中美洲蹴球

座落在奇琴伊察的蹴球場

中美洲蹴球（西班牙語：juego de pelota mesoamericano；納瓦特爾語：tlachtli o ōllamalīztli）(Mesoamerican ballgame)是一種發源於中美洲的球類活動，有超過三千年的歷史。現時一些地方的美洲原住民仍有進行這項運動。由於這運動的歷史悠久，它的詳細規則隨時間和地點而有所不同。一般而言，這運動是兩人或兩方對賽。

中美洲蹴球所使用的球是硬膠質，而球場則是長形的。球場的兩邊築有高臺，使球不致飛出場外。有時在球場的兩端會立柱。

球員需以肘、腰及膝把球送過對方的石環。

蹴球場在中美洲各處都有設立。在一些地區，幾乎所有較大的遺址都有蹴球場，其他地區則可能少一些。現存最大的蹴球場長166米，寬68米。

意義

发现蹴球场的地区

蹴球除了是當地人（包括兒童）的休閒活動，也具有宗教意義。正式的比賽常被認為是天上的神明或地下世界的主宰之間的鬥爭，而球本身代表太陽。

在正式比賽中，落敗一方的領隊會被斬首或取出心臟以作活祭品，他的頭骨會被用作新球的球心。

關於比賽後的獻祭，另有一說法，即勝者獻祭：根據中美洲文明對於宗教的熱情，成為祭品被認為是神聖的，部份學者依照此點推測奉獻應該是屬於榮耀，所以獻祭應為勝利者。

但亦有地方如奇琴伊察，勝利一方或落敗一方的領隊被用作犧牲的说法同时存在。

蹴球是古代中美洲藝術的重要題材。很多中美洲古文明的雕刻、壁畫等均有關於蹴球的描述，大大方便了現代人對該活動的研究。

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延伸阅读

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外部链接

• The First Basketball: The Mesoamerican ballgame（页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆） NBA Hoops Online
• A figurine showing ballplayer gear（页面存档备份，存于互联网档案馆）