Ball Court
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Dividing the Gran Plaza and Gran Acropolis from the Small Acropolis is the Ball Court with a north–south pitch, and ramps and scoring rings (barely visible here) facing each other on the east and west sides.
This orientation, common in Maya ball courts, emphasized the religious significance attached to the game, casting it as sunrise versus sunset, light versus dark, good versus evil.
Royalty would have likely watched the game from rooms on top of the two ramps, while commoners would have crowded around the ends, if they were allowed to watch at all.
© Gary Chandler & Liza Prado from Moon Yucatán Peninsula, 9th edition
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