Sports in Ancient Egypt
There is a common misconception that modern sports originated in Greece, but the truth is that most of them have been known since ancient times, particularly among the ancient Egyptians.
Archery
Most sports viewers, especially football fans, will notice that the Egyptian legend Mohamed Salah makes a hand gesture resembling the motion of a bow and arrow. Archery is one of the oldest Egyptian sports. Sports in ancient Egypt were not only for physical exercise but also served as a testament to strength, courage, and bravery. This is why Egyptians, from a young age, learned various types of sports, most notably hunting. Egyptians were skilled in using bows and arrows, especially in warfare. Archery was considered an important training exercise to defend the homeland against invaders and criminals. A prominent example can be found in the tomb of Tutankhamun in West Luxor.
Sword Fighting
Sword fighting (currently known as “shish”) is a purely Egyptian game. The ancient Egyptians created the tools and masks used to protect the face for this sport. The first sword fighting match among the ancient Egyptians appeared in the carvings of the temple of Habu near Luxor, dating back to the reign of Ramses III. The depictions show two fighters holding weapons with covered tips and wearing face masks that closely resemble modern ones.
Boxing
The ancient Egyptians were the first to practice boxing as a means of preparing young men to defend their homeland. Boxing competitions were held, as it was considered a major physical attribute for an athlete to be strong and resilient. Prizes were awarded to the winners of these competitions. And it was attended by princes, high-ranking officials, and sometimes the king himself. The most beautiful depictions of it can be found in the tomb of Khaemwaset in West Luxor.
Wrestling
Scenes depicting this sport appeared in the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms. Scenes of children and boys wrestling appeared on the tomb of Ptahhotep in Saqqara from the Old Kingdom, making it the oldest depiction of wrestling dating back to the Fifth Dynasty. Among the most beautiful sports scenes in Egypt are those from the Middle Kingdom found on the walls of the tomb of Prince Bakht at Beni Hasan in Minya.
Athletics
Athletics is considered the mother of all sports in modern times, especially in the Olympic Games. Did you know that the ancient Egyptians practiced all track and field events, especially the high jump and running? The high jump was well-known in ancient Egypt.
Running
Running has been known since the Pharaonic era, and they used to compete in speed running. Running was even a favorite sport of kings, and the king would showcase his running skills during the Sed festival (the king’s coronation anniversary). This is documented in most Egyptian artifacts, such as the Red Chapel at the Temple of Hatshepsut in Karnak, where we see the queen running. One of the most beautiful scenes of athletics and running is found in the tomb of the vizier Ptahhotep in Saqqara.
Handball
The ancient Egyptians were the inventors of ball games. They were also the first to allow girls to play sports in human history. The most beautiful scenes of this game are on the walls of the tombs of Beni Hasan in Minya Governorate.
Hockey
A purely Egyptian game, played by the ancient Egyptians thousands of years ago. The most famous scenes of this game show players holding a curved stick in an athletic bend, as discovered in the tombs of Beni Hasan in Minya.
Swimming
The ancient Egyptians loved swimming and would often go to the banks of the Nile to practice this sport. Competitions were held in this sport. An example of this is a picture of a girl swimming among lotus flowers.
Rhythm Gymnastics
Archaeological inscriptions have preserved a collection of scenes of group gymnastics training. We see scenes of several girls performing rhythmic exercises in regular positions from the tomb of Khairof in West Luxor.
Gymnastics
Ancient Egypt is considered the founder of the original gymnastics’ games. Even Egyptian women were the first women in human history to practice gymnastics. we see amazing scenes of girls practicing gymnastics to the rhythm of regular music.
Rowing
The ancient Egyptians practiced rowing, both on the Nile River and the surrounding seas. Egyptian artifacts preserve many engravings and models that depict this sport, dating back to the Old Kingdom, including a scene of rowers from the New Kingdom.
Mind Sports
In addition to physical sports, the ancient Egyptians knew another type of sport that aimed to develop the mind and intellect: mind sports. The credit for inventing chess goes to ancient Egypt, where a set of game pieces similar in shape and gameplay to the game of senet was found in Pharaonic tombs.
Senet Game
The game board was discovered by the French Egyptologist Victor Loret in 1899. It was a popular game in ancient Egypt and was often depicted in tombs. It consists of three rows of ten squares, forming a grid, along with thirteen connected pieces made of faience and limestone from the tomb of “May her-Pri,” one of the personal guards of King Thutmose IV. The most famous scene of it is found in the famous scene of Queen Nefertari playing the game in her tomb, with the Alba bird sitting in front of her.
Grandchildren and grandparents highlight the sport of archery
A scene of Tutankhamun shooting an arrow in Luxor
A scene from the tombs of Beni Hasan showing a handball game
The game of hockey, in ancient and modern times
Scenes of wrestling from the tombs of Beni Hasan
Scenes of athletics
Scenes of water sports (rowing and swimming)
A scene of a dancer found housed now in the Turin Museum
A scene of dancers from a tomb in West Luxor
A model of the senet game found in the Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat
A scene of Queen Nefertari playing senet in her tomb
A scene from the temple of Habu showing Ramses III playing senet with one of his wives
