10/01/2026
Wrestling in the Tomb of Amenemhat at Beni Hasan, c. 2000 B.C.
▫️Wrestling in Ancient Egypt was a highly respected and ancient discipline, among the earliest documented sports in recorded history. It was not a brutal or theatrical display, like the choreographed sword duels shown in The Mummy Returns, but rather a structured and skilful activity that combined physical prowess with cultural and symbolic significance.
The earliest known images of wrestling appear during the Old Kingdom, around 2400 B.C., notably in the tomb of Ptahhotep at Saqqara. However, it is during the Middle Kingdom, particularly in the tomb of Baqet III at Beni Hasan (c. 2000 B.C.), that wrestling is shown in its most elaborate form.
Here, over 400 detailed painted scenes portray wrestlers engaged in a wide range of holds, throws, and counters. Each sequence seems to capture a specific technique, arranged almost like an ancient instructional manual.
“Behold, I will make you take a fall helpless, in front of the Pharaoh, may he live, be prosperous and healthy.”
Wrestling in Ancient Egypt was first and foremost a sport; competitive, intense, but non-lethal. It can be compared to modern Greco-Roman wrestling or even judo, with its focus on leverage, balance, and bodily control.
Wrestlers typically wore only a loincloth and competed bare-chested, allowing for ease of movement. Yet beyond sport, wrestling served several key roles.
It was a common form of recreation and exercise, especially for young men, and it was also an essential component of military training.
Soldiers were taught wrestling alongside stick-fighting and archery, as a practical means of preparing for hand-to-hand combat and strengthening discipline.
In royal contexts, wrestling tournaments were sometimes hosted by the pharaoh during festivals and jubilees, not only as entertainment but as symbolic affirmations of royal vitality and cosmic order.
Read more: https://egypt-museum.com/wrestling/