10 Oldest Sports In The World
The origins of many of the most popular sports today can be traced back to some of the world’s earliest civilisations.
Many of these activities have their roots in the human desire to survive but have since evolved into fully-fledged competitive activities.
With that in mind, read on as we look at the 10 oldest sports in the world.
1. Running
It is almost impossible to pinpoint exactly when running started, although some historians believe it was more than four million years ago.
Drawings in the Lascaux caves in France show one of the earliest depictions of sprinting, dating back around 15,300 years to the Upper Paleolithic era.
The first event in the inaugural Olympic Games in 776 BC was a foot race, which gives running the edge over wrestling to be classified as the oldest sport.
2. Wrestling
Wrestling also dates back to the Upper Paleolithic era, while further depictions can be traced to the Sumerians around 5,000 years ago.
According to elaborate tomb paintings found at Beni Hasan, on the eastern bank of the River Nile, ancient Egyptians also participated in wrestling.
Historians believe that wrestling has been an Olympic sport since at least 704 BC, thus placing it behind running in the pecking order.
3. Javelin
Javelin throwing was introduced into the Olympics around the same time as wrestling, but was structured differently to the modern-day sport.
There were two events – one for accuracy in hitting a target and the other for distance. The javelin was thrown with the aid of a thong wound around the centre of the shaft.
Athletes were initially required to throw the javelin with no run-up, but this subsequently evolved into limited run-ups being allowed before the unlimited run-up was introduced.
4. Boxing
Although the origins of fist fighting are difficult to trace, some historians believe its roots date back to prehistoric times in Ethiopia.
Boxing subsequently became popular in Egypt, Greece, Mesopotamia and Italy, before being introduced into the Olympics in 688 BC.
Modern boxing was created in 1867 via the introduction of the Marquess of Queensberry Rules, which remain the guidelines for the sport today.
5. Gymnastics
Gymnastics can be traced to exercise in ancient Greece and was subsequently adopted by the Romans who used to train soldiers for warfare.
During the Hellenistic period, the sport became hugely popular with Greek citizens and it was eventually included in the Olympics.
Modern gymnastics can be traced to the 18th century when two German doctors developed some of the equipment still used in competitions today.
6. Swimming
Recreational swimming was first evidenced in Stone Age paintings from around 10,000 years ago, but it did not become a competitive sport until the early 1800s.
The National Swimming Society of England organised early competitions in six artificial swimming pools located around London.
Swimming first appeared at the 1896 Olympics in Athens – an event which is recognised as the first international Games of the modern era.
7. Equestrianism
The use of horses for leisure, work or transportation activities can be traced back to ancient times, but it has since been expanded into numerous different sports.
Nomadic tribesmen raced horses in Asia around 4500 BC, while the first horseback competitions on British soil were staged in approximately 200 AD.
Organised racing in North America began in 1664, while the Olympics initially featured a form of equestrian in 1900.
8. Hockey
A form of hockey can be traced back to a game played with curved sticks and a ball in Egypt around 4,000 years ago.
There is further evidence of similar games in the Middle Ages and things moved on apace in the 19th century as individual hockey-type sports were defined.
Middlesex Cricket Club in England created modern hockey regulations, while the sport made its Olympic debut in 1908.
9. Hurling
Hurling is believed to predate Christianity, with some historians pitching its origins to County Meath in Ireland in around 1200 BC.
The eighteenth century is often referred to as ‘The Golden Age of Hurling’ when rich landowners staged the sport on their estates for their own amusement.
The founding of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) in Thurles, County Tipperary, in 1884 resulted in the introduction of a common set of written rules for the sport.
10. Football
FIFA claims football dates back to 200 – 300 BC, but the first club was created in England in the 1850s.
Cambridge University and Sheffield FC each claim to be the oldest club in the world, but FIFA’s award of a plaque to mark their 150th anniversary in 2006 is viewed as the tie-breaker.
The launch of the English Football League in 1888 fired the sport to even greater heights, laying the foundations for it to become a global phenomenon.
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