At the renowned Mayan Chichén Itzá archaeological site on Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, a stone scoreboard used in an ancient ritual ball game has been found.

According to a statement from Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), the circular object features hieroglyphic text encircling two players who are standing next to a ball. It measures a little over 12.6in (32cm) in diameter and weighs 88lbs (40kg).

Francisco Perez, one of the archaeologists coordinating the investigations in the Chichanchob complex, also called Casa Colorada, said, “In this Mayan site, it is rare to find hieroglyphic writing, let alone a complete text".

Dated between 800 and 900 AD, the stone is thought to be a scoreboard.

The game, which was traditionally played with a large rubber ball and is thought to have had ritual overtones, was popular among Mesoamerican peoples.

In addition to preparing it for detailed study, INAH scholars are currently planning to take high-resolution photos of the text and iconography.

It is worth noting that the Chichén Itzá complex is one of the principal archaeological sites associated with the Maya civilization in the Yucatán peninsula, and was designated by Unesco as a World Heritage Site. Approximately 2 million people a year visit the site, as per government statistics.

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