Wilkinson, John Gardner; Birch, Samuel [Contr.]: The Egyptians in the time of the pharaohs: being a companion to the Crystal Palace Egyptian collections (London, 1857)

BALL, AND OTHER GAMES.

17

The ball was very like many of our own, about three inches
in diameter, sewed with string crosswise at its one seam, and
stuffed with bran, thread, husks of corn, or small rushes, and
covered with leather.

Another feat was performed by a couple of men, who, holding
two women by the wrist, whirled them round as they reclined
backwards, each with her feet pressed against those of her
companion.* Others, placing a hoop between two hooked sticks,
strove who should first snatch it away from his adversary t;
and a sort of forfeits was played by two men, who, holding some
wooden counters in their hands, or striking the back of a third
as he knelt between them, obliged him to guess the number, or

du\

(W. 5.)

which gave the blow. Another feat consisted of sitting back
to back, and striving who should first rise from the ground;
and sometimes two men contended who should throw a knife
nearest to the centre, or the edge, of a block of wood—the
number of times deciding the winner of the stake. But many
of these were rather out-of-doors amusements than exhibitions
to divert a party, as was the trial of strength in raising weights.

* P. A. of Ancient Egyptians, vol. i. p. 201. t Md. p. 194.

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