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.
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 ...
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.
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The NFL should look into this practice.
Would help eliminate the helmet to helmet problem.
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.
Makes me H@rny!
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.
Props for the most compelling incomprehensible title...
8^)
Ya think?
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.
Have they ever figured out if it was the ‘winners’ or the ‘losers’ of the Sacred Ball games that were beheaded?
Every one agrees Jose Canseco lost his head years ago.
The games always ended in sudden death.
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.
“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
Ted Williams could not be reached for comment.
*snort*
This is an example of why the Spanish found it necessary to do some serious house cleaning.
Then there the vast numbers of Philipino workers imported by Spain during the HUNDREDS OF YEARS of the Spanish Empire.
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