“Games and jousts on horseback”

In three parts, the exhibition evokes the birth of the Olympic and Panhellenic Games. Martial games, tournaments, jousts, and carousels highlight the various playful training techniques for war, over a wide period.

Since Antiquity, often for the sole benefit of the elite, the horse has offered human beings its strength and speed. During competitions, riders and leaders selected the best animals. They faced tough opponents and thrilled the crowds who came to admire them. Alone against everyone, in a duel or in a team, in a field lined with lists or in an open field, they pushed the limits of the game, even if it meant risking their lives.

In three parts, the exhibition evokes the birth of the Olympic and Panhellenic Games. Martial games, tournaments, jousts, and carousels highlight the various playful training techniques for war, over a wide period from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. Finally, in a third part, the most popular team games are presented: polo, pãto (horse-ball) and buzkachi.