📚Source Card #1
“Historia de las Indias de Nueva Espana”
Diego Duran, Colonial Chronicle
Published: 1581
Used for: Detailed descriptions of Patolli gameplay, stakes, and religious associations with Macuilxochitl
HOW WE VERIFY
Patolli presents unique challenges for historical reconstruction. Unlike games from literate societies, Mesoamerican games were primarily documented by Spanish colonizers who viewed them through a lens of religious condemnation. We cross-reference multiple sources to separate gameplay mechanics from colonial bias.
1
Colonial Chronicles
Spanish accounts from Duran and Sahagun provide detailed (if biased) descriptions of gameplay and stakes.
2
Codex Analysis
Pre-Columbian codices and post-conquest copies show board layouts and game scenes.
3
Archaeological Evidence
Board patterns scratched into floors at Teotihuacan, Palenque, and other sites.
4
Comparative Studies
Cross-referencing with similar race games across Mesoamerica and beyond.
CONTENT MARKERS
VerifiedVERIFIED - Confirmed by multiple primary sources
ReconstructionRECONSTRUCTION - Scholarly interpretation of incomplete evidence
DramatizationDRAMATIZATION - Artistic license for engagement
SimulationSIMULATION - Gameplay simplification from original
PRIMARY SOURCES
📚Source Card #2
“Florentine Codex (Historia General de las Cosas de Nueva Espana)”
Bernardino de Sahagun, Colonial Ethnography
Published: 1577
Used for: Comprehensive account of Aztec games, gambling culture, and the social context of Patolli
📚Source Card #3
“Codex Magliabechiano”
Anonymous Aztec Scribes, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, Florence
Published: c. 1553
Used for: Visual depictions of Patolli boards, game pieces, and players in ceremonial context
📚Source Card #4
“Board Games in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica”
Barbara Voorhies, Journal of Archaeological Research
Published: 2013
Used for: Modern archaeological analysis and rules reconstruction based on physical evidence
📚Source Card #5
“The Games of the Gods: The Origin of Board Games in Magic and Divination”
Thierry Depaulis, Board Game Studies International
Published: 2001
Used for: Comparative analysis of Patolli with other ancient race games and divinatory practices
CHANGELOG
2026.01 - Initial release with reconstructed rules from colonial sources
Future - Additional archaeological findings and regional variants planned