Chunkey Game

The game was played on flat, sand covered Chunkey courts that were 200 feet long. Chunkey was watched by huge crowds that sat on mound stairs. The spectators wagered on the game but the outcome of a Chunkey game could be deadly serious. It is believed that some Chunkey courts contained a 30-40 foot post on which the trophies of war, such as severed heads, were hung. Opposing teams from different regions played Chunkey and the result determined which leaders conquered other kingdoms. The winning players were like the sports stars of today and success brought them high esteem, wealth and a high social status. The game could be played by two players or a team. A disc-shaped game piece called a chunkey stone was rolled over the ground. Chunkey stones were 3 - 15 inches in diameter and made out of stone such as quartzite and basalt. Other players threw Spear or shot arrows to indicate where they thought the stone would stop rolling. Whichever player’s arrow or spear that landed closest to where the chunkey stone came to rest was the winner.

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History

The earliest chunkey disks—stone disks rolled during the game—date to about 600. Cahokia first popularized it, and it continued to be played in varying forms right up until European contact.