Entertainment in Ancient Egypt

Egyptians found many ways to entertain themselves after work. Researchers have obtained numerous artifacts and other forms of evidence to support their physical and leisure activities. Men typically participated in physical sports such as fishing, swimming, wrestling, boxing, and long distance running. These physical sports often were used to elevate a man’s physical prowess in the community. Board games were also popular. These board games were often times made out of wood, stone, clay, or drawings scratched on the ground.

One of the most common games was Senet, which was played on a board of thirty squares divided into three rows of ten squares. The overall objective of the game was to move your piece around the board in an S-shaped pattern until you reached the far end. This game required strategy and chance. It is importance to note that Senet had religious significance, as this game portrayed one’s journey through the underworld.