The oldest known depiction of juggling was found in the Beni-Hassan tombs from the middle-kingdom of the ancient Egyptian civilization. These women jugglers were found amongst acrobats and dancers in one of the crypt's wall paintings. The drawing itself was made about 2000 years before the birth of Christ. After the Beni-Hassan tombs there is a gap of about 1500 years before evidence of juggling reappears in the art of the Greeks. It is difficult to believe that it did not exist in some form during this time. It is much more likely that if any depictions have survived they are simply obscure and unknown to those with a particular interest in juggling. However, between the fourth and fifth centuries B.C. many jugglers began appearing in Greek art, usually as pottery decoration. Juggling was considered a form of recreation by the Greeks and many of its practitioners were women.