Ancient Egyptian physical activities: games, military training and the royal force

Abstract

This article presents what we know about the practice of physical activities in Ancient Egypt, using iconography, written documents and archaeological records. Considering the wide range of researched material, we will approach questions regarding the existence or not of the concept of sport for ancient Egyptians, as well as the modalities of physical activities known to this civilization, such as running, fighting, activities using balls, boxing, fencing, horseback riding, among others. Thus, we intend to present the current state of knowledge regarding this theme, evidencing the interpretive difficulties associated to the notion of sport in Ancient Egypt.