Intro-Combat Sports in Ancient Egypt

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Lasting from 3050 BCE to 332 CE, the kingdoms of ancient Egypt represent today one of the most prolific and intriguing civilizations in history.  The combined art, architecture, and mythology from this vast period are remarkably well preserved and offer valuable insights into the nature of everyday life for Egyptians and their rulers.  As a part of this life, combat sports and athletics served more as representations of divinity and power enjoyed by pharaohs than as activities for mere entertainment or competition.  The private sports enjoyed by most ordinary Egyptian subjects, such as acrobatics or wrestling, often were more about light entertainment than serious competition, while many games such hunting and chariot races were more heavily focused on the pharaoh’s preparations for war and were designed as ways of displaying power and might for this ultimate ruler.  The ritualized aspect of combat sports in Egypt characterizes their nature to a great extent as extensions of ceremonial displays of the pharaohs’ perceived divinity and power.

1 thought on “Intro-Combat Sports in Ancient Egypt”

  1. 1. What: Sure of the argument
    Where: At the end
    Why: Ritualized combat sports as a means to display the Pharaohs’ power comes out as the clear thesis of this essay at the end of the introduction, and this clarity is really good for the reader’s understanding of the essay.

    2. What: Distracted
    Where: First two sentences
    Why: I feel that the first two sentences of the essay, though relevant, are not directly addressing the main point of this essay. I feel that the essay should address its major argument in the first sentence itself.

    3. What: Confused
    Where: 2nd last sentence
    Why: This sentence is quite long and can be confusing; the various ideas would come through, and also read better if you split them into different sentences.

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