Sports in ancient Egypt

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This article deals with the sport in ancient Egypt and refers exclusively to the 31 dynasties from the Predynastic Era to the late period of ancient Egyptian history (approx. 3032–2707 BC to approx. 664–332 BC) .

history

Egypt's cultural history goes back to the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC. BC and is therefore one of the oldest cultures in human history. In this long history, the country was ruled by 31 dynasties and its own physical culture developed over the millennia. No other culture provides older pictorial representations and written messages about the sport. Thus, the oldest sources on sport come from Egypt.

Compared with other ancient cultures, the number of available sources, especially those of the pictorial representations, is very rich. This wealth of sources can be traced back, among other things, to numerous grave goods, which enable precise observation and in-depth knowledge of sporting exercises. They should give the dead person thought of as living an aesthetic pleasure. The Egyptians already had a systematic physical culture with gymnastic training , martial arts ( wrestling , fistfighting , stick fencing ) and water sports . The physical school shows almost all types of gymnastics in today's sense.

The sport term

Egyptian culture is committed to a different concept of sport than the modern word reflects. The Egyptian name sḫmḫ-jb , which means “to have fun”, is basically not quite suitable as a title for sport in general. The very concept of sport has changed over the course of history. Therefore, based on the ancient body cultures, it can include typical elements that are missing in modern sports culture and vice versa. It is therefore used as a generic term when reference is made to the physical exercises of Egyptian culture.

Compared to modern societies or ancient Greece , the agonale played a subordinate role in ancient Egyptian sports. This does not mean that there was no sporting competition in ancient Egypt. Here, too, competitions were organized and played in front of a selected audience. This can be done, for example, with the help of the ring and stick fencing scenes in the mortuary temple of Ramses III. prove. Another example is the competition report of the running stele of Taharqa ( 25th Dyn. ). She reports on a long-distance run that was carried out as a competition. Since the superiority of the king ( Pharaoh ), who was superhuman for the Egyptians, was not in doubt, he did not take part in competitions. A duel between equal forces with the participation of the Pharaoh was unthinkable.

sports

Sport of Kings

Amenhotep II. 18th Dynasty

The pharaoh was the guarantor and guardian of the world order in ancient Egypt . Following this conception, the enemies emerging from the chaos had to be driven out by him. This was made possible by the influence of the gods who held their hand over him. The pharaoh was thus the central figure in Egyptian society. All ideas and thoughts concerning the existence of order, the existence of the state and the welfare of the Egyptians were directed towards him . The office of king required a formidable physical strength. He had to take action as an invincible war hero whenever the kingdom was threatened by enemies. This invincibility could be underlined with great sporting deeds. The Sphinx stele of Amenhotep II ( 18th Dynasty ) expresses this. For many kings of Egypt, sport was a means of self-expression and played an important role in prehistoric times . Amenhotep II was considered the athlete on the Egyptian royal throne.

The heyday of the sporty pharaohs falls mainly in the 18th dynasty. Thutmose III. , his son Amenophis II. and his son, Thutmose IV. , built up a sporting tradition that revived again towards the end of the dynasty under Tutankhamun and Eje . The 18th dynasty was marked by a heavy defeat for the Egyptians. For the first time since the existence of the Egyptian state, at the end of the 17th dynasty, enemies had succeeded in penetrating the Nile valley and occupying most of it. The occupiers, the so-called Hyksos , were in possession of the light chariot , drawn by two horses , which soon developed into a status vehicle for the Egyptian class. Due to the armament unknown to the Egyptians and the impetuous style of attack, the Hyksos' car warriors initially had an advantage. But the surprise effect diminished with increasing knowledge of the carriage and horse. In addition, it was not particularly well suited for the existing environmental conditions, as mountains, forests, deserts and the numerous water-carrying canals in Egypt were rather a hindrance for the chariot. In addition to the vehicle, the Hyksos had another weapon superior to the Egyptians, the composition bow . The obligation to liberate Egypt from this shameful situation now weighed on the Pharaoh in particular. The beginning of the wars of freedom against the Hyksos was initiated by Seqenenre (17th Dynasty). Fatal injuries to his mummy suggest that he lost his life fighting the foreign rulers . The war continued successfully through his successors until Egypt in the mid-16th century BC. BC became a sovereign empire again. Regular campaigns of conquest under Thutmose III. (18th Dynasty) aimed at preventing repeated invasions of Hyksos. He initiated the heyday of sporting kings.

The run at the anniversary party

Model: Djoser's mortuary temple with a running station on it

The Sedfest was a central anniversary celebration of the Egyptian kingship and a ritual of great importance. It is also known as the festival of renewal and the “ritual of renewal” and, despite the rich tradition, has not yet been researched in many respects. There is agreement that "it was [...] a festival at which the physical and magical power of the person of the ruling king is renewed" ( K. Martin : Lexikon der Ägyptologie p. 783) It was originally 30 years after celebrated the assumption of power. It could then be renewed every three years. The core of the ceremony was the traditional running ritual that the Pharaoh had to complete for the renewal of power. In addition, the run of the king pointed to the claim to re-take possession of the dominion (seizure run). It is believed that the ruler was also replaced by a young, unspent successor at the Sedfest. Here the most capable prince qualified as heir to the throne. The step pyramid of Djoser ( 3rd Dynasty ) with its large courtyard and the running station on it provides good information about a possible course of action of the Sedfest . It is believed that it is the oldest sports facility in world history (around 2600 BC). Since it is a running station on the king's funeral complex , it was not the location for the actual run at the Sedfest, but was intended to give the king the opportunity to celebrate countless Sedfests in the afterlife . However, this allowed conclusions to be drawn about the devices actually celebrated anniversary celebrations. It can be assumed that the run had to be completed around semicircular boundary marks of the dominion, in which a lap was no more than 140 m.

The archery

Tutankhamun's tomb : composition bow and arrows

No other Egyptian sport is as numerous and well documented as archery at a target. It was the royal parade discipline of the 18th dynasty, as evidenced by a large number of corresponding inscriptions and finds of original bows and accessories. It was probably first mentioned in 1501 BC. The typical aim of the pharaoh consisted of a copper disk, as is evident from several documents and the Armant stele Thutmose 'III. can prove. The material was from the copper bars that were shipped to the ports of the Mediterranean in the bronze age copper trade . The heated raw copper was poured into a mold, thereby producing square plates with an area of ​​60 × 40 cm and a weight of 30 kg. These objects allegedly could be shot through with royal arrows. The incredible achievement of the pharaoh , whose arrow pierced a copper plate three fingers thick, is consecrated in the Temple of Amun as an example of royal strength . Ordinary mortals practiced archery at wooden targets. The construction of the composition sheet was quite complicated due to the joining of different elements such as hard and soft wood, horn and animal tendons and required a drying time of the glue used, which stretched over years. They are up to 1.40 m long, but usually have a length of 1.10 m. The relaxed bow has a double oscillation. It gets the characteristic triangular shape when the tendon is taut. The tendon itself consists of animal intestines twisted four times. The bows, which were often artistically decorated, were characterized by great flexibility and enabled the user to achieve a high degree of accuracy compared to the conventionally manufactured bows. The valuable utensils could be stored safely in their own containers. The arrowheads had a wide variety of shapes, so that an appropriate choice could be made for each occasion. The Egyptian archers avoided the painful impact of the whirring tendon after the arrow was shot by padding the sensitive areas with forearm guards made of leather, perhaps also of horn. The tomb of Tutankhamun , where almost three dozen composition sheets and other material have been discovered, provides impressive illustrative material. Amenophis II (18th dynasty), who is also otherwise considered the greatest athlete who has ever worn the Egyptian royal crown, counts as the master marksman among the kings . A relief discovered in the grave of his teacher, the count Min von This, provides information about the lessons in archery. Inscribed are professionally given instructions such as:

“Stretch your bows up to your ears! Make your two [arms?] [Strong]! Big ... arrows ... your ... prince [Amen] ophis. You act with your [power and strength]. ”( Wolfgang Decker : Source texts on sport and physical culture in Ancient Egypt, Doc. 16) The traditional king as a sporty archer declined significantly in importance after Amenhotep II, but only disappeared in the 19th dynasty Completely. After a cylinder seal by Ramses II (19th Dyn.) Found in Palestine , the subject of the sporty shooter no longer appears.

Equestrian sport

The traditional image of the Pharaoh as an archer on the chariot
Chariot from Tutankhamun's tomb treasure ( replica )

Around 1570 BC The Egyptians took over the chariot from their first foreign rulers, the Hyksos . This two-wheeled wagon, pulled by two horses, came from the ancient Orient and was a far-reaching innovation in the field of weapons technology for the Egyptians. It also caused socio-historical upheavals. These newly introduced weapons - chariots and composition bows - soon developed into royal sports equipment. The noble driver regarded the car he was driving as a sign of his status and displayed it as a status symbol .

Only through constant practice could the mastery of the art of driving a car be achieved. This consisted of steering the sensitive team of horses, the skill of standing in the swaying wagon basket, safe shooting from this platform and additional training of the wagon horses. This skill gave the warrior a sense of the peculiarity of his position. A new elite could develop which made the concept of achievement the motive of their actions, in which the physical component was strongly emphasized.

The car was mostly made of wood, with different types of wood depending on the car part. When a car was found in Florence , for example, seven different types of wood were found. The chariot had noticeably large wheels with a diameter of around 1 m, which were attached to the axle with a track width of 1.50 m. The tires were composed of several segments and connected to the hub by four or six spokes. The track was well stabilized by the wide hub of about 0.3 m. The wagon basket in which the crew stood consisted of a semicircular floor, which was traversed by a leather mesh, which provided for improved suspension. The drawbar of the car had to be made of elastic wood, as it was heavily weighted during the journey. The crew was supported by a parapet. It is believed that this car also worked without any problems at higher speeds.

A short text passage from the sphinx stele of Thutmose IV. (18th Dyn.) Captures the sporting pleasure of a ride in a horse-drawn carriage:

“He practiced by amusing himself on the desert plateau of Memphis on the south and north, shooting at the target, hunting lions and wild animals, and frolicking in his chariot, his horses going faster than the wind one of his companions. "( Wolfgang Decker : Source texts on sport and physical culture in ancient Egypt, p. 21)

The hunt

One of the most popular pastimes in ancient Egypt was without a doubt hunting . The original basic motives of the hunter were the acquisition of food and the protection of the tribe from the impending danger of dangerous animals. With domestication and the systematic keeping of animals and cattle, hunting lost its importance as a vital function. At the same time, hunting grew into a substitute function in the form of sporting activities. So where the hunt no longer served only to obtain food and left the level of self-protection, sport began. However, it must be said that the hunted animal was eaten, even if the killing was done for sporting reasons. The ancient Egyptian hunt can be divided into two different forms. On the one hand in the big game hunting , which was only allowed to the king, and on the other hand in the swamp hunting, which was particularly popular with the nobility.

The big game hunt

For the Pharaoh, the function of big game hunting was to portray himself as the protector of the group entrusted to him. The king's confrontation with dangerous animals gave him courage and skill, as well as strength and strength, and was best embodied with the help of the hunt. Because a successful hunter who overpowers the animals that have emerged from the chaos stands for the invincible warrior. The Nile Valley and its surroundings provided a wide range of animals worth hunting for the king. As inhabitants of the river thickets, crocodiles, hippos and wild animals , in the desert lions or a stray rhinoceros posed a great danger. Only at the time of the 18th dynasty was even the elephant considered a royal hunting animal. The hunt was done with a harpoon , the harpoon line of which gives the hunter greater power over the animal. Capturing an animal with a lasso dates back to prehistoric times . A good way to silently approach animals in the river thicket was hunting from a light papyrus boat. In addition, the Egyptians were often disguised as animals when hunting. A significant change in hunting methods came about at the beginning of the New Kingdom with the introduction of the light two-wheeled chariot. It was now possible to track animals that had previously been inaccessible due to their escape speed. In addition, the wagon and horse could be transported by ship without any problems, as is shown several times in pictures. Another method of the Egyptians was the gating of the game, creating a kind of hunting park. The post holes of such a hunting park with an extension of 600 × 300 m were found in Soleb in Nubia. The taming of lions was also very traditional among the Egyptian kings. These embody power and strength, were given a place near the throne and served as battle lions in the event of an enemy attack.

The swamp hunt
The social swamp hunt on a mural in the grave of the night .
Egyptian throwing sticks for bird hunting
Hunting in the papyrus thicket: wall painting in the tomb of Nebamun in Thebes-West

This particular type of hunting was a popular pastime of the upper class throughout ancient Egyptian history. The procedure for hunting in the swamp is easy to understand because there are numerous pictorial representations of this men's sport. Swamp hunting includes fishing spears and bird hunting with throwing sticks or striking nets. The papyrus thickets of the Nile or the Fajum provided the best conditions for fish and bird prey. Swamp hunting was originally a Pharaoh's privilege. In later times, swamp hunts with the participation of the king were completely absent with a few exceptions.

These hunting methods in the swamp were a social event in which entire families with women and children took part. The boats were often ornately decorated and the participants were also festively decorated. The numerous representations provide good reports on the use of the strike net for bird hunting. It was important to pull the rope at the right moment so that the net was closed. Since this process required a certain speed and the net was heavier, it had to be carried out by several people. In addition, a scout was necessary who would use a cloth to signal the lurking as soon as it made sense to close the net. This approach shows that this type of hunting required skill and a kind of team spirit in order to obtain high-yielding prey. The cooperation between the pullers and the scout must work, and in particular the technology of the striking net must work.

Hunting with a throwing stick is also a variant of bird hunting. The throwing wood thrown with a lot of momentum served the purpose of breaking the neck of the birds in flight and was able to land a few hits safely in dense flocks. In addition to other forms of throwing wood, there are those that are strikingly similar to the shape of Australian throwing wood, the boomerangs . The same can be said for received devices.

In order for the birds to leave the cover of the thicket, the bird hunters vigorously shook the papyrus stalks or used the call of the tamed conspecifics. When hunting fish, they approached the prey carefully and silently using the papyrus boat. At the appropriate moment, the spear was stabbed with one hand while the other hand grasped the end of the fish. “Only the experienced and skilled swamp hunter could count on a profitable prey. The sporty character of swamp hunting is to be valued highly for both bird hunting with throwing wood and fishing spears. ”( Wolfgang Decker : Sport and Play in Old Egypt, p. 175)

Sports for private individuals

A wide range of sports was practiced among Egyptian private individuals, that is, those who did not participate in royal sport. This fact alone explains the high level of popularity of sport as a leisure activity. Since the humble earth pits of the common man did not survive the times very well, the traditions go back largely to the graves of the upper class.

The run

The run is shown on reliefs in different types of running and appears to us as a sporting discipline that can be practiced practically anywhere without major technical preparations. The Taharqa catwalk , which originally stood on an ancient road that presumably led from the residential city of Memphis to the large oasis of Fajum, is evidence of a race that took place during the 25th Dynasty . This was during the reign of King Taharqa (690–664 BC) in Nubia. The following could be deduced from the memorial stone: The king selected a troop that undertook daily running training. Then a competition should take place, which should extend over the said route from Memphis over the desert road to Fajum. The first half of the route was covered in the cool of the night. Then there was a two-hour break before starting the way back. The distance to Fajum and back is about 100 km, which was covered in about nine hours. According to the stele , the winner received a special award, the top troops were rewarded with a feast in the company of the royal bodyguard . The aim of the pharaoh was to test the shape of the runners. It is believed that he wanted to train a quick task force.

The jump

The sporting jump is remarkably rare in the history of ancient Egypt. Nevertheless, there are two characteristic representations that prove it. Both come from a similar pattern and both are children's games . They were discovered in the tombs of Saqqara . The first from the end of the 5th dynasty from the vizier Ptahhotep and the other from the tomb of Mereruka , which is to be set about 50 years later.

Two boys sit facing each other as a couple and with outstretched arms and hands form a living hurdle that a third person has jumped over. The level of difficulty increased when the hands were placed on top of each other with the fingers spread. Since the people sitting opposite had spread their legs, it was a form of high jump . The separate inscription above the approaching person probably mentions the name of the game: The kid in the field . The inscription above the approaching person reads as much as: Hold on tight, see, I'm coming, comrade. This exclamation could well be a kind of call that the approaching person directs to the boys forming the jump obstacle. Jumps were also part of acrobatic dances, as can be seen from a representation from the Senet's grave ( 12th Dyn. ). Here you can see a dancer who stands between two clapping women and jumps considerably into the air. Two other graves in Beni Hasan show jumping up from a standing position with heels on. The presentation gives the impression of a cinematographic sequence , as it is broken down into its individual phases.

Martial arts

A man's physical strength had a major influence on his position in society, especially in prehistoric times. Over time, the idea of ​​killing broke away from competition during the development of sporting events, for reasons of species conservation . Thus, the process of social hierarchization via duels ultimately proceeded according to sporting rules. The fact that there were nonetheless deaths is not very often documented in ancient sports , but most of the traditional, understandably, happened in the context of martial arts .

A successful Egyptian two-fighter would be Titos Phlavios Archibios from Alexandria , who has had an impressive career of success in pankration , wrestling and fistfighting. From some very old sources it was deduced that the Egyptian martial arts are the following three: wrestling, stick fencing and fistfighting.

Wrestling
Beni Hasan : Wrestling couples

The greatest number of images and documents relating to the sport involve the martial art of wrestling. These finds extend from the beginning of Egyptian history (beginning of the 3rd millennium BC ) to the end of the New Kingdom (11th century BC). The large number of sources proves the special position this sport was given in Egypt for the training and maintenance of physical performance. Even the oldest representations show an extraordinarily high level of fighting technique . Even the Pharaoh later enjoyed the sight of the wrestling and had exhibition fights held. A notable successful wrestler was Tiberios Klaudios Patrobios. He was even made an honorary citizen of Alexandria because of his sporting success .

For the first time, the wrestling was depicted on the so-called city plate from the time of unification . The snapshots from the grave of Ptahhotep ( 5th Dyn. ) Near Saqqara around 2450 BC give us information about the execution of the sport . Chr. Which remain valid in later times: The handle approach is allowed on the whole body. It is therefore very similar to modern freestyle wrestling. It is also noticeable that two phases in the course of the fight immediately follow one another. You can see neck and head pull, stranglehold, grip on the leg and foot clasps, approach and effect of grips, as well as swings and throws.

The Middle Kingdom provides the greatest wealth of sources , with the graves of the Gau princes of the Antilopengau in Middle Egypt probably the most popular. They were driven into the rocky ridges in today's Beni Hasan . The wrestling pairs depicted there form a kind of textbook of the most varied of handles, clasps, lifting and slinging techniques. The four tombs of Baqti I, Amenemhet , Cheti and especially Baqti III, decorated with wrestling scenes, give us a lot of information about ancient Egyptian wrestling. The sequence of the “big ring area” begins with putting on a belt, otherwise the fighters are bare. The following sequences describe the palpation and the first attempts at the grip approach with subsequent swings and throws in quick alternation. Only two percent of the representation relates to a ground fight, which suggests that it played a rather subordinate role. Unfortunately, despite the many representations, no concrete rules could be identified. There is also no clear indication of the winner . But the presence of a referee with a trumpet , as shown in the wrestling and stick fencing reliefs of Ramesseum in Medinet Habu , probably indicates that the fights were fought according to fixed rules.

Wrestling was probably part of the soldiers' training program. Because in the New Kingdom the custom of naked combat was dissolved, and from then on the wrestlers were always clad in a short apron , as it is mainly worn by the soldiers of Egypt. In addition, wrestling is a popular part of festive events in the New Kingdom, such as the performance of the tribute of the south before the pharaoh. A special feature is the fact that the wrestling and stick fencing competitions under Ramses II (19th Dynasty) took place between Egyptians and "foreigners", as a relief in the mortuary temple of Medinet Habu shows. In addition, among the spectators who flanked the fighting, in addition to the nobles of Egypt and the royal children, there were also foreign envoys .

The stick fencing
Stick fencing and wrestling

This martial arts discipline, presumably imported from other Chinese countries , is seen in close relation to wrestling. Stick fencing was most widespread in the New Kingdom , but the stick as a weapon and national emblem already has an older tradition. A few examples of the stick fencing utensils have survived to our time, including several from the tomb of Tutankhamun (18th dynasty). They are approximately 1 m long and have a cross branch at the lower end, which ensures that the weapon can be held. The top end is occasionally reinforced with a metal pad. Some sticks have a pronounced basket to protect the fingers. A shield-like wooden board attached to the forearm , which reached over the fingertips, protected against painful blows. Furthermore, the face was protected with a band that covered the chin and forehead and was probably made of leather . The fighters often wielded a weapon in each hand. Most stick fencers wear a soldier's apron, which again suggests that stick fencing should promote the training of soldiers.

Stick fencing was a popular attraction at exhibition fights . Sometimes it was not about meeting the opponent, but rather the whole thing had more of the character of a dance performance. The fencers had to bow to the audience before the fight. Then the weapons were crossed. After this traditional interlude, there was defeat and parry , deception and fighting. The whole thing can be imagined as rapidly changing scenes that followed the principle of slash fencing, similar to modern saber fencing.

The fist fight

The third martial arts discipline of the ancient Egyptians was fistfighting, but only a small number of sources documented it. In addition, these documents only exist from the 14th century BC. BC, which means that this sport was practiced much later than with other peoples or was less popular with the Egyptians. A document from the grave of Cheriuf (18th Dyn.), Where pairs of pugilists together with stick fencers accompany the rite of erecting the Djed pillar , gives some information about the fistfight. A total of six groups of boxers are shown in different fighting poses. Their fists are consistently free of weapons, and amazingly, in some fighters one arm hangs low while the other is angled above head level. Another source reports on the injuries during the ancient fist fight. It comes from an inscription by Dorokleidas from Thera and reads: "Victory is bloody for the pugilists"

water sports

Medinet Habu: Egyptians on a papyrus boat

Due to the very watery environment of the Nile Valley with its numerous waterways branching off from it , the assumption of the swimming and rowing Egyptians in the Old Kingdom is quite natural . (As opposed to jousting, which can be interpreted as improvised competition between boat crews, both disciplines but "were not (or barely) run competitively. Wolfgang Decker : sports and games in Ancient Egypt. S. 14)

swim

Those who knew how to swim in ancient Egypt had a higher reputation . In addition, because of the proximity to the Nile , knowledge of swimming was advisable for almost all residents of Egypt, but especially for fishermen and boatmen, for whom this knowledge could ensure their survival. Even in a combative conflict, it could be an advantage if you knew how to swim, as an ancient Egyptian story reports. In this it is said that the vassal of the Hittites who was ignorant of swimming fought against Ramses II ( 19th dynasty ) at Kadesh . The vassal had to be pulled out of the waters of the Orontes by his soldiers in order not to drown. He lost all dignity when he was turned upside down to free him from the water he had swallowed.

The early knowledge of swimming was provided by early jug closures and hieroglyphics in the form of swimmers. The type and manner of the swimming style shown is reminiscent of the crawl swimming through a recognizable change of the arm pull . In addition, there are other documents such as a document from the prince of Sinut, Cheti , which was written towards the end of the 3rd millennium BC. Lived. In his grave in the recorded biography, a passage refers to swimming: "He had me instructed in swimming with the royal children." ( Wolfgang Decker : Source texts on sport and physical culture in Ancient Egypt Doc. 3) This proves that the king personally took care of the physical education of his sons and this took place together with the children of the royal nobility. Swimming lessons were part of the educational program and were presumably given by a swimming instructor belonging to the nobility. Swimming as a competition is not known in ancient Egypt, but it is assumed in the sporting context in the story of Horus and Seth when both are doing a diving competition. The diving is also depicted. In the tomb of Djar ( 11th dynasty ) in Thebes , a fisherman can be seen dipping his head down to the bottom of the trawl net attached to a ship.

rowing

The evidence about rowing in ancient Egypt is so far not very informative. Nevertheless, a lot has already been found out about the technology of the rowing move at that time. This relates to the operation of transport ships that traveled the Nile and the coasts of the Mediterranean in large numbers. During the oar pull, there was a cyclical change from sitting to standing, during which the oar was held in a twister . The rowing began in the standing position, followed by sitting on the rowing bench. At the end of the train, the hands were pressed down and the leaf slowly pulled out of the water. The simultaneous repositioning of the inside leg made it possible to stand up. After returning the rudder over the water, the step position was given up. Since with this technique a normal apron would have worn through in a short time, they were reinforced with leather.

For the pharaohs of the 18th dynasty, rowers were characterized by special skills. It happened more often that the pharaoh rewarded particularly conspicuous rowers with a promotion . For example, one such testimony dates from the reign of Amenhotep II.

Jousting
Jousting ( mastaba grave of Nianchchnum and Khnumhotep)
The jousting

The Fischerstechen , also known as Schifferstechen, which was very popular among the Egyptians , was a sporting leisure activity , especially in the Old Kingdom . It is most likely an improvised fighting game between two, three, sometimes even four groups. It is believed that it happened in the course of the drive to work or when returning home through harmless teasing, but could also become bloody serious. The simple papyrus transport boats used for this purpose were manned by three or four (exceptionally up to six) men. The long poles, which originally served as a means of locomotion, were converted into a sporting weapon here. The people at the stern ensured the direction and stability of the boat , while those at the bow tried to push each other into the water. If the fights fought at a distance remained uneventful and the poles were no longer of any use due to the physical proximity, the opponents tended to get involved in pulling and pushing, which sometimes seems like a real wrestling match. The aim was probably to get the opposing team into the water, which must have had a certain appeal with the swaying subsoil. Apparently there were no binding rules; Depending on the mood, different regulations have been established from case to case. “The numerous illustrations (e.g. grave of Nefer (5th dynasty), grave of Nianchchnum and Khnumhotep (5th dynasty)) allow an insight into the development of one A discipline that undoubtedly has sporting components, but which does not yet take on the seriousness that organized sports competitions often involve. Apparently this fishing sting is not documented in any ancient culture outside of Egypt. ”( Wolfgang Decker : Sport and Play in Ancient Egypt, p. 111)

literature

  • Wolfgang Decker : Source texts on sport and physical culture in ancient Egypt. Richarz, St. Augustin 1975, ISBN 3-921255-08-2 .
  • Wolfgang Decker: Sports and games in ancient Egypt (= Beck's archaeological library ). Beck, Munich 1987, ISBN 3-406-31575-5 .
  • Wolfgang Decker, Michael Herb: picture atlas on sport in ancient Egypt: corpus of figurative sources on physical exercise, play, hunting, dance & related topics. Vol. 1. Brill, Leiden 1994, ISBN 90-04-09882-8 .
  • Wolfgang Decker: Pharaoh and Sport. Philipp von Zabern, Mainz 2006, ISBN 3805336209 .
  • Wolfgang Decker: Sport on the Nile. Texts from three millennia of Egyptian history. Arete Verlag , Göttingen 2012, ISBN 978-3-942468-03-9 .
  • Gabriele Höber-Kamel (Ed.): Dance, Sport and Play (= Kemet issue 4/2006. ). Kemet-Verlag, Berlin 2006, ISSN  0943-5972 .
  • Gerhard Lukas: The body culture in the early epochs of human development. Sportverlag Berlin, Berlin 1969.
  • Ahmed el-Demerdash Touny, Steffen Wenig : Sport in Ancient Egypt. Edition Leipzig, Leipzig 1969.
  • Ingomar Weiler : The sport among the peoples of the Old World. Scientific Book Society, Darmstadt 1988, ISBN 3-534-80015-X .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ H. Brunner: Ancient Egyptian Education. In: G. Lukas (Hrsg.): The body cultures in early epochs of human development. Sportverlag Berlin, Berlin 1969, p. 53.
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w W. Decker: Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987.
  3. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Gerhard Lukas: The body cultures in early epochs of human development. Berlin 1969.
  4. ↑ a b W. Decker, M. Herb: picture atlas on sport in ancient Egypt. Corpus of figurative sources on exercise, play, hunting, dance & related topics.  Leiden 1994.
  5. ↑ Nelson et al .: Medinet Habu II. In: W.Decker (Ed.): Sport and play in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 113.
  6. ^ MA Littauer, JH Crouwel: Cariots and Related Equipment from the Tomb of Tut'ankhamũn. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 28.
  7. ↑ a b c d e f W. Decker: Source texts on sport and physical culture in ancient Egypt. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987.
  8. ↑ Thomas Von der Way: The text transmission of Ramses' II. To the Quadeš battle. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 30.
  9. ↑ J. Brinks: CdE LVI. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 34.
  10. ^ AJ Spencer: Two Enigmatic Hieroglyphs and their Relation to the Sed Festival. In: D. Wiedemann: The sense of running in ancient Egypt. Vienna 1975, p. 64.
  11. ↑ a b c d Ingomar hamlet: The sport among the peoples of the old world. Darmstadt 1988.
  12. ↑ a b c d e f g W. Decker: Sport am Nil. Texts from three millennia of Egyptian history. Hildesheim 2012.
  13. ↑ Ü. Yalcin, C. Pulak, R. Slotta: The ship from Uluburun. World trade 3000 years ago. Catalog of the exhibition of the German Mining Museum Bochum from July 15, 2005 to July 16, 2006. In: W. Decker (Hrsg.): Sport am Nil. Texts from three millennia of Egyptian history. Hildesheim 2012, p. 30.
  14. ^ A b McLeod: Composite Bows. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 42.
  15. ↑ W. Wolf: The arming of the ancient Egyptian army. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 42.
  16. ^ McLeod: Self Bows. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 51.
  17. ↑ Crouwel Littauer: Wheeled Vehicles. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 54.
  18. ^ W. Helck: SAK 11. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sport and play in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 55.
  19. ↑ J. Spruytte: Etudes sur l'attelage Experimentales: Contribution à l'histoire du cheval. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 62.
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  23. ^ J. Leclant: Un parc de chasse de la Nubie pharaonique. In: Raymond Mauny: Le Sol, la parole et l'écrit: 2000 ans d'histoire africaine: mélanges en hommage à Raymond Mauny (= Bibliothèque d'histoire d'outre-mer. Nouvelle série, Etudes, Vol. 5–6 ). Société française d'histoire d'outre-mer, Paris 1981, ISBN 978-2-85970-005-8 , pp. 727-734.
  24. ↑ W. Guglielmi: Speeches, calls and songs on ancient Egyptian depictions of agriculture, animal husbandry, fish and bird trapping from the Middle Kingdom to the Late Period. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 172.
  25. ↑ P. Kaplony: Studies on the grave of Methethi: Monographs of the Abegg Foundation Bern 9. In: W. Decker (Hrsg.): Sport and play in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 167.
  26. ^ A. Piankoff: Les peintures dans la tombe du roi Aï. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 167.
  27. ↑ W. Helck: Kind: Rituals. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 168.
  28. ↑ M. Vandier: Manuel V. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sport and Games in Old Egypt Munich 1987, p. 169.
  29. ↑ F. Hess: Boomerangs: Aerodynamics and Motion. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 174.
  30. ↑ B. George: Three ancient Egyptian throwing sticks. In: H. Carter (Ed.): Tut-ench-Amun III. Hinrichs, Leipzig 1934, pp. 74 C, 75 A, B.
  31. ↑ M. Alliot: On the scenes of the hunting trips in the papyrus thicket. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 174.
  32. ^ H. Balcz: Les auxiliaires de chasse du tueur d'oiseaux au bâton de jet. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 174.
  33. ↑ W. Decker: The catwalk of King Taharka. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 68.
  34. ^ H. Schäfer: Of Egyptian art. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 76.
  35. ^ CE DeVries: Attitudes of the ancient Egyptians toward Physical-recreative Activities. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 76.
  36. ↑ St. Little, AD Touny: Sport in Ancient Egypt. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 76.
  37. ↑ M. Vandier IV: Figure 231. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sport and play in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 77.
  38. ↑ M. Vandier IV: Figure 513. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sport and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 76.
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  40. ↑ K. Wiemann: The phylogenesis of human behavior with regard to the development of sporting activity. In: H. Ueberhorst: History of physical exercises. Vol. I: Theories of origin, ethological aspects of the origin of physical exercises ... Bartels & Wernitz, Berlin / Frankfurt / Munich 1972, ISBN 3870399287 , pp. 48–59.
  41. ↑ R. u. M. Brophy: Deaths in the Pan-Hellenic Games II: all combative sports. In: American Journal of Philology . (Am J Philol) 1985, Vol. 106, No. 2, pp. 171-198, PMID 16411325 .
  42. ↑ Wilsdorf: Wrestling in Ancient Egypt In: G. Lukas (Ed.): The body cultures in early epochs of human development. Berlin 1969, p. 55.
  43. ↑ a b Wilsdorf: wrestling match in ancient Egypt. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 83.
  44. ↑ W. Decker: Source texts In: I. Weiler (Ed.): The sport among the peoples of the old world. Darmstadt 1988, p. 62.
  45. ^ Jeanne Vandier D'Abbadie: Deux nouveaux ostraca figurés. In: Annales du Service des Antiquités de l'Égypte. (ASAE) No. 40, Cairo 1940, pp. 467-488.
  46. ↑ W. Wolf: The arming of the ancient Egyptian army. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 90.
  47. ↑ Nims et al .: Tomb of Kheruef. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sport and Games in Old Egypt Munich 1987, p. 96.
  48. ↑ W. Decker: Source texts. In: I. Weiler (Ed.): Sport among the peoples of the Old World. Darmstadt 1988, p. 163.
  49. ^ W. Decker: Pharaoh and Sport. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sport am Nil. Texts from three millennia of Egyptian history. Hildesheim 2012, p. 22.
  50. ^ Nims et al .: The Navy of the Eighteenth Egyptian Dynasty. In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sports and games in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 108.
  51. ↑ M. Vandier IV .: Figure 225 In: W. Decker (Ed.): Sport and play in ancient Egypt. Munich 1987, p. 109.