Egypt's traditional stick fighters in training - in pictures

Enthusiasts take part in tahtib, a martial art that participants hope will eventually make it into the Olympics

A tahtib (stick-fighting) training session at a sports club in the Rihab suburb on the eastern outskirts of Cairo, the Egyptian capital. AFP

Egypt's traditional stick-fighting is a popular event at festivities and dates back at least 5,000 years. AFP

The modern version of tahtib 'is an updated sports version of a multimillennial art'. AFP

In traditional tahtib, two men perform a dance while wielding bamboo-like rods in a face-off somewhat resembling a fencing duel. AFP

Unlike traditional tahtib, women can participate in the modern version. AFP

Unesco in 2016 listed the martial art as an 'intangible cultural heritage of humanity. AFP

The "secrets of combat" were inscribed in stone on the walls of temples and tombs of ancient Egypt's Old Kingdom (2700-2200BC) until the arrival of the Greeks, who conquered the North African country in about 300BC. AFP

At exhibitions, notably the International Martial Arts Festival in Paris in 2016, modern tahtib attracted international followers but is still trying to gain a significant foothold in Egypt. AFP

Social media is attracting young local admirers of the sport. AFP

Tahtib is a modern martial art that enthusiasts hope will eventually make it to the Olympic Games. AFP

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