Ancient Egyptian Entertainment

• Dramatizations were held in the temples, but the most important source of entertainment & relaxation was the Nile river.
• Activities on the river include fishing, river boat outings, swimming, hunting crocodiles and hippopotamuses, and boat games where two teams of men in boats with long poles, would try to push each other into the water.
• Hunting in the desert was another great pastime.
• Men first hunted on foot, however, by the time of the New Kingdom, men used horses and chariots.

Festivals

• Festivals held in Ancient Egypt were usually holidays in honor of the gods.
• The important gods had festivals in their honor that were held by the priests.
• A statue of the god was carried through the streets.

Wealthy Egyptian Entertainment

Parades

More friendly gods had celebrations held by the people, and not the priests. Be’s is one of the gods the people held a festival for. On the day of Be’s, no work was done on the pyramid, and people would parade down the street dressed in masks of Be’s, while dancers and tambourine players followed. The townspeople joined in the singing from their rooftops, while the children would run along beside the dancers singing and clapping their hands. The whole town enjoyed the festival and feast.

• Wealthy Egyptians often entertained by holding extravagant parties with plenty of food to eat and beer and wine to drink.
• Singers, dancers, acrobats, and musicians were hired to entertain.
• The Egyptians loved music, and played instruments such as the lute, harp, and lyre.

Ancient Egyptian Entertainment

Art

The ancient Egyptian art is made up of paintings, sculptures, architecture and other arts produced by the civilization of ancient Egypt. Their art was made for the GODS. Size that the people are drawn indicates often relative importance in the social order. The king, or pharaoh, is usually the largest figure. Figures of high officials or tomb owner are usually smaller.

Games

Music

• Other favorite pastimes included board games like Hounds & Jackals, and Senet. Children kept themselves entertained with toys like carved ivory animals, wooden horses on wheels, and balls.

• Music was a lucrative career open to both men and women in ancient Egypt.
• Musicians and dancers could work freelance or be permanently attached to an estate or temple.
• Leisure hours were filled with singing and dancing.
• Farmers danced to give thanks for good harvests.
• Female musicians played on guitars, lyers, and harps.

Dancing

5 Test Questions

• Dancing played a vital role in the life of egyptians.
• Laborers moved in a rhythmic motion when working.
• Wealthy people did not dance in public that was reserved for the slaves or lower class people.
• Well bred nobles would have there slaves entertain at dinners and gatherings.

• What kind of art was found in ancient Egypt?
• Where were dramatizations held?
• What was the main source of entertainment in ancient Egypt?
• What kind of instruments did they play?
• What kind of games did the ancient Egyptians play?

Dance

Ancient Egyptian Entertainment