1. Sumer, Egypt, China, and Mesoamerica
Chapter 2
Mechikoff & Estes, A History and Philosophy of Sport and Physical Education, Fourth Edition © 2006, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

2. Introduction: Cultural Components of Civilization
Like today, ancient societies valued
Athletic ability
Physical fitness
Competition
Play
These similarities serve evolutionary purpose
E.g. survival of the fittest

3. Introduction: Sport and Adaptation
Hunt for food as individuals and team
Best hunter was honored and participated in playful activities
Desire to survive, compete for honor, and win is part of culture and expressed through games and sports

4. Introduction: Sport and Warfare
Warfare was routine in ancient times
Formed armies, physical training programs, and warriors
Required for military combat training: endurance running, wrestling, and swimming
Combat sports emerged which are still popular today
martial arts, boxing, wrestling, spear throwing (javelin), and archery

5. Introduction: Common Themes
Need to
Insure survival
Compete
Be victorious
Play

6. Sumer—4000 B.C. World's first known civilization
Located in Mesopotamia, a region lying in present-day Iraq
“cradle of civilization”
Sumerian civilization flourished more than 5,000 years ago

7. Sumerian Society Developed cuneiform writing Valued law and order
Replaced oral tradition as first written system of communication
Valued law and order
Created a collection of laws called “Hammurabi's Code” 1800 B.C.
Kept records, literary tradition
Theology: initially, Sumerians believed they existed to serve the gods

8. Sumerian Society: Changing Theology
Rulers (kings) broke free from subservience to gods
Became representatives of the gods
Finally synonymous with gods
Only gods and kings had right to express individuality
Ordinary people were expendable
View of the body:
Sumerians did not place much value on the body

9. Sumerian Society
The human body was rarely used as a subject by Sumerian artists.
“Nakedness expressed humiliation and subjection…” (Olivova, 1984),

10. Sumeria and Sport
Lion hunting a popular sport: warriors and aristocrats displayed courage, athletic ability
Sumerian society demonstrates the connection that religion had with sport in premodern cultures
Most famous Sumerian king was Gilgamesh, who ruled during 27th century B.C.
Honored as being excellent hunter and warrior

11. Sumer Economic and political system were highly developed
Trade, travel, entertainment, and warfare were routine activities
Warriors engaged in activities that developed their athletic ability and necessitated development of physical fitness

12. Ancient Egypt (3000 B.C.)
Prominent part of the history of civilization
Array of historical artifacts
Rich history
Moses led Israelites out after 900 years of Egyptian civilization
Ruled by pharaohs

13. Political and Cultural Impact
Egyptian civilization was admired by ancient Greeks and Romans
Science of medicine emerged in Egypt
Magic used to cure diseases
Skill as doctors and surgeons known all over the ancient world
Culture and the significance of sport and play are revealed by tomb paintings

14. Egypt: Tomb Relief Bas-relief of Ramses II found at Sakkara, Egypt
Image Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C.

15. Early Dynastic Period (3000 - 1500 B.C.)
Artifacts show evidence of widespread sports and games
Combat sports like boxing and wrestling
Combat sports existed because of the constant threat of war
Archery, running, and swimming insured one's survival in war
Competitions were held in these sports
Fishing, boating, board games also popular

16. Sport in Egypt
Sports were a means by which famous Egyptian monarchs represented themselves to their people.
Egyptian monarchs exhibited physical strength, courage and the ability to engage in various athletic activities.
Egypt’s queens were also portrayed as “sports fans.”

17. Sport in Egypt Egyptians and war Superb warriors
Physical training for soldiers was harsh and physically demanding
Bow and arrow, foot speed were primary weapons
Archery and combat sports played a vital role in preparation for war

18. Sport/Recreation in Egypt
Hunting very popular
Music, singing, and dancing
Wrestling, games of chance, and ball games
Rock tombs in Egypt: murals
Track & field, swimming, wrestling, dancing, gymnastics, hockey and yoga-type exercises
Significant influence on Greek and Roman medicine, science, and sports

19. China Cultural history of China began about 1500 B.C.
In over 2,400 years, 10 dynasties ruled China
Archaeological evidence reveals that organized sports and games existed in China B.C.

20. Chinese Culture (1500 B.C.-900 A.D.)
Feudal political system
Military training necessary for warlords and emperors
Trained knights to battle on chariots
Chariots were manned with a driver, spearman, and an archer

21. Chinese Culture Military training (cont.)
Infantrymen and peasants followed the chariots
Depended on their athletic skill and physical fitness
Played a form of football for military training

22. Chinese Culture
Terracotta soldiers from the tomb of Qin Shinguang Di: The tomb was completed in about 210 B.C. It contains a terracotta army of about 8,000 life-sized men and horses, grouped into specific military battle formations; wooden chariots have also been found. The men are in uniforms representing various ranks, and they carry real weapons.
Image source: Royalty-Free/CORBIS; courtesy of McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

23. China: Sport & Recreation
As in Sumer and Egypt, Chinese nobility lived luxuriously
Enjoyed sports and recreation
Played cards, chess, and board and table games
Hunting was popular with both nobility as a sport and peasants as a means of securing food

24. China: Popular Sports Boxing, 527 A.D.
Complex system of 170 movements by 1070 A.D.
Martial arts evolved from Chinese philosophy and need for warriors
Initially a system of military training

25. China: Popular Sports Martial Arts
Began to develop and reflect elements of Chinese philosophy
Yin and yang: positive & negative forces in the universe
Later incorporated jingluoxue
science of attending to the main and collateral channels found in the body

26. Mesoamerica Geographical region
northern Mexico southward to Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador
Ball games were popular in antiquity, just as they are today
Ulama: ball game beginning in 1800 B.C., continued by Mayans & Aztecs
Religious, cultural, competitive elements

27. Mesoamerica Ulama: ball courts discovered dating from 1500 B.C.
Tchlactli: magnificent ballcourts
Games had strong religious overtones
Human sacrifice: a common component (losing and/or winning teams might be sacrificed, to give gods the “best”)
Served ritualistic purposes
Fertility, harvest, appease the gods

28. Mesoamerica Ball court characteristics
Oblong shape, similar to letter “I”
Thick, high ornamental walls
Stone ring (tlachtemalacatl) in middle of side wall served as goal
Ball court at Chichen Itza is the largest discovered; reliefs show players and ritual sacrifice

29. Ball Court at Chichen Itza
Ball court at Chichen Itza, Mexico, the largest known ball course (545 X 232 feet). It is oblong and has thick, ornamental walls.
Image source: Photo by Linda Ginsburg

30. Mesoamerica
Use of hard rubber ball necessitated protective equipment for players
Gloves, arm guards, knee pads, chest protector
Fast-paced, athletic ball game shares characteristics with modern sports like baseball, basketball, and squash
Spanish explorers took Indian athletes back to Spain to demonstrate the ball game for the king

31. Ball Court at Chichen Itza
Relief showing
ballplayer’s
equipment
Detail of stone relief carving at the ball court in Chichen Itza, Mexico. The ballplayer wears equipment reminiscent of several of today’s sport.
Image source: Royalty-Free/CORBIS; courtesy of McGraw-Hill Higher Education