A mississippian era youth from the American Southeast, prepares to play the Little Brother of War. The Ballgame was usually played between opposing villages, or even opposing nations, and was sometimes used as a substitute for war. Gambling was usually associated with the sport, some people betting everything they owned on the outcome. As many as a hundred people could be on each team. The game was played with racquet like emplement. Two poles were set at opposite ends of a field, the competing groups woud catch the ball with the racquet and seek to get it to the opposite end of the field, while the opposing team sought to stop him. The game was very brutal, with death and serious mutilation a common occurence. Hence the name, The Little Brother of War. Our lacrosse is it's modern form. The figure is shown with tattooing and a shell gorget, common ornametation among some southeastern peoples.