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Prehispanic Decapitated Ballgame Player Sculpture Discovered by Archaeologists in Mexico
ArtDaily ^ | Friday, November 19, 2010 | unattributed

Posted on 11/19/2010 3:43:54 AM PST by SunkenCiv

A Prehispanic sculpture that represents a beheaded ballgame player was discovered by archaeologists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) at El Teul Archaeological Zone, in Zacatecas, one of the few Mesoamerican sites continuously occupied for 18 centuries... The quarry dates from 900-1100 of the Common Era and evidence determines that the sculpture was created beheaded, maybe to serve as a pedestal for the heads of sacrificed players of the ritual ballgame.

The cylindrical sculpture with a 52 centimeter diameter is 1.97 meters high and weighs nearly a ton, and was located in the southeast area of the Ballgame court. Fragments of a similar sculpture were found in the northern extreme, so it is possible to find a pair of similar sculptures in the western side, still unexplored.

According to archaeologist Peter Jimenez Betts, co director of the Cerro del Teul Archaeological Project, this richness in objects is the result from a continued occupation that the hill presented for at least 1,800 years... Cerro del Teul, symbol of the Zacatecas town Teul de Gonzalez Ortega, is one of the few sites in America with uninterrupted occupation from 200 BC to 1531 AD. In relation with its temporal sequence, it can only be compared with Cholula, in Puebla, and it is most probably the only site with such a long occupation in Mesoamerican western and northern regions.

Peter Jimenez and archaeologist Laura Solar, co director of the project, share the opinion of El Teul being the most important ceremonial center of Caxcan people, one of the bravest groups that fought Spanish Conquerors several times, almost defeating them in the famous Mixton War.

(Excerpt) Read more at artdaily.org ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: godsgravesglyphs
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by "almost defeating" the article means, they lost.
The life-size finding took place during research work conducted for the opening to public visit of the ceremonial site in 2012. Photo: DMC, INAH. H. Montano.

Prehispanic Decapitated Ballgame Player Sculpture Discovered by Archaeologists in Mexico

1 posted on 11/19/2010 3:44:02 AM PST by SunkenCiv
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To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1010RD; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ...

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2 posted on 11/19/2010 3:45:36 AM PST by SunkenCiv (The 2nd Amendment follows right behind the 1st because some people are hard of hearing.)
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To: SunkenCiv

The NFL should look into this practice.

Would help eliminate the helmet to helmet problem.


3 posted on 11/19/2010 3:53:19 AM PST by RGSpincich
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To: SunkenCiv
Hmmmm ...


4 posted on 11/19/2010 3:54:51 AM PST by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true)
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To: SunkenCiv
If you have the stomach, watch “Apocalypto”, to know how beyond humans ability to savage each other so simply and easily. Our change is bloodless, but could become just as savage. Amazing time will are all a part of. Enjoy the ride.
5 posted on 11/19/2010 3:57:37 AM PST by cameraeye (A happy kufir!)
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To: cameraeye

If you have the stomach, watch “Apocalypto”, to know how beyond human’s ability to savage each other so simply and easily. Our change is bloodless, but could become just as savage. Amazing time will are all a part of. Enjoy the ride.


6 posted on 11/19/2010 4:00:36 AM PST by cameraeye (A happy kufir!)
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To: SunkenCiv

Makes me H@rny!


7 posted on 11/19/2010 4:16:18 AM PST by BigIsleGal (Wake Me Up When the Stupid Wears Off)
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To: cameraeye

Everyone forgets that many Mexicans/Central/South Americans are largely indian rather than Spanish. So perhaps the wonderful tradition of beheading and other violent acts are ingrained in the Mexican heritage.


8 posted on 11/19/2010 4:18:26 AM PST by whitedog57
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To: SunkenCiv

Props for the most compelling incomprehensible title...
8^)


9 posted on 11/19/2010 4:26:22 AM PST by jonno (Having an opinion is not the same as having the answer...)
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To: whitedog57
Everyone forgets that many Mexicans/Central/South Americans are largely indian rather than Spanish. So perhaps the wonderful tradition of beheading and other violent acts are ingrained in the Mexican heritage.

Ya think?

