ABSTRACT
Scholars have only recently begun to write the history of women, and in order to gather evidence of ancient and medieval women's sports, it is often necessary to glean the historical field after conventional historians have finished their harvest. Hence the picture of pre-industrial body and movement culture is far from complete. Nevertheless, it is clear that in the various periods of German history, as in many other cultures and societies, numerous and various physical activities existed, ranging from the tournaments of knights to the folk games of farmers and the archery and fencing of the inhabitants of towns and cities. However, physical activities were restricted to certain social groups, and they had specific functions and meanings, such as preparation for war, religious or mystical aims, or as part of a festival.
