Crazy sports of the ancient world -

Some of these are not for the faint-hearted. Click to know more.

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Cuju -

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.

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Kalaripayattu -

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.

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Nguni stick-fighting -

Traditionally practiced by teenage Nguni (Zulu) herdboys in South Africa, Zulu stick-fighting is an ancient sport that deserves a place on this list.

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Pankration -

Pankration was essentially an early version of MMA in ancient Greece. Athletes would fight until someone tapped out, or died!

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Mesoamerican ballgame -

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.

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Ulama -

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.

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Viking skin pulling -

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.

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Buzkashi -

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.

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Muay Thai -

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.

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Basque pelota -

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.

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Kabaddi -

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.

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Pato -

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!

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Camel jumping -

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.

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Shin-kicking -

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.

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Shin-kicking -

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.

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Pelota purépecha -

Pelota purépecha was not your average field hockey. This ancient Mesoamerican game actually involved using a flaming puck!

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Jousting -

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.

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Chunkey -

This sport, played by Native American tribes, involved rolling a large stone disc across the ground and then throwing long sticks at it.

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Episkyros -

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.

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Papa Holua -

Hawaiians were not just about surfing waves. They also dominated the volcanos with a wooden sled. Known as Hawaiian lava sledding, the sport involved riding down a course on a narrow sled.

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Gladiatorial games -

The Romans loved to see gladiators fighting each other and fighting animals. These games often ended in death.

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Chariot races -

These were also pretty crazy. The Greeks introduced them in the Ancient Olympics in 680 BCE.

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Venatio -

The Romans were somewhat obsessed with the whole "humans against animals" games. This one in particular was about the hunting and killing of wild animals.

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Fisherman’s joust -

Water jousting on the Nile was a thing in ancient Egypt. And it didn't stop there. Later, the Greeks and Romans also adopted it.

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Naumachia -

The Romans were really into big sports events. Naumachia involved filling a basin (similar to an arena) with water, and placing warships inside. They would then recreate naval battles for mass entertainment.

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Knattleikr -

The Vikings used to play this game, which saw a revival among college student in the US. Similar to the Irish sport of hurling, it involves hitting a hard ball with a stick, and lots of physical contact, of course.

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Bullfighting -

Bullfighting is still very popular in countries such as Spain and Mexico, but its origins date back centuries ago. Ancient Romans were huge fans of it.

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Skinnleikr -

This Viking skin throwing game was simple. Bearskin would be tossed amongst players while a player in the middle tried to intercept it. It was usually played indoors, and there was a lot of shoving.

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Cockfighting -

While illegal in many countries throughout the world, cockfighting is still allowed in some places. This blood sport goes back around 6,000 years.

Sources: (List25) (Oldest.org) (Today I Found Out) (Medieval Chronicles)

See also: Unique sports from around the globe

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