan culture. It is described in the Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the Mayas. Dances: were performed as part of ritual activities. The main ones were during the cocoa harvest. Hunting: sport and pastime of the privileged class. They even owned hunting grounds. The lower class practised it as a means of subsistence. Sailing: Canoeing was a fundamental means of transport in this culture. There were both individual and team paddling competitions. Matatena: main Mayan pastime. It was played around a mat. Stone spheres, seeds or small animal bones were used. A piece was thrown into the air and a number of pieces had to be picked up from Mayan vessel depicting the pok-ta- the ground while the first one flew. Betting was pok as described in the Popol Vuh allowed. 19 The Aztec empire 20  Historical introduction The Aztecs were a group of nomadic tribes who, after coming together and founding Mexico- Tenochtitlan (today Mexico City), became one of the major American civilisations before the arrival of the Spanish. They became a powerful empire from the founding of M-T in 1325 until the Conquest by Hernán Cortés in 1521 AD. Their dominion extended over much of present-day Mexico and part of Guatemala. 21  Historical introduction Aztec society was class-structured, with a strong political and economic specialisation of its members. Below the Emperor, the nobility and the priestly class, there was a large group of inhabitants dedicated to tasks such as craftsmanship, trade, goldsmithing, agriculture, bureaucracy, military defence, etc. Religion was widespread, occurring in two separate projections: the official type of religion and the official type of religion. Religion was widespread, occurring in two separate projections: official religion and popular religion. It is a polytheistic religion, the most striking aspect of which is the human 22  Historical introduction The basis of the economy was agriculture, mainly corn. It was cultivated in chinampas ("floating" gardens), located in the system of lakes surrounding Mexico-Tenochtitlan. The Aztecs mastered sciences such as astronomy and the highly accurate calendar system. In architecture, they were noted for the construction of large pyramid-shaped temples and for the construction of large public works such as roads, aqueducts, canals, public latrines, schools, etc. 23  Aztec physical education In the Aztec empire, young men were subjected to extremely physical and psychological instruction. The main objective of Aztec education was to inculcate the idea of dying as warriors in the defence of the territory. Up to the age of 7, education was the responsibility of the families. After that age, from 7 to 15, the state was responsible for continuing education in specialised schools. Members of the lower classes went to Telpochcalli, while the children of the elite went to Calmecac. Aztec education was based on 5 pillars: - Music education: singing, dancing, playing musical instruments. - Medical education: knowledge of physiology and anatomy. - Military education: Weapon handling (sword, macana, bow, blowpipe, atlatl or spear) and hand-to-hand combat. - Phyisical education: athletic exercises (running, jumping), weight lifting and rowing. - Psychical education: resistance to pain, cold water baths, Above: Drawing of the Calmécac in the Codex Mendoza (1542 AD). 24 Below: possiblefasting, vigils, reconstruction self-sacrifice. of the Calmecac of Mexico-Tenochitlan Gladiatorial games Human sacrifices were common in Aztec culture. Another form of large-scale sacrifice was the "flowery wars", battles agreed between the Aztecs and their enemies with the sole purpose of causing the death of warriors and, consequently, bloodshed for the gods. One of the highest forms of ritual sacrifice was gladiatorial combat. A prisoner of war was tied by the ankle to a large stone Depictions of gladiatorial games disc. He was armed with a short sword and a small shield. Above: Codex Tovar, AD 1585 / Below: Codex Zouche-Nutall, 16th century. He had to fight for his life against the "jaguar-men" until he was defeated. His blood was considered to be of the highest quality for offering to the gods. Montezuma Stone. National Museum of Anthropology. Mexico 25 City.  