{"id":385,"date":"2022-11-08T08:40:43","date_gmt":"2022-11-08T08:40:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/earlycricket.uk\/?page_id=385"},"modified":"2025-06-05T11:09:27","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T11:09:27","slug":"very-early-images","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/very-early-images\/","title":{"rendered":"Very early images"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"pdfprnt-buttons pdfprnt-buttons-page pdfprnt-top-right\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/385?print=print\" class=\"pdfprnt-button pdfprnt-button-print\" target=\"_blank\" ><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/plugins\/pdf-print\/images\/print.png\" alt=\"image_print\" title=\"Print Content\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/very-early-images\/#2000_BCE_%E2%80%93_Tomb_of_Kheti-Beni_Hassna_%E2%80%93_Egypt\" >2000 BCE &#8211; Tomb of Kheti-Beni Hassna &#8211; Egypt<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/very-early-images\/#500_BCE_%E2%80%93_Kouros_base_with_ball-players_%E2%80%93_Athens\" >500 BCE &#8211; Kouros base with ball-players &#8211; Athens<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/very-early-images\/#8th_Century_%E2%80%93_Venerable_Bede\" >8th Century &#8211; Venerable Bede<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/very-early-images\/#13th_Century_%E2%80%93_Canterbury_Cathedral\" >13th Century &#8211; Canterbury Cathedral<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/very-early-images\/#13th_century_%E2%80%93_Manuscript_of_the_Galician_Cantigas_de_Santa_Maria\" >13th century &#8211; Manuscript of the Galician Cantigas de Santa Maria.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/very-early-images\/#14th_Century_%E2%80%93_copy_of_Decretals_of_Pope_Gregory_1X\" >14th Century &#8211; copy of Decretals of Pope Gregory 1X<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/very-early-images\/#14th_Century_%E2%80%93_Gloucester_Cathedral\" >14th Century &#8211; Gloucester Cathedral<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/very-early-images\/#14th_Century_%E2%80%93_The_Romance_of_Alexander\" >14th Century &#8211; The Romance of Alexander<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/very-early-images\/#14th_Century_%E2%80%93_Ghistelles_Hours\" >14th Century &#8211; Ghistelles Hours<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/very-early-images\/#14th_Century_%E2%80%93_Cocking_Church\" >14th Century &#8211; Cocking Church<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/very-early-images\/#15th_Century_%E2%80%93_non-cricket_image\" >15th Century &#8211; non-cricket image<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2000_BCE_%E2%80%93_Tomb_of_Kheti-Beni_Hassna_%E2%80%93_Egypt\"><\/span>2000 BCE &#8211; Tomb of Kheti-Beni Hassna &#8211; Egypt<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Clipboard02.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"189\" height=\"152\" src=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Clipboard02.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1089\" style=\"width:354px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I accept this is not cricket. But it is very old and is commonly believed to be a bat and ball game played with a hockey-stick style implement. Some kind of bully-off perhaps?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"500_BCE_%E2%80%93_Kouros_base_with_ball-players_%E2%80%93_Athens\"><\/span>500 BCE &#8211; Kouros base with ball-players &#8211; Athens<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Clipboard01-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"523\" src=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Clipboard01-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1091\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Clipboard01-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Clipboard01-1-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Clipboard01-1-768x502.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A bas-relief on a base that would have supported a Kouros (i.e. an Ancient Greek sculpture of a naked male youth of noble rank).\u00a0The image is of youths who seem to be in ball-game playing mode. A similar image to the one portrayed above. Hockey-stick style implements are much in evidence, clothing less so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What is going on?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8th_Century_%E2%80%93_Venerable_Bede\"><\/span>8th Century &#8211; Venerable Bede <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Bede.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"http:\/\/earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Bede.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-415\" style=\"width:354px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Bede.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Bede-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From the Life of Cuthbert by the Venerable Bede. Youths at play, hockey-style stick in use again.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"13th_Century_%E2%80%93_Canterbury_Cathedral\"><\/span>13th Century &#8211; Canterbury Cathedral<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Six-Ages.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"489\" height=\"600\" src=\"http:\/\/earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Six-Ages.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-481\" style=\"width:327px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Six-Ages.jpg 489w, https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Six-Ages-245x300.jpg 245w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 489px) 100vw, 489px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Six Ages of Man, Canterbury Cathedral, window in the North West Transept depicting <em>The Six Ages of Man<\/em>. The Youth is holding a hockey-stick style implement, presumably indicating some type of sporting activity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"13th_century_%E2%80%93_Manuscript_of_the_Galician_Cantigas_de_Santa_Maria\"><\/span>13th century &#8211; Manuscript of the Galician Cantigas de Santa Maria.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:48%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Canta-S-Maria-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"582\" height=\"600\" src=\"http:\/\/earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Canta-S-Maria-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-391\" style=\"width:425px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Canta-S-Maria-1.jpg 582w, https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Canta-S-Maria-1-291x300.jpg 291w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 582px) 100vw, 582px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:52%\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Young men playing a bat-and-ball game in a 13th-century manuscript of the Galician Cantigas de Santa Maria.