Any student of rock art would happily classify a design marked on a slab of rock that they discovered somewhere out in the wilderness as rock art. Most of us would even classify markings that we know had been created by a culture for utilitarian purpose as rock art. Examples of that include tool grooves and bedrock metates. But how would we classify markings on a piece of rock that was considered to be a household item for frequent use? In this posting we look at another game board carved in rock, this example reported from Hopi.
Aztec game of patolli. In Games People Play, Barbara Voorhies,
p. 51, Archaeology magazine, May-June 2012
In the article Games Ancient People Played, by Barbara
Voorhies, in Archaeology Magazine, May/June 2012, p. 48-51, one illustration
shows an Aztec game being played on a very distinctive game board. This
gambling game, known as Patolli, shows the gamblers and the Aztec god
Macuilxochitl, the god of games, to whom they pray for luck. His name can be
translated as “Five Flowers” shown in the illustration by the flower in his
hand as five circles at the top center.
Four-player tolosi game board, Fig. 195, p. 162, Stewart Culin, 1907,
Games Of The North American Indians, Twenty-fourth Annual
Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology, 1902-1903,
Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.
The other illustration is from Games Of The North American
Indians, Twenty-fourth Annual Report of
the Bureau of American Ethnology, 1902-1903,
Smithsonian Institution, 1907, by Stewart Culin. It illustrates a Hopi game
board CARVED IN SANDSTONE which is essentially identical to the patolli board
of the Aztecs, that Culin identified as having been used in a Hopi game called
tolosi. It is a board for four players
as is the Aztec example. This game is played by throwing cane dice to control
the player’s moves. This is very likely done much like the Aztec example
described below.
Two-player tolosi game board, Fig. 194, p. 162, Stewart Culin, 1907,
Games Of The North American Indians, Twenty-fourth Annual
Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology, 1902-1903,
Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.
According to Wikipedia
“Patolli is a race/war game with a heavy
focus on gambling. Players would meet and inspect the items each other had
available to gamble. They bet blankets, Maguey plants, precious stones, gold
adornments, food or just about anything. In extreme cases, they would bet their
homes and sometimes their family and freedom. Agreeing to play against someone
was not done casually as the winner of the game would ultimately win all of the
opponent's store of offerings. Each player must have the same number of items
to bet at the beginning of the game. The ideal number of items to bet is six,
although any number would be acceptable as long as each player agreed. The
reason for having at least six bits of treasure is because there are six jade
markers that will traverse the game board. As each marker successfully
completes the circuit around the board, the opponent is required to hand over
ownership of an item from his or her treasure. Once an agreement is made to
play, the players prepare themselves by invoking the god of games, Macuilxochitl (as
in the Aztec illustration),
by offering
incense, prayers and food. After psyching themselves up - the game begins.”
An interesting example of utilitarian rock art (made for
use), as well as evidence of yet another link of the American Southwest to the
civilizations of Central America.
REFERENCES:
Culin, Stewart
1907 Games Of The N.orth American Indians, Twenty-fourth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology, 1902-1903, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.
Voorhies, Barbara
2012 GAMES PEOPLE
PLAY, Archaeology Magazine, May/June
2012, pages 48 – 51.
Wikipedia
FYI the Hopi game is called totolospi, not tolosi.
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