Mexico Brings Back Ancient Sport of Ullamaliztli

Over the Easter weekend, the Mexican city of Teotihuacan played host to the finals of Ullamaliztli, an ancient ball game dating back over 3,000 years.

The game, in which two teams of seven players use their hips to knock a rubber ball up and down a pitch, has deep cultural and religious significance for Mexicans, as it was played across Central America before being banned by the Spanish.

The tournament, only the second since 2006, was played by ten teams from across Mexico. Giant ball courts can still be seen in ruins across the region.

When the game was first invented the losers were often sacrificed to the gods, but thankfully that tradition was not enforced over the weekend.