A Mayan ball court in the ruins of the ancient Mayan city of Coba in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, January 21, 2008. The Mayan ball game was played with a large rubber ball, and the competitors used their hips had to bounce the ball through the small hole. It is believed that the losers of this game were often sacrificed to the Gods. Coba means "water stirred by the wind" in the Mayan language, and was an important trade link. The inland city was built deep in the jungle and its peek population is estimated over 50, 000. Mayan history started in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula around 2600 B.C., and extended to what is now Honduras, El Salvador, and most of Guatemala and Belize. Mayan civilization thrived for six centuries and was at its peak around 900 A.D. The reason of the downfall of the city of Coba around 1100 A.D. is unknown. Photo/Chico Sanchez
