Ball Court

A ceremonial space where the Maya ballgame was played.

Ancient stone pyramid ruins in a lush jungle with green grass and trees, cloudy sky in the background.

A tropical backyard with a large palm tree at the center, surrounded by other trees and greenery, with a small house partially visible in the background.

The ball court was one of the important ceremonial areas at Lamanai. The Maya played a traditional ballgame here, which was connected to their culture and religious beliefs. A large central marker was found in the ball court, and archaeologists discovered offerings underneath it. These offerings included materials such as jade, shell, pearls, hematite, cinnabar, and mercury. This shows that the ball court had more than just a sporting purpose and was also connected to religious ceremonies.