Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
IP addresses are NOT logged in this forum so there's no point asking. Please note that this forum is full of homophobes, racists, lunatics, schizophrenics & absolute nut jobs with a smattering of geniuses, Chinese chauvinists, Moderate Muslims and last but not least a couple of "know-it-alls" constantly sprouting their dubious wisdom. If you believe that content generated by unsavory characters might cause you offense PLEASE LEAVE NOW! Sammyboy Admin and Staff are not responsible for your hurt feelings should you choose to read any of the content here. The OTHER forum is HERE so please stop asking.
If you're into sports—or any type of physical game, for that matter—then you're in for a treat. Indeed, there are several ancient sports that many of us have never heard of. Some are absolutely brutal, others are plain bizarre, and some others actually sound quite fun. Going down a volcano on a sled? Fighting for a headless goat on horseback? Odd, right?
Also known as Tsu Chu, this Chinese sport is the oldest predecessor of modern soccer. The game involves kicking a ball through an opening in a small net. Cuju goes back to circa 2,500 BCE.
Also known as Kalari, this Indian martial art is one of the oldest forms of combat. It involves both weapons and striking. It dates back approximately 3,000 years.
Played since at least 1650 BCE by the peoples of ancient Mesoamerica, this sport not only was a game, but it also had spiritual significance. It's believed that human sacrifices were sometimes combined with the game. Not much is known about the sport itself, other than that a solid rubber ball was used.
Ulma is a descendant of the Mesoamerican ballgame. A court is divided by a line, and a rubber ball is played between teams without the use of their hands. Hips and elbows were mostly used.
This Viking version of tug of war was way more extreme than the game we know today. Not only did they use animal skin instead of rope, but they made it more interesting by playing over a fire pit! Yes, you'd end up in the pit if you lost.
This sport involves two teams on horseback trying to pull the carcass of a headless goat across an area. Buzkashi is still Afghanistan's national sport to this day.
The national sport of Thailand is pretty brutal. Dating back to the 16th century, the "art of eight limbs" makes use of two fists, shins, knees, and elbows.
This sport from the 13th century can be compared to tennis. Ball speeds could reach up to 200 km/h (120 mph), and without protective equipment it could be pretty tough when someone was hit by one of those ancient balls.
This ancient wrestling game sees a team trying to tackle a single player. Kabaddi can be traced back to ancient India, and remains a popular game in the Indian subcontinent.
This cross between polo and basketball is Argentina's national sport. Pato means "duck," and in the old days the game was actually played with a live duck!
This sport was originally played by Zaraniq tribesmen in Yemen, and is still practiced to this day. It's all about jumping over as many camels as possible.
Also known as shin diggings or purring, there's not much to this combat sport originally from England. It involves two people kicking each other in the shins.
It's believe to date back to the early 17th century, and it was pretty popular at the Cotswold Olimpick Games (which ended in the 1850s). Though unlike in those days, now players stuff their pants with straw and wear soft shoes.
Many of us have seen medieval knights play this in movies. And, yes, it was pretty gnarly. Even though most wouldn't die, participants could be severely injured.
A predecessor of modern soccer, this game played by the ancient Greeks involved teams of nine soldiers, and the objective was to score goals. The ball was made from an ox bladder and filled with sand or soil.
