recreation and religious purposes. The ball courts were some of the earliest temples to be constructed. The court itself was made of stone and was decorated with carvings. It consisted of two long narrow walls parallel to each other. Each of the walls had a marker in the middle. The marker was generally carved from stone, was in the shape of a circle, and the object of the game was to get the ball through it. These rings were about twenty to thirty feet above the court, held up by two stone columns (Liz 1-6). Surrounding the ball court were many rows of seats for spectators. There were also small sanctuaries on top of the walls, usually right above the goal markers. The rich Mayan nobles would watch the game from these primitive grandstands. Most ball courts lay near the foot of a hieroglyphic stairway. The writings on these stairways were symbolic of the boundaries between the actual and supernatural worlds. Mayan ball games were intimately related to ritual, death, and sacrifice. There is little doubt that, at least on some occasions, losing players were sacrificed (Miller 64).The actual layout of Classic Mayan cities is essential when examining its architecture. (Culbert 166) It appears as if the Mayans constructed their buildings in certain positions, Staats 6concentrating on the aesthetics of individual buildings, while also contributing to the beauty of the entire city. “ Most settlements were found on trade routes or established near rivers. Most of these settlements were busy and populated. Cities were built on both high and lowlands. The majority of Mayan buildings were either pyramids or temples. Seacoast trade determined the locations of the buildings within a settlement. Widespread demand for certain products traded by the Mayans played an important part in the location and prosperity of several centers.” (Liz 1-6). In the center of each city was a great plaza. There were usually temples on each of the...
