What did ancient pharaohs do for entertainment?

The Ancient Egyptians liked to play board games for fun. Two of the most popular board games were senet and mehen. The game of senet is thought to be over 5000 years old. It was so popular that many pharaohs were buried with senet boards so they would have something to do in the afterlife. read more

Among other things Egypt had it's own characteristic board game, Senet. The rules, alas, are not preserved -- but there are a couple of attempts at reconstructing them, such as this one. read more

The ancient Egyptians also enjoyed a version of tug-of-war. In the Egyptian version of the game, a rope was not used. Rather, the two front players in a single file line would hold hands, and everyone behind them would pull. Entertainment and recreation in ancient Egyptian society were primarily intended to maintain a healthy body and mind. read more