Patolli

Patolli as depicted in Bernardino de Sahagún's General History of the Things of New Spain. Skilled players had their own game mats and their own playing pieces that they brought in tied cloth bundles.[1]
Patolli game being watched by Macuilxochitl as depicted on page 048 of the Codex Magliabechiano.[2][3]

Patolli (Nahuatl: [paˈtoːlːi]) or patole (Spanish: [paˈtole]) is one of the oldest known games in America. It was a game of strategy and luck played by commoners and nobles alike. It was reported by the conquistadors that Moctezuma Xocoyotzin often enjoyed watching his nobles play the game at court.

  1. ^ Rees, R. (2006). Understanding people in the past: The Aztecs. Reed Elsevier Inc.: Chicago ISBN 1-403-48749-9 pp. 35
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Berdan was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ 9 game of patolli. (2001). McGraw Hill. Retrieved August 29, 2012, from link