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"14th_Century_%E2%80%93_copy_of_Decretals_of_Pope_Gregory_1X\"><\/span>14th Century &#8211; copy of Decretals of Pope Gregory 1X<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"570\" height=\"341\" src=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Decretals.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4632\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Decretals.jpg 570w, https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Decretals-300x179.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 570px) 100vw, 570px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another bat and ball game. The receiving player is well poised &#8211; feet apart, sideways-on stance, eyes level &#8211; but, all the same, he still looks a little tense.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"14th_Century_%E2%80%93_Gloucester_Cathedral\"><\/span> 14th Century &#8211; Gloucester Cathedral<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:47%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Gloucester-cathedral.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"510\" height=\"382\" src=\"http:\/\/earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Gloucester-cathedral.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-387\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Gloucester-cathedral.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Gloucester-cathedral-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 510px) 100vw, 510px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:53%\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A medallion in the great East Window in Gloucester Cathedral. Around 1360, often associated with golf, but the ball could be moving (it does seem to be above ground level) so it could be a cricket-style game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/online.fliphtml5.com\/aiebs\/bcti\/#p=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Here <\/a>is a booklet about the glass at Gloucester Cathedral.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"14th_Century_%E2%80%93_The_Romance_of_Alexander\"><\/span> 14th Century &#8211; The Romance of Alexander<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Monks.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"656\" src=\"http:\/\/earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Monks.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-389\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Monks.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Monks-300x192.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Monks-768x492.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This illuminated manuscript, held by the Bodleian Library, from about 1340 (The Romance of Alexander), shows what appears to be some kind of ball game. Benny Green, in his book <a href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/my-library-of-early-cricket\/#A_History_of_Cricket_%E2%80%93_Benny_Green_1988\">A History of Cricket<\/a>, is impressed with the line of monastic slip fielders.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"14th_Century_%E2%80%93_Ghistelles_Hours\"><\/span> 14th Century &#8211; Ghistelles Hours<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Medieval-game.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"575\" height=\"423\" src=\"http:\/\/earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Medieval-game.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-393\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Medieval-game.jpg 575w, https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Medieval-game-300x221.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 575px) 100vw, 575px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another drawing of a ball game appears on the edge of a manuscript &#8211; Ghistelles Hours, a 14th-century Flemish book of hours probably made for John III, Lord of Ghistelles, and Ingelmunster (Belgium).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"14th_Century_%E2%80%93_Cocking_Church\"><\/span>14th Century &#8211; Cocking Church<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:31%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"285\" height=\"412\" src=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Shepards.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3572\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Shepards.jpg 285w, https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Shepards-208x300.jpg 208w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 285px) 100vw, 285px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:69%\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An ancient mural dating from the 14th century in Cocking Church, just North of Chichester, depicts shepherds at the Nativity carrying sicks, similar in shape to hockey sticks, but looking heavier and longer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"15th_Century_%E2%80%93_non-cricket_image\"><\/span> 15th Century &#8211; non-cricket image<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Pig.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"880\" height=\"320\" src=\"http:\/\/earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Pig.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Pig.jpg 880w, https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Pig-300x109.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Pig-768x279.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 880px) 100vw, 880px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<p>This is not a cricket image. Instead, it presents a less appealing form of medieval entertainment. It shows four blind men tasked with beating a pig to death. The alleged amusement arose from their missing the pig and hitting each other instead. Cricket was definitely a step forward.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>2000 BCE &#8211; Tomb of Kheti-Beni Hassna &#8211; Egypt I accept this is not cricket. But it is very old and is commonly believed to be a bat and ball game played with a hockey-stick style implement. Some kind of bully-off perhaps? 500 BCE &#8211; Kouros base with ball-players &#8211; Athens A bas-relief on a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":true,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-385","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/PdOpLv-6d","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/385","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=385"}],"version-history":[{"count":42,"href":"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/385\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4832,"href":"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/385\/revisions\/4832"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.earlycricket.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=385"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}