Ancient Egyptian Games: Exploring the Fun and Culture of Egypt's Past

The ancient Egyptian Games and other entertainment methods that the ancient Egyptians practiced in their free time were many, as playing games was one of the important things in their daily lives.

This was due to their knowledge of their importance and benefits for the body and mind and their impact on the formation of personality.

The ancient Egyptians were interested in practicing sports for the purpose of entertainment or for the purpose of competing in competitions attended by the great kings and princes in ancient Egypt.

In this article, we talk in detail about the most important Ancient Egyptian Games and some facts about them.

Ancient Egyptian Games Facts

Ancient Egyptian Games were an essential part of ancient Egyptian society, as the pharaohs were pioneers who preceded other peoples in all diverse fields. The practice of many sports in our time began since the time of the ancient Egyptians, and evidence of this is the inscriptions and pictures on the walls of temples and tombs that have been discovered.

These inscriptions show that the ancient Egyptians practiced all kinds of sports such as boxing, swimming, hunting, weightlifting, rowing, athletics, high jump, all ball games and board games.

The ancient Egyptians did not only practice sports and games, but they also sought to reach the highest levels in the game by organizing international and local festivals in various games in which the best players participate and offer prizes to the winners to encourage them.

The most famous ancient Egyptian games

The ancient Egyptians left traces that indicate their practical and recreational life, which clarified the Ancient Egyptian Games they practiced, the most famous of which are:

Senet

The game of Senet is considered one of the most important and famous Ancient Egyptian Games. It is a type of board game that is very similar to the game of chess today and dates back to 3000 BCE. Sources explained that the full name of Senet is Sint Net Haab, meaning the game of crossing or the game of passage.

This game was discovered in the tombs of the First Dynasty and was mentioned in the tombs of the Third Dynasty and is still being found in all the tombs of the Old Kingdom. Despite all this time, the game is still fixed in form and content as it was first discovered.

It is a set of 30 squares arranged in 3 rows, each consisting of 10 squares. The rules of the game remain uncertain, though historical interpretations suggest they evolved over time, but it is said that its original rules are guesswork.

The game symbolizes the struggle to reach the afterlife, where it is believed that the deceased will reach the fields of heaven if he defeats the opponent, so the game contains images of gods and religious texts.

Aseb

The Aseb game is part of the ancient cultural heritage, as it depends on luck and challenge. The idea of the Aseb game is similar to the idea of the Senet, which is similar to chess today. It is also a large board that includes a grid of 16 squares.

It is played using a set of two groups, each player has a group of 12 pieces that are moved. The goal of the game was to move all the opponent’s pieces off the board.

Mehen

The Mehen game is one of the board games that were played by the ancient Egyptians. The name of the game comes from a serpentine god, and it was called the Egyptian snake game. It dates back to 3100 BC until the end of the Old Egyptian state and 2300 BC.

The game can be played by a large number of players, up to 6 players, who direct pieces in the shape of a lion and a ball through a spiral racetrack like a coiled snake. The rules of the game are unknown until the game’s popularity disappeared after the fall of the Old Kingdom in Egypt and is rarely played.

Hounds and Jackals

Hounds and Jackals is one of the Ancient Egyptian Games that dates back to 4000 years BC. The game was very popular in the ancient Egyptian state and spread at that time in Anatolia and Mesopotamia.

This game is a board made of stone, wood or ivory that contains 85 holes distributed equally on the sides of the board. It also has a number of pins with ends in the shape of dog heads and others in the shape of wolf heads, and the game was named 85 holes or hunting dogs.

The rules remain unclear, but the gameplay appears to involve strategic movement akin to modern board games, where players race to move pins continuously in the holes to reach the largest hole, which is the finish line.

Athletic Games in Ancient Egypt

The most of athletic games that are currently practiced date back to the ancient Egyptians who practiced a large number of sports because of their great importance to their lives, the most famous of which are:

Swimming

The ancient Egyptians mastered swimming, as evidenced by inscriptions depicting their skills because they lived on the banks of the Nile. Evidence comes from inscriptions, artifacts, and archaeological findings.

Handball

The ancient Egyptians are considered to be the ones who invented this game, as it appeared on the walls of temples and tombs that the ancient Egyptians played handball, and girls also played this game. The way to play is for the girl to climb on the back of her colleague and then throw 3 small balls in quick successive movements.

Boxing and Wrestling

The ancient Egyptians practiced boxing and wrestling in order to defend the homeland and the self until it became one of their favorite sports.

Rowing

The ancient Egyptians practiced rowing because they lived near the Nile River, and this appeared in the inscriptions and pictures on the tombs and temples.

Chivalry

The ancient Egyptians were keen to practice chivalry, especially after the invasion of the invaders. The drawings on the walls of temples and tombs, including the Temple of Ramses II, indicate that they practiced chivalry for war.

Fencing with a sword

The ancient Egyptians are considered the first people to know and practice fencing and make its tools themselves. It appeared in the inscriptions of temples and tombs, showing many fencing matches, such as the Temple of Habu.