Tlahuicole of Tlaxcala He was born in 1497 in Tlaxcala into a noble family. Educated to serve as a soldier in the army During a battle against the Aztecs, Emperor Moctezuma was impressed with his courage, so when he was captured, he offered him his freedom. However, Tlahuicole refused. Amazed, Moctezuma appointed him head of one of the Aztec armies and he took part in the wars against the Purepecha, an ethnic group in northern Mexico. On his return, Moctezuma again offered him freedom or to remain as a general under his command. Tlahuicole again refused, asking to die in combat. Fulfilling his wishes, he was taken to the gladiatorial sacrificial wheel. He killed eight of the best Aztec soldiers and 26 wounded twenty others. He was finally defeated Tlachtli The ball game played by the Aztecs is called tlachtli. It is essentially the same ball game played in the Mesoamerican area except for some specific differences: - The ball could be hit with the arms (elbows or forearms). - A line was drawn separating half of the field, and it was not allowed to invade the opponent's field. - Betting was allowed among the attendants. - Prizes could be given to the winners, so it was not always a ritual act with 27 sacrifices but a practice with a more Acrobatic games Hercules game: Human towers of up to three people Game of the “aspas”: a pole (roller), placed on top of others at a height of more than two metres. Two participants with their hands on their feet must spin the roller to make the other one fall. Greased pole: a grease-covered pole with a prize (feathers, flowers, jewellery, etc.) at the top. Participants have to climb up to reach it. Xocuahpatollin: game of balancing. Lying on his or her back, an individual must juggle Juggler a wooden practising thecylinder using xocuahpatollin accordingonly his Weiditz, 1529. to Christoph 28 Sports activities Athletics: There were professional runners in the service of the kings to serve as messengers (distance and speed ones). There were also races for young people who had to climb the 360 steps of the main temple (Templo Mayor). Hunting: both for survival (common people) and entertainment (elite). Rulers hunted in private areas. The bow or blowpipe was used. Swimming: practised by both sexes. It was used also for hunting water birds. Rowing: the Aztecs were excellent paddlers. Aztec canoes were made of a 29  Gambling games Patolli: The favourite board game of the Aztecs that was played on a mat with a painted board in the shape of a cross with 52 squares. Seeds with painted dots (up to twelve) were Patolli Florentine Codex. 1569 AD. used as dice. Similar to the game of the goose. It was played by all social classes. Betting was a frequent occurrence, so there were gamblers, travelling from village to village. Cocoyocpatolli: marble game that could also Representation of the cocoyocpatolli be played with bean seeds. The marble had to be basketed into a hole from a previously drawn line.. Possible representation of the chichinadas. Tepantitla Chichinadas: Each player has six spheres or mural, Tehotihuacán, Mexico. AD 450-650. marbles in a line in front of them. The game 30 consists of hitting the opponent's marbles to Other activities Temazacalli: Steam baths taken by the Aztecs regardless of their condition. Destined for daily hygiene and ritual purification. Pregnant women used to take it in the moments before childbirth. Codex Magliabecchiano. 16th century AD. Takary: It is similar to modern hockey. During training sessions, stones were used as balls, although in matches they were replaced by a ball made of oak root. The pitches could be up to 1 km long and were played collectively between villages. 31  The flyers (voladores) Ritual dance that requires great skill and courage. Four participants hang from a mast 20-40 metres above the ground, while a fifth plays music at the top. 13 turns must be performed as they descend, which multiplied by 4 voladores symbolises the 52-year cycle of the Aztec calendar. The dance is related to fertility, as it symbolises the fall of rain from the four cardinal points. Codex Azcatitlan. Sixteenth century. The Inca empire 33  Historical introduction It was the most advanced civilisation in South America. It stretched along the Andean mountain range from Colombia to Chile and included the present-day territories of Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru and northwestern Argentina. Under an imperial structure, the Incas extended their rule from the capital at Cuzco to the rest of the territory between 1438 and 1533 AD until Pizarro's conquest. It was a society centralised around the Inca, the name given to the main civil, religious and military leader of the empire. Considered the son of the Sun. The Inca controlled the administration of the Empire. The lands belonged to him, so there was no private property. All economic, 34 political and military decisions depended on him.  Historical introduction At the top of the social pyramid were the privileged classes, such as priests, nobles, high officials, military chiefs, civilian chiefs, who monopolised spiritual, bureaucratic and military positions. In the more remote regions, there were the curacas, small local chiefs who controlled one or more subordinates of the Inca. The common people consisted of the peasants and the servants of the ruling classes. All males between 16 and 50 years of age were obliged to serve the state for a few months a year for the construction of public works, mining or farming. This system was called "mit'a" and was later used by the Spanish in Cerro rico, Potosí, Bolivia colonial times for the extraction of gold 35 and silver.  Historical introduction Their religion was polytheistic, with a strong emphasis on natural phenomena and the stars, especially the sun. They managed to integrate the vast empire they had created through the creation of an extensive road network, 5,000 km long. Goods were moved by people or by using llama herds. In order to cover long distances, a network of tambos (inns) was set up. There was a system of messengers who had to cover Inca Tambo in Peru fixed distances carrying a message, which could be communicated directly to another messenger or delivered orally at the tambos. 36 Its architecture was cyclopean. The great Physical activities of the Incas Stimuli for the practice of physical exercise among the Incas came through the celebration of religious festivals and military training exercises. For this purpose, facilities were built to encourage this type of activity. Towns Fortress Kallanka Town squares with large Military fortress Rectangular enclosures up to 70 metres long amphitheatres designed esplanades that served with gabled roofs, which could be used for for observing festivals as parade grounds for physical activities, sheltered from the rain or and public performances. the training of soldiers. cold. Also called "sheds". 37  38 Kallanka or Sheds in the Ollantaytambo Valley, Peru  Gayado Q'asuy Inca Hockey This game is generally played at the beginning of the year. It is played with curved sticks and large wooden balls (three sizes depending on the participants). The game was played to celebrate the end of the communal work. Only those people who had worked in the fields had the right to participate. The games were played between members of neighbouring communities. Both men and women could participate. The matches lasted until the evening. Due to the hard materials, many players ended up with injuries or broken bones. 39 Tinku Inca ceremonial ritual held annually in the region of present-day Bolivia. It is a fight against each other stimulated by alcohol in which the participants take the opportunity to settle their disputes. Only punches are allowed. Kicks, spanners or the use of weapons are strictly forbidden. A referee monitors compliance with these rules. There are also fights between women. Originally, Inca soldiers used the Tinku festival to show their worth and find a wife among the competing single women. The spilled blood was used as an offering 40 to the mother goddess of the earth Inti Raymi Literally "festival of the sun". It was held every southern winter solstice (end of June). It was celebrated in Cuzco, the capital of the Inca Empire, in the presence of the monarch and his court. It lasted 15 days during which there were different events such as dances, religious ceremonies and animal sacrifices. The dances were performed by numerous delegations from all over the Empire, in a competition to see which was the most colourful and  Huarachico Warachikuy An annual festival in which young noblemen who had reached the age of 16 had to demonstrate a series of warrior skills in order to enter the army. Previously, they had received hard training that included fasting, vigils, resistance to pain and learning how to handle weapons. During the huarachico, the participants had to pass various tests of agility, speed, endurance or hand-to-hand combat to publicly demonstrate their bravery and courage. The culminating test was a team race that ended at a fortress. The first to arrive had to defend it and the others had to siege it. The family members came as spectators along the way, as abandoning the race was a great dishonour to the family. Chasquis Inca royal messengers See workshop no. 4 Important: the contents of workshop 4 are subject to be assessed in the exam. Representation of a Chasqui by Felipe Huamán Poma de Ayala. 1616 AD.  Unidad Didáctica III. El deporte en las civilizaciones orientales y de la América Tema 6.Precolombina Aztecas, Mayas, Incas Historia del Deporte Prof. Dr. Alejandro Leiva Arcas Grado en Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte