| Many of today's sports were practiced by the Ancient | | | | Gymnastics (floor exercise) The ancient Egyptians |
| Egyptians, who set the rules and regulations for them. | | | | invented many sports, some for entertainment, and |
| Inscriptions on monuments indicate that they practiced | | | | others for keeping strong, physically fit, and slim. The |
| wrestling, weightlifting, long jump, swimming, rowing, | | | | picture dates back to 2000 years BC. It shows a |
| shooting, fishing and athletics, as well as various kinds | | | | gymnastics drill in which the body is bent backwards |
| of ball games. | | | | until the hand s touch the ground, revealing bodily |
| Hockey | | | | flexibility. It is one of the most commonly practiced |
| Ancient Egyptians played a game that is similar to our | | | | exercises today. |
| present-day hockey. Drawings on tombs at Beni | | | | Rhythmic Gymnastics The picture shows four players |
| Hassan in Menia Governorate show players holding | | | | performing rhythmic gymnastics in different positions. |
| bats made of long palm-tree branches, with a bent | | | | The one on the left stands on one foot, stretching his |
| end similar to that of the hockey bat. The hockey ball | | | | two arms horizontally, and lifting one leg as high as |
| was made of compressed papyrus fibers covered | | | | possible to the front to help him revolve swiftly and |
| with two pieces of leather in the shape of a semicircle. | | | | lightly. The two players in the middle are standing |
| The ball was dyed in two or more colors. | | | | facing each other, bending their arms near their |
| | | | | shoulders while twisting their waists towards the left |
| Handball | | | | and right. The fourth player stands on his head upside |
| Drawings of this sport are found on the Saqqara | | | | down in perfect equilibrium, without touching the floor |
| tombs, five thousand years old. The ball was made of | | | | with his arms. All these positions are close to some |
| leather and stuffed with plant fibers or hay, or made of | | | | practiced in today's rhythmic gymnastics. |
| papyrus plants in order to be light and more durable. It | | | | Archery Archery was a well-known sport in Ancient |
| was seldom used for more than one match. The | | | | Egypt and was often recorded on plates in ancient |
| painting shows four girls playing handball. Each team | | | | temples. These plates show the kings' and princes' skill |
| throws the ball to the other at the same time. Players | | | | in accurate aiming at the target, and their strength in |
| can either be on their feet or on top of their | | | | pulling the bow. Archery competitions were common. In |
| teammates' backs while exchanging balls. Gymnastics: | | | | the 21st century BC King Amenhotep II boasted that |
| Consecutive Vault This painting represents pharaonic | | | | he pierced the middle of a thick brass target with four |
| gymnastics. The players performed consecutive vaults | | | | arrows. He then set a prize for anyone who could do |
| without touching the floor with their heads and making | | | | the same. Swimming Swimming was the favorite sport |
| more than one complete turn in the air. At the end of | | | | of the ancient Egyptians, who made use of the River |
| the exercise the players stand firmly upright, which is | | | | Nile to practice it. The Nile was not the only place for |
| one of the basic rules of floor exercise applied in | | | | swimming contests. Noblemen's palaces had swimming |
| today's Olympics. | | | | pools in which princes learnt the sport. The calm |
| Fishing Fishing was one of the sports practiced by | | | | waters of the Nile encouraged youths to hold |
| kings, princes and commoners. There are many | | | | swimming competitions in which they could show their |
| drawings of scenes of fishing as a hobby on the | | | | skills. |
| Saqqara tombs of the Old Kingdom as much as there | | | | Marathon |
| are on the New Kingdom monuments. The Egyptian | | | | Marathon races were of the utmost importance in |
| Museum in Cairo comprises numerous kinds of fishing | | | | ancient Egypt, particularly during celebrations marking |
| rods and hooks of various shapes, which indicate the | | | | the assumption of power of new kings. One of the |
| advance of such a sport in ancient Egypt. | | | | rituals of these celebrations was to hold a marathon |
| High Jump Ancient Egyptians practiced field and track | | | | run by the king around the temples before spectators |
| sports such as the high jump. Two players sat | | | | to reveal his physical strength and his ability to rule |
| opposite each other with legs stretched, with one | | | | using his bodily as well as mental capabilities. History |
| player's feet on top of the toes of the other. If the third | | | | records that the Pharaoh, together with those who |
| player managed to jump over that barrier, the two | | | | were born on the same day of his birth, participated in |
| sitting players placed their palms on top of their feet to | | | | hectic marathons. No one was allowed to have a meal |
| heighten the barrier which the third player had to jump | | | | before covering 180 stages of his race. Reference: |
| across without touching. This game is still practiced in | | | | sis.gov.eg Posted by:Yasmine Aladdin Memphis Tours |
| the Egyptian countryside and is called "goose steps". | | | | Egypt since 1955. |