An arena for a southern sport
The Wupatki ball court is an oval-shaped arena constructed by Ancestral Puebloan people of the Sinagua culture in the 12th century. The structure measures 102 feet long by 78 feet wide (about 31 by 24 meters) and was originally enclosed by masonry walls standing 6 feet high. Builders used flat, red blocks of the local Moenkopi sandstone, holding them together with a clay-based mortar. The court was excavated and partially reconstructed by archaeologists in 1965.
This structure is the northernmost known example of a Mesoamerican ball court. Hundreds of similar courts exist, but they are common in southern Arizona and Mexico. The presence of this court at Wupatki suggests a connection to cultures far to the south, like the Hohokam of southern Arizona, who may have adopted the game from peoples in Mexico. This cultural transfer is supported by other artifacts found at Wupatki, including copper bells, seashells from the Gulf of California, and macaw feathers, all indicating a trade network.