10 posted on 11/19/2010 4:38:09 AM PST by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)
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To: whitedog57
Then, everyone else forgets that the Indians throughout the Americas died at rates up to 95% from a variety of diseases, including the INDIGENOUS "Hanta Virus" in a relatively short time.

They were then "replaced" by a new population imported from Spain, other Spanish colonies, Portugual, other Portuguese colonies, Western Europe, North Africa, the Mediterranean, and Africa.

And that was just in the 16th Century. Repopulation drew on more Old World sites in the 17th and 18th Century, and then in the 19th, EVERYBODY began arriving.

Sure, there was an increase in the native American populations, but nothing like the increase provided by immigration.

Today's Mexican population looks nothing like the faces on the ancient statues. For that you have to go to El Salvador and Nicaragua. Some of the Mayan groups appear to have maintained some social, if not political, cohesiveness, but you can see the definite import of the Conquistidores in their faces.

BTW, many, many, many "indigenous peoples" along the West Coast of the Americas look decidedly Japanese ~ and there's archaeological evidence and DNA studies to prove that that's what they are.

Do not mistake the ability to get a tan with ethnic origin.

11 posted on 11/19/2010 4:45:45 AM PST by muawiyah (GIT OUT THE WAY ~ REPUBLICANS COMIN' THROUGH)
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To: SunkenCiv

Have they ever figured out if it was the ‘winners’ or the ‘losers’ of the Sacred Ball games that were beheaded?


12 posted on 11/19/2010 5:00:15 AM PST by Lucius Cornelius Sulla ('“Our own government has become our enemy' - Sheriff Paul Babeu)
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To: SunkenCiv

Every one agrees Jose Canseco lost his head years ago.


13 posted on 11/19/2010 5:17:11 AM PST by Thrownatbirth (.....Iraq Invasion fan since '91.)
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To: SunkenCiv; Slings and Arrows; Revolting cat!; JoeProBono

The games always ended in sudden death.


14 posted on 11/19/2010 6:22:30 AM PST by a fool in paradise (The establishment clause isn't just against my OWN government establishing state religion in America)
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To: muawiyah
Today's Mexican population looks nothing like the faces on the ancient statues.

Not entirely true. There is a definite north to south difference. Northern Mexicans are more "hispanic" genetically, while southern Mexicans are quite obviously more "native" in ancestry. Most are mixed, it's the proportion that varies.

You also need to consider that the old statues are pretty obviously not 100% realistic.

15 posted on 11/19/2010 7:30:04 AM PST by Sherman Logan
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To: muawiyah

“Today’s Mexican population looks nothing like the faces on the ancient statues.” I tend to disagree. There are millions of Mexicans who look like the faces depicted in ancient art. Walk around the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. Go to Yucatan or Quintana Roo. Or watch Mexican television. Here is a photo of veteran actor José Carlos Ruíz. Tell me he doesn’t look like a Toltec:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/223031/message/1055286597/Biograf%EDa+de+Jos%E9+Carlos+Ruiz

or Jorge Salinas

http://www.esmas.com/espectaculos/galerias/7814/

or Gabriel Porras

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gabriel-Porras/212739097953?v=info


16 posted on 11/19/2010 7:32:11 AM PST by La Lydia
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To: SunkenCiv

Ted Williams could not be reached for comment.


17 posted on 11/19/2010 7:32:28 AM PST by andy58-in-nh (America does not need to be organized: it needs to be liberated.)
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To: jonno

*snort*


18 posted on 11/19/2010 7:50:13 AM PST by FourPeas (Pester not the geek, for the electrons are his friends.)
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To: SunkenCiv

This is an example of why the Spanish found it necessary to do some serious house cleaning.


19 posted on 11/19/2010 8:22:30 AM PST by BenLurkin (This post is not a statement of fact. It is merely a personal opinion -- or humor -- or both)
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To: La Lydia
The people those statues were modeled on were EXCEEDINGLY EAST ASIAN! Todays population looks much more Middle Eastern and North African.

Then there the vast numbers of Philipino workers imported by Spain during the HUNDREDS OF YEARS of the Spanish Empire.

20 posted on 11/19/2010 9:25:15 AM PST by muawiyah (GIT OUT THE WAY ~ REPUBLICANS COMIN' THROUGH)
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