Sierra Gorda Part 6: Tancama's Ball Court and Temple/Palaces in Plaza el Mirador

The pre-hispanic juego de pelota (ball game) was played throughout Mesoamerica. The inhabitants of the region called the Huasteca may have adopted the juego de pelota during their early contacts with the Olmecs, who invented it. The area of play included the long narrow court, as well as the sides of the structures which parallel it. Elite spectators stood on the tops of the parallel structures, while lesser folks sat on the steps of adjacent buildings. The exact rules of the game differed somewhat from one culture or civilization to another, but the basic elements of the game were the same. 

In the previous posting, we looked at Plaza de Mirador, the most important ceremonial area of Tancama. The focus in that posting was on the structures that form the boundaries of the south and west sides of the Plaza. This time, we will examine the ball court, located inside the Plaza, as well as the palaces and temples which form its northern and eastern boundaries. For maps showing how to get to Jalpan and from there to the Tancama Archeological Zone, see Parts 1 and 5 of this series.

Overview

Plaza el Mirador stands at the south end of the ridge along which Tancama was built. The pyramid called Edificio de las Mariposas de Cobre ("Building of the Copper Butterflies", marked as structure #1) is the highest point in Tancama. It stands at the top of the ridge on the south end of the Plaza. The Plaza's west side is formed by the Cuatro  Huastecos (structures #2-5). I showed all these structures in Part 5. The Juego de Pelota is structure #10, which is slightly northwest of the middle of the Plaza. The playing court is the slot that is bounded on the north and south by structures A and B/B'. 

Bordering the north side of the Plaza is structure #6, a large palace/temple called Edificio del Cuarto Adosado (Building of the Added Room). The east (right) side of the Plaza is bordered on its south end by structure #8, the Edificio de los Anzuelos (Building of the Fishhooks). Structure #7 completes the eastern boundary of the Plaza and, along with structure #6, forms its northeast corner. This long low building is called the Edificio del Personaje Huasteco (Building of the Huastec Man). To see the full site map of Tancama, please refer to Part 5 of this series.

 El Juego de Pelota 

The ball court is 18m (59ft) long. The grassy area between structures A (left) and B/B' (right) is the main playing field. The lower walls of these parallel structures may have also formed part of the playing area. Elite spectators would have stood along the tops of the two structures, as seen in the painting at the beginning of this posting. Through the trees in the background, you can see Edificio de los Anzuelos, with Edificio del Personaje Huasteco to its left. The trees are second growth and the area would probably have been clear of vegetation when Tancama was occupied (200-950 AD).

The juego de pelota was invented by the Olmecs around 1500 BC and they introduced it to other cultures through their trade networks. Variations of it were played for the next 3000 years throughout Mesoamerica, from Honduras in Central America to New Mexico in the U.S. Played by both professionals and amateurs, the game was used for religious and political purposes, but sometimes was just for public entertainment. 

Clay statue of a Huastec ball player. The statue was created in the Early Classic period (250-550 AD) and was found in the northern Veracruz area. This figure gives us a very good idea of what a Huastec player looked like when fully "suited up". It is clear that body protection was important. The players probably did not intentionally collide with one another like those in American football or British rugby. Rather, the protection was against the hard rubber ball, which could weigh as much as 22 kilograms (10 lbs) and could cause serious injuries or even death.

The player above wears a flat, circular helmet, probably made of heavy leather. A wood and leather "yoke" circles his mid-section. His left knee and upper leg, body parts used to strike the ball, are wrapped with leather straps. Finally, his neck and shoulders are covered by other protective layers. During the game, players were not allowed to use their hands or feet to propel the ball. Instead, they used their upper legs, shoulders, and chests. The games were fiercely contested and the stakes could be very high. On some occasions, the losing team was ritually sacrificed. (Photo from The Ball Game, by Mary Ellen Miller)

Structure B/B', viewed from its northeastern end. This three-level structure forms the south side of the ball court, which is aligned in an east-west direction. Like the other structures at Tancama, B/B' was built with rounded river stones and then covered with cut stones. In the background you can see the pyramid called Edificio de las Mariposas de Cobre. 

The ball game was deeply rooted in the culture of the Huastecs. On a religious basis, the game was viewed as a metaphor for the movement of heavenly bodies, such as the sun, moon, and Venus. It is no coincidence that the court at Tancama was built in an east-to-west direction, because that is the path the sun takes across the sky. The moon and Venus follow different courses, which sets up the conflict that is played out on the ball court. Further, the cyclical movements of the celestial bodies were thought to be related to the cycle of life, including that of the staple food, maiz (corn).

Structure B/B' viewed from the south. From this point, you can see the three levels of B/B' and the steps that lead up to the third level. The structure has an overall shape of a capial "L". Structure A, which parallels B/B' on the north side of the court, is laid out in a straight line. The shape of B/B' may be different than that of A because it had additional functions. Edificio del Cuarto Adosado stands in the background to the north. 

The ball game served other purposes beyond those related to religion. Sometimes it was used as an alternative to armed conflict, in order to settle disputes between cities, or factions within a city. In addition, after a battle, captured warriors were sometimes forced to play the game with their captors, but the contest was fixed so that the captors always won. The captive warriors were then sacrificed to celebrate the victory in the battle as well as the game. The game was also played for public amusement and this was often accompanied by heavy betting. Those who lost were stripped of their clothing and other belongings.

Statue of a female Huastec ball player. The figure, found in the Veracruz area, was carved from stone sometime during the Classic Period (200-950 AD). She wears a peaked headdress and circular earrings. Protection is provided by a yoke around her middle and kneepads. She was on the winning side, because her right hand grips the hair of a sacrificed player's head, which hangs down below. Just below the head, the name "Four Death" is inscribed. This is apparently the name of the losing player. The name indicates that the statue may commemorate an actual event, with the player and her victim representing real people.

The statue is significant because it shows the prominent position of women in Huastec society. In fact, I have never seen any other example of a female ball player in my visits to other pre-hispanic sites all over Mexico and Guatemala. The various sites in the Huasteca region have yielded many examples of women in roles usually dominated by the men of other cultures. Huastec sculptures have been discovered showing women as female deities, warriors, governors, priestesses, and--in this case--a ball player.

Edificio del Cuarto Adosado

Edificio del Cuarto Adosado is one of the more complex structures in the Plaza. The name means "Building of the Added Room". It appears to have been constructed in phases, with one of its rooms added during a later phase. The building faces south and overlooks the ball court. Four levels rise from the the Plaza to a height of 4m (16ft), with a room on the right side of the base level. During excavation, archeologists found a depression covered with white stucco, which they believe was for collecting water. This is reinforced by a drainage system connected to the depression.

A staircase ascends in two flights up to the fourth level. The top is broad and flat and there may have been one or more temples made of perishable materials. It is also possible that this was an elite dwelling. If so, it would have been occupied by people of the highest level, like a ruler or chief priest. Several burials were discovered in the top level, along with grave goods that were distinctively Huastec. 

Carole inspects the stonework of the Edificio del Cuarto Adosado's first level. The staircase is built of cut stone and rises five steps to a retaining wall. This was added by the people who re-constructed the site. It must have taken immense work to move and cut all the stones necessary to build a structure like this. Some of the stones would have had to be moved a considerable distance from the riverbed where they originated. This would have been particularly difficult because the pre-hispanic Huastecs had no draft animals or wheels, so human porters would have been necessary. 

A stela (standing stone), is located in the middle of Plaza de Mirador. Like the stelae in front of the pyramid's staircase, this one has no inscriptions or carvings of any kind. However, such monuments always have some meaning, even if it is unknown to us now. It may have been erected to commemorate some important event, such as a birth, death, or victory in battle. In the background, one of the circular Huastecos can be seen through the trees. Huastecos are found in each of the plazas at Tancama. Their shape is related to Ehecatl, the wind god, a very important Huastec deity. (See Part 5).

Edificio de los Anzuelos

The name of this building comes from the anzuelos (fishhooks) discovered here. This is one of the best-preserved structures at Tancama. There are three levels, with a staircase on the front (west) side and another on the right (south) side. The stairs on the front are bordered by stone balustrades. The photo is from the Museo Historico de la Sierra Gorda in Jalpan and appears to have been taken from the top of the Edificio de las Mariposas de Cobre. The view is toward the northeast. 

Archeologists found a number of copper fishhooks among the grave goods within a tomb at the top level. The tomb contained an individual male and its location indicates he was a person of high status. It is likely that the copper fishhooks were made locally rather than being imported through the trade networks. The Huastecs had begun to smelt and work copper in the late Classic and Early Post-Classic eras. They were just starting the cultural transition from the Neolithic (New Stone Age) into the Chalcolithic (Copper Age) when the Spanish arrived. 

View of Edificio de los Anzuelos from the northeast corner. The building faces west into the space that is directly in front of the Pyramid of the Copper Butterflies. The corner of the pyramid can be seen in the center right of the photo. Together, the two structures form the southeast corner of the Plaza. This corner is also the beginning of the corridor called the Callejon, which forms the main route leading into the Plaza. The Fishhook Building may have been either a temple or the residence of an elite family. The two-level structure attached to the left side of the building is the south end of Edificio del Personaje Huasteco.

Edificio del Personaje Huasteco

View of Edificio del Personaje Huasteco looking north from the Anzuelos building. Carole reads an informational sign in front of the structure (marked as #7). The long, low, rectangular building faces west into the plaza and overlooks the east end of the ball court. It has two levels and stretches from the north end of Edificio de los Anzuelos to the northeast corner of Plaza de Mirador. The structure was apparently built in two phases. My best guess is that it functioned as the base for elite homes made of long-vanished perishable materials.

The name of the structure means "Building of the Huastec Man" and refers to a tomb excavated in the top level. The male individual buried there had several physical characteristics identified with the Huastec elite. These included cranial deformation and filed teeth. In addition, the grave goods included Huastec-style ceramics. It is likely that most of the other human remains found at Tancama were also Huastec people. However, this person seems to have been the most clearly identifiable. In addition to his physical characteristics, his place of burial in Tancama's most important ceremonial plaza also indicates elite status. 

Building of the Huastec Man, viewed from its northwest corner. The Fishhook building can be seen in the distance. Along with Edificio del Cuarto Adosado, the Huastec Man structure forms the northeast corner of the Plaza de Mirador. The building faces west, toward the eastern end of the ball court, and would have provided an elevated spot for spectators to view the game. In the middle of the west side is a staircase that leads up to the second level. Like the other buildings at Tancama, this one was constructed with rounded river stones and covered by cut stones. 

View of the eastern (back) side of Edifcio del Personaje Huasteco, looking south. The ridge drops off fairly steeply to the left. Together with the Edificios de los Anzuelos and del Callejon, the Edificio del Personaje Huastec forms the eastern boundary of the Plaza. This barrier, set along the top of a steep slope, separates the Plaza from the commoners further to the east. This zone of exclusion was a deliberate strategy aimed at enhancing elite power by creating a sense of mystery. The same strategy was followed by most of the elites of civilizations throughout Mesoamerica for several millennia. 

This completes Part 6 of my Sierra Gorda series. I hope you have enjoyed it. If so, please leave any thoughts or questions in the Comments section below or email me directly. If you leave a question in the Comments section, please remember to include your email address so that I may respond in a timely fashion.

Hasta luego, Jim