November
14
/ 2025
Archaeologists excavating at the ancient Maya city of Naachtun in northern Guatemala have made a remarkable discovery that challenges everything experts thought they knew about Classic period gaming traditions. Hidden beneath the remains of a residential structure, researchers uncovered a one-of-a-kind patolli board constructed using hundreds of carefully selected ceramic fragments arranged in an intricate mosaic pattern. This extraordinary find represents the first known example of a patolli game board created through mosaic technique in the entire Maya region, offering fresh insights into the sophisticated gaming culture that thrived between powerful city-states during the height of Maya civilization. The discovery was made during the 2023 excavation season in Residential Complex 6L13, located approximately 250 meters west of Naachtun's ceremonial epicenter
