Where do clowns originate from?

-The most ancient clowns have been found in the Fifth dynasty of Egypt, around 2400 BCE. Contrary to court jests, clown have traditionally served a socio-religious and psychological role, and traditionally the role of priest and clown have been held by the same persons.



Clowning was developed from a broad tradition of historical performances, and it is difficult to point out a singular tradition or even a few different ones as being the primary precursors to clowns.

However there are a few past prominent forms of entertainment contemporarily linked to clowning as its possible antecedents.



Examples of historical, clown-like comedic performers have been the pantomimus in ancient Greece, the Lazzi of Commedia dell'Arte, bouffons, court jesters, as well as the French mime tradition. On top of this there are many non-European clowning traditions (including clown-like figures in Japanese Kabuki theatre), North American native shamen traditions to consider which may or may not have influenced what we now think of as a clown in the Western world.





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clown#Histo鈥?/a>

http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/jung鈥?/a>

http://books.google.es/books?id=HE3kv720鈥?/a>

http://www.jstor.org/pss/535333

http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENT鈥?/a>The most ancient clowns have been found in the Fifth dynasty of Egypt, around 2400 BCE. Contrary to court jests, clown have traditionally served a socio-religious and psychological role, and traditionally the role of priest and clown have been held by the same persons.



Clowning was developed from a broad tradition of historical performances, and it is difficult to point out a singular tradition or even a few different ones as being the primary precursors to clowns.

However there are a few past prominent forms of entertainment contemporarily linked to clowning as its possible antecedents.



Examples of historical, clown-like comedic performers have been the pantomimus in ancient Greece, the Lazzi of Commedia dell'Arte, