Ancient Egyptian Entertainment
Ancient Egyptian Entertainment Despite the ancient Egyptian civilization built around the concept of death and the afterlife, had a big part in Egyptian lives, they didn’t miss a chance where they could have had fun, they appreciated life and truly believed in the existence of magic. Countless artworks, inscriptions, and various objects showcase ancient Egyptian entertainment and how the Egyptians enjoyed life through their various forms of entertainment. They organized many festivals and ceremonies to celebrate all the moments of their lives whether positive or negative as they saw the touch of the gods in everything. They had various forms of recreation, games, sports, dance, and music to pass the time and took full advantage of their life.
Ancient Egyptian Entertainment
Ancient Egyptian Sports The ancient Egyptians spent a great deal of time outdoors where the children would play in the yard or the streets various different kinds of sports. Boys would practice sports like wrestling, boxing, rowing, game-like tug of war played using a hoop and field hockey, while girls would engage in gymnastics and dancing. Both girls and boys were taught to swim and boat from an early age. Archery was known for being the sport of royalty and nobility like Ramses the Great (1279-1213 BC) and Amenhotep II (1425-1400 BC). Physical fitness and athletics played a vital role in society as it was believed that a healthy childhood would Ancient Egyptian Entertainment /create a productive adult member of the community. Ancient Egyptian Sports were found everywhere in ancient Egypt it was part of the king’s coronation, military victories, and even in religious festivals and ceremonies. One of the most famous ancient Egyptian festivals was Heb-Sed which involved the pharaoh showcasing his physical fitness after thirty years of a king’s reign. Sports or any form of physical exercise were valued and enjoyed by every member of any social status. The ancient Egyptians would hold competitions like juggling, swimming, rowing, dancing, pageants, wrestling, and javelin which were very entertaining and popular spectator sports. One of the most famous activities was hunting and fishing which took courage and patience.
Ancient Egyptian Music & Dancing
The ancient Egyptian civilization infused their society with the magic and dance of ancient Egypt, they enjoyed their life to the absolute fullest, and every festival banquet or celebration was only considered complete with dancing and music. Within the secular and religious activities, music and dancing were the most important parts. Male and female dancers would perform music produced using harps, drums, lutes, flutes, clappers, cymbals, and tambourines. They had various musical instruments which indicates the importance of music within their daily life. During the banquets, the guests would enjoy a majestic show of gorgeous girls wearing nothing but jewels and lithe acrobats dancing to enchanting music. The musicians and dancers would encourage the guests to join in the party by clapping, and chanting. Many scenes and images are immortalized on stone vessels and ceremonial palettes that showcase love, sensuality, and music having a major effect on their lives. Dancing was one of the main components of ritual and also a celebration as dance troupes were available to hire to perform for any different event. There were six different kinds of dancing in ancient Egypt harem dancing, banquet dancing, religious & non-religious dancing, combat dancing, and street dancing. The overall design of a party is not that different from what we have today. Both the musicians and dancers would perform, while the servants would tend to the needs of the guests.
Ancient Egyptian Games & Toys
There were a lot of board games and toys in ancient Egypt, young children would play with dolls, animal toys with moveable jaws, puppets either made of wood or clay. Many told of Egypt’s middle kingdom (2040-1782 BC) were made of a piece of rope or string. Many of the toys took the shape of animals like cats, dogs, frogs, mice, and birds. The girl dolls were made of cloth and stuffed with grass, hay, and horsehair. A mechanical dog with a lever that moves when someone presses it back was located in Egypt’s new kingdom (1570-1070 BC). There were many board games in ancient Egypt like the Hounds and jackals board game found in King Tutankhamen tomb whose purpose was the capture the opposing side’s pieces while advancing your own. The oldest known board game known to man is Mehen a.k.a the game of the snake between 3150 BC and 2613 BC which was used as the ritual enchantment of the overthrowing of Apophasis. The most popular board game in the history of ancient Egypt was Senet which takes two players and is known to represent one’s journey from life to eternity.
Ancient Egyptian Storytelling
Storytelling was the most influential form of art in ancient Egypt. The stories and myths of ancient Egyptian gods and tales of heroes like the tale of Sinuhe, the tale of Setna, and Taboubu. the tale of the shipwrecked sailor, or the ghost stories told at gatherings, festivals, and parties. These stories gave birth and evolved to the gods and the belief system of the ancient Egyptian civilization. These stories had a moral impact on the people of ancient Egypt and reflected the values of the ancient Egyptians in the hope of enhancing one’s soul in the same way sports enhance one’s body.
