Fisherman Jousting: An Ancient Egyptian Sport with a Violent History

Ancient history is full of examples of violence, not only in the form of torture and killings, but also in entertainment and sports. From the bloody gladiatorial combats of ancient Rome, to the Maya ball game, chariot racing in ancient Greece, and Greco-Roman wrestling, ancient history had all kinds of brutal sports. Often these sports were accompanied by crowds yelling in rapture and awe, enjoying the spectacle of blood, guts, and even death.

Ancient Egypt had its own peculiar share of violent sports, in the form of something called ‘Fisherman jousting’ (or ‘Fishermen’s jousting’). It is still practiced today, but in a much more sanitized fashion. Different styles of the fisherman’s joust exist today in France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Belgium – minus the bloodlust.

A Conflict Resolution Mechanism: The Last Man Standing

Records from around 2800 BC show the practice of water jousting was created by the ancient Egyptians to solve disputes and conflicts between individuals or sometimes even entire villages. Men would fight each other with long poles that had razor sharp points at the end, wearing no protection.

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