Archaeologists in northern Guatemala have uncovered a rare discovery at the ancient Maya city of Naachtun: a patolli gameboard crafted as a floor mosaic, the first of its kind in the region.
The artifact, embedded into a residential structure’s floor, was constructed using hundreds of red ceramic fragments and offers a unique example of how the Maya incorporated games directly into architectural design.
Published in Latin American Antiquity (2025), researchers Julien Hiquet and Rémi Méreuze of France’s National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) detailed the find, highlighting its significance.
They say the mosaic was likely built during the fifth century CE, making it one of the earliest securely dated examples of a patolli board in Maya history. The discovery deepens understanding of how the Maya in Guatemala designed their spaces to include games as both cultural and possibly spiritual elements.
Uncovering a unique gameboard in Naachtun’s elite compound
The artifact was unearthed in Group 6L13, a prominent residential area at Naachtun, situated between the powerful ancient cities of Tikal and Calakmul.
The mosaic was found in Structure 6L-19, beneath later construction phases and partially obscured by a wall. Its position indicates it predates the final renovation of the room, suggesting it was part of the original floor plan.
Ancient discovery in Guatemala. Archaeologists uncover a rare Maya mosaic patolli board at Naachtun, offering new insight into how games shaped Maya life and architecture. #Maya #Archaeology #Guatemala pic.twitter.com/bzo96wkGkn
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) November 14, 2025
Unlike other patolli boards in the Maya lowlands, which were typically scratched into plaster surfaces, this version was carefully built using nearly 478 small pottery pieces, known as tesserae.
These ceramic fragments, mostly 1 to 3 centimeters (0.4 to 1.2 inches) in size, came from older household vessels, including Early Classic types such as Dos Hermanos Red and Aguila Orange. Arranged in a rectangular layout with a central axis, the board closely follows the traditional design used in Mesoamerican games.
Symbolism and spatial placement in Maya mosaic design
The red color of the tesserae may have had symbolic meaning in addition to visual impact. In Maya cosmology, red is associated with the east and the rising sun, a direction tied to rebirth. Scholars have also noted that patolli boards often appear on the eastern sides of buildings, a pattern reflected at Naachtun.
Patolli was more than just a game. Although it is known from later Central Mexican sources, it was widely played across Mesoamerica. Among the Maya, it held both recreational and ritual value.
Boards carved into palace benches and temple floors at sites such as Seibal and Xunantunich suggest elite players used the game in both social and ceremonial contexts.
Excavations at Naachtun will continue, particularly around Structures 6L-19 and 6L-20, to determine whether the gameboard area was once enclosed or open-air. That information may offer further insight into how the Maya engaged with this uniquely crafted mosaic within their built environment.
