Ancient sports originated in Mesopotamia in the 4th millennium BC. Sports included horse racing, boxing, swimming, and running. The earliest known sports text from 1345 BC discussed training for horse-drawn carriage races in Mesopotamia. Ancient Egypt also had a variety of sports as evidenced by archaeological artifacts from tombs and temples depicting activities like field hockey, javelin throwing, handball, gymnastics, and fishing. On the island of Crete during the Bronze Age, artistic representations showed sports like bull jumping and combat sports. In ancient Greece, sport was an important part of education to develop excellence and honor. The first Olympic Games were held in 776 BC and were joined