Topic 2: Egypt, Persia, Phoenicia Sport PDF

Didactic Unit II. Sport in the civilisations of the Ancient Ages Topic 2. Egypt, Persia and Phoenicia History of Sport Prof. Dr. Alejandro Leiva Arcas Bachelor's Degree in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Sport in Ancient Egypt...

Didactic Unit II. Sport in the civilisations of the Ancient Ages Topic 2. Egypt, Persia and Phoenicia History of Sport Prof. Dr. Alejandro Leiva Arcas Bachelor's Degree in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Sport in Ancient Egypt 2 Historical introduction Egypt is one of the most important cradles of civilisation in the development of mankind thanks to its location along the Nile River for more than 1200 km. Its development lasted from 3150 BC to 31 BC. Its main contributions include: Hieroglyphic writing and the invention of papyrus. Decimal-based accounting system and 360+5-day calendar ("Syriac calendar"). Important advances in architecture, 3 medicine and astronomy.  Wooden prosthesis. Circa 600 BC. Luxor. University of Basel. Piedra Rosetta. 196 BC. British Museum. Text written in demotic, ancient Greek and hieroglyphics 4  Historical Introduction Society was highly hierarchical with very little mobility between estates. 95% of the society were peasants or slave population. At the top was the pharaoh followed by viziers, priests and members of the nobility. Women were treated with respect and were an ideal role model for society. 5 Basic principles of Egyptian sport Sport was very diverse in its forms and it is possible to refer to an extent physical culture. It is very well catalogued thanks to the large number of available sources, which can be divided into: Written narratives Sporting materials Training venues Visual representations 6 Physical activities in Egypt could be broadly divided into two main categories: Military Public exercises performances Military training was demanding Dance, music, acrobatics. The aim was and severe. Training was regulated to entertain and amuse the parties and and standardised, and the military banquets of the ruling class. Possibility of class was professionalised. social promotion. 7  The Egyptians professed a concern for health, aesthetics and physical beauty among the ruling classes Presumably there was a system of physical education, especially among upper-class youth. Regulated and standardised physical practices emerged in Egypt. Rhythm appeared in physical activity. Also weightlifting for hypertrophy. The division of physical practices according to social class also- High nobility: free or regulated practices emerged: with a recreational component: hunting, chariot races, etc. - Army: regulated practices aimed at military training: wrestling, fencing, racing, etc. - Common people: very little access to sporting activities. Board games or children's 8 games.  Categories of physical activities The large amount of information on sport in Ancient Egypt makes it possible to create categorisations according to the type and place of practice. a) Instinctive or natural games b) Artistic exercises c) Individual sports d) Combat sports e) Outdoor sports Amenhotep II depicted as the "perfect athlete". 9 Egyptian Museum, Torino. Circa 1400 BC. a) Instinctive or natural games Games were an inherent part of Egyptian culture, both for children (who played games appropriate to their age) and for adults, who preferred more leisurely activities such as board games. Senet: A board game popular among the Egyptian upper classes. Two players. The goal was to advance five or ten tokens over 30 squares before the opponent, being able to block or overtake the rival’s ones. Women were allowed to play. Upper: Nefertari playing senet. 13th Learn more about the rules century BC. and meaning of the senet in this article from the Lower: Senet of Metropolitan Museum of Amenhotep III New York. Brooklyn Museum, USA. 14th century BC. a) Instinctive or natural games Ball games: Numerous balls have been found in Egyptian tombs, of different sizes and materials (tight Children playing ball. Baqt Tomb. 16th Linen balls. British Museum. n.d. rope, leather and linen mostly). century BC. Hockey: A game similar to modern hockey in which two or more players had to control a hoop using a stick with a curved tip. Hockey players. Tomb of Beni Hassan. Circa 2000 BC. Other games: hoops, hide and seek, jumping, knife throwing, games with dolls and toys, etc. b) Artistic exercises Artistic activities had a marked entertainment function for the upper classes. These activities were performed by members of the common people who, thanks to their motor skills, were able to prosper in the closed Egyptian society by being part of the dancing, acrobatic, musical or juggling groups Dance: Both womenin the temples and men and performed palaces. dances for the enjoyment of the members of the court or for ritual purposes. During these events, the nobles were spectators, never participants. Dancing women. Tomb of Nebamun. 1350 BC. b) Artistic exercises Acrobatics: there are numerous graphic Juggling: Juggling was done with balls of tests of gymnastic and acrobatic exercises, different sizes and materials (glass, porcelain, the most common being the round-off or wood). They were performed individually or in forward flip. groups. Egyptian acrobat. Egyptian Museum of Torino, Italy. Juggling games. Tomb of Khety. Circa 2000 BC. Circa 12th century BC. 13  c) Individual sports Athletics: There is evidence of athletic events such as jumping, throwing and running. Of particular note is an out-and-back race of around 100 km between Memphis and the oasis of El Fayum. Participants spent eight hours to complete it. In addition to the prestige, the winners received prizes such as gold handicrafts, skins or livestock. Heb Sed festival: An act of renewal of the pharaoh's power to test his strength and vigour necessary for him to continue to rule. It was held for the first time in the 30th year of the reign and every three years thereafter. The event consisted of a ritual race that the pharaoh had to perform around the inner perimeter of the palace walls. If he failed to complete his rule, his reign ended and a new pharaoh was elected. Enclosure of the pyramid of Saqqara. 2650 BC. Dimensions: 554x227 metres. Race of Queen Hatshepsut during the Heb-Sed festival. Temple of Karnak, Egypt. Circa 1500 BC. 14 c) Individual games Swimming: Swimming instruction was exclusive to the ruling classes and took place during childhood. The styles of swimming recorded are the crawl and the breaststroke. Although Egypt is a river country, there were pools and ponds inside the palaces that Hieroglyph used to describe served as swimming pools. There were swimming swimming. instructors who were assisted by slaves. Weight lifting: the recorded technique was the pull- up without elbow flexion using sandbags, holding the position up for a few seconds. Weight lifting was performed for hypertrophy purposes, so it was a frequent activity among soldiers. d) Combat sports Boxing: was practised with bare hands or covered with straps. In addition to military training, there were professional pugilists who performed exhibition boxing for the entertainment of the court. Fencing (Tahtib): Recorded since the 2nd millennium BC. It was practised with 1-metre wooden sticks. Participants wore a cloth kilt and carried protection on their heads and forearms. When they did not have protection, they usually carried two sticks. There are three types of fencing combat: A) At religious festivals (Osiris, Horus). B) In the presence of Pharaoh. C) In military training.  d) Combat sports Wrestling: One of the most abundant sports in the Egyptian archaeological record was wrestling. As with boxing, fencing and dance, there were professional wrestlers who performed for the entertainment of the elite. The wrestlers fought naked and usually in groups of several dozen. Sometimes they were tied together by a rope to make the fight more spectacular. In the picture on the left can be seen the different wrestling techniques allowed in what is considered to be one of the first sports regulations in History. Fighting techniques. Baqt Tomb. Circa 2000 BC. 17 e) Outdoor sports Rowing: great mastery of this discipline. Use of a helmsman. There were competitions and rituals associated with the idea of fertility. Rowing boat. Metropolitan Museum of Art, USA. Circa 1900 BC. Women were allowed to participate. Sailing: The Egyptians built a large fleet. Different types of boats (fishing, trading, transportation). Made of papyrus and wood. The mast was placed at the bow or stern. They introduced the square sail. Archery: practised by the upper classes (hunting) and by soldiers ( war training). There were two kinds of bows: short (accuracy) and long (range). e) Outdoor sports Hunting: Hunting was a very common practice in Egyptian society. It was practised by peasants (hunting waterfowl as a source of protein) as well as the upper classes. It was a favourite activity of the pharaohs, who had their own hunting grounds. Young pharaohs preferred to hunt dangerous prey such as crocodiles or hippopotamuses to demonstrate their bravery, while older pharaohs preferred to hunt birds, aided by trained dogs, cats, hyenas or geese. Did you know that... Hunting was an risky activity. An X-ray study carried out by Hawass & Saleem in 2016 revealed that the death of the famous pharaoh Tutankhamun may have been due to a fracture of his left leg after a fall during a hunting accident. 19 e) Outdoor sports Chariot racing: very common practice among the nobility and the Egyptian military hierarchy.. The Egyptian chariot was a highly advanced warfare weapon for its time. Thanks to the use of spoked wheels, the chariots gained in lightness, which allowed Egyptian troops to attack suddenly and take advantage of the surprise factor. The chariots were pulled by two horses. A rider drove while an archer attacked by shooting arrows. Depiction of Ramses II at the Battle of Qadesh. 1274 Chariot found in the tomb BC. of Tutankhamun. 1334- 1325 BC. 20 Sport in Persia 21  Historical introduction Development between the 6th century BC and the 4th century BC. Civilisation structured on the basis of territorial conquests. Mostly mainland kingdom. A mixture of diverse peoples and cultures under a single government. Absolute king with a personal army of 10,000 men ("The Immortals"). Empire structured in provinces Extensión máxima del imperio persa. (satrapies), ruled by Persian nobles called satraps appointed directly by 22 the monarch.  Ciropedia"Cyrus Education” Written by Xenophon (a Greek military disciple of Socrates), between 380 and 365 B.C., about the life of King Cyrus II "The Great" (rule between 559 and 530 B.C.). Fictional work in 8 volumes with a rich historical information on training, education and values. Topics covered include hunting, Persian hygiene, life at war, athletic Cyrus II contests, combat training and court Xenophon life. Along with the archaeological record, it is the main source of information on 23 Persian sport and physical activity. Persian physical education Due to their fast expansion and the integration of diverse peoples under their domination, the Persian authorities promoted a model of state education aimed at acquiring physical strength, promoting Persian civic values and fostering honesty. The ultimate aim was to create potential soldiers and to promote the Persian state model through morality. Education was exclusively male and lasted from the age of 6 to 16. Sporting activities included archery, horse riding, hunting, javelin, running, swimming, walking and physical training. Once the child reached the age of 12, the kid was tested for survival in a remote and hostile environment. 24  Zurkhaneh ‘Strength House’ The zurkhaneh is the traditional Persian gymnasium where clubs (or ‘pahlavani’) training was practised. UNESCO has recognised it as one of the oldest known training styles. The sessions were divided into three blocks: 1. Warm-up: specific movements to get ready to workout (jumps, push-ups, running, joint mobility). 2. Exercises with clubs: from 2 to 50kg with rhythmic movements following the beat of the music. 3. Exercises with Kabaddeh or "iron bow" of about 30 centimetres. Zurkhaneh Ali Akbar Iben Mendi Kaschania Method There was a complementary training method which consisted of: - 1. Preamble: massage, bath and rest with musical stimulation. - 2. Main part: exercises with clubs and floor gymnastics. - 3. Final part: boxing and wrestling. 26 Sports practised by the Persians The Persians' physical and sporting activities can be grouped into two broad categories: A) ATHLETICS B) EQUESTRIAN Persian warriors. Pergamon Museum, Berlin. 4th Bas-relief of Persian horse and horsemen. Persepolis. century BC. 4th century BC. 27 A) Athletic sports In Persia, athletic competitions were aimed at choosing the king's messengers. Many of the contests were held during the "Lycian Festivals" or "Spring Festivals", which lasted three days and were complemented by great celebrations, banquets and animal sacrifices. Long distance: : 120 km race that participants had to complete between sunrise and sunset. Short distance (chateir): 12 laps around a track (5 to 6 km in total). On the last lap, the contestants had to pick up a bow and give it to the king as a sign of commitment.. B) Equestrian sports Equestrian sports were reserved for the nobility and military hierarchy. The origin of these games is linked to the idea of combat training. Through playful practice, the Persians improved their horsemanship skills while at the same time having a leisure and recreational time. Polo (chovgan): etymologically "stick". A forerunner of modern polo in which two teams (usually with five riders per side) had to hit a ball into the opponent's goal. Ball on fire : a variant of polo played at night with a ball lit on fire. It was played between April and May as a tribute to the sun. It was played between two ravines or near a cliff so that some riders were killed when they fell off their horses. Because of the risk, the prizes were slaves or the opponent's horses. 29  B) Equestrian sports Djerid-Bas (jereed): Two teams of 8 or 10 horses facing each other on a large field. Each participant carries a small javelin or pike. In turns, one player approaches the opponents and challenges the opposing team by throwing the javelin. When the javelin hits the ground, the rivals must chase the challenger at a gallop and try to catch him. 30 B) Equestrian sports Buzkashi (“blue wolf”) Two teams of horsemen compete in open terrain to carry death lamb to a hole that serves as the opposing goal. It is a game of great violence without well- defined rules in which it is permitted to hit, charge and even run over the opponent. Its function was to train riders in the physical and technical requirements of battle and to prepare them for the harshness of battle. 31  Sport in Phoenicia 32 Historical introduction Development between 1200 and 539 BC. Colonisation of the Mediterranean from the city states of Byblos, Sidon and Tyre. Marine dominance through a trading system based on overseas colonies. Its main contribution was the alphabet of 22 consonant signs, the forerunner of today's alphabet. Monarchy based on a 33  Features of the physical activities of the Phoenicians The physical activities of the Phoenicians were characterised by a marked masculinity. The military class was professionalised, although it was complemented by mercenaries and slaves. Energy, stamina, vitality, virility and strength in combat were valued qualities. They had a reputation as a violent people, so much of their physical education focused on: fighting with weapons, hand-to-hand combat, archery and javelin throwing. Phoenician weapons found in the Huelva estuary, Spain. Circa 10th century BC. 34 Sailing Undoubtedly, the Phoenicians' activity par excellence was sailing, as they were a civilisation that projected its expansion towards the Mediterranean. The Phoenicians developed the art of sailing thanks to various innovations: 1. Boom. 2. Stem (bending bow). 3. Bow figurehead. 4. Trunking (rowing hole). 5. Tolet (support for rowing). Representation of a Phoenician warship. 6. Paddle (Rowing without support for manoeuvring). 35 Possible distribution of oarsmen on Phoenician warships 36  Phoenician nautical Types of vessels Merchant ship (gôlah). Small boat. From 18 to 25 metres in length. From 8 to 12 metres in length. Round cargo hold for storing more load. Used for fishing or coastal trade. Louvre Museum, Paris. Circa 700 BC. 37 Mazarrón shipwreck do you want to know more about the Mazarrón shipwreck and the underwater archaeological research carried out? 38 Other Phoenician Phoenician Moneys minted in Sidon sports Rowing: both competitive and recreational. Presumably there were competitions in the presence of the king. Boxing practised by the common people and slaves. Lack of rules and excessive violence. Gambling and, occasionally, prizes.. Riding: for military purposes. Mounted horses, chariots and even war elephants. Other Phoenician sports Archery: for both war and hunting activities. Dance: with a major role in ritual ceremonies. The only known activity in which Phoenician women could participate. Representation of ritual dances. Bronze pottery. Phoenician archer. British Museum. 5th century BC. Metropolitan Museum, New York. 8th century BC. Other Phoenician sports Mill game (nine men Morris): a two-player board game in which each player has 9 pieces. The objective is to join three pieces in a line. Once the pieces have been placed on the board, the players can move them along the lines The game until the of is objective the mill was achieved. widespread in the Roman Empire and in medieval Europe. It is the predecessor of today's "tic-tac- toe". Didactic Unit II. Sport in the civilisations of the Ancient Ages Topic 2. Egypt, Persia and Phoenicia History of Sport Prof. Dr. Alejandro Leiva Arcas Bachelor's Degree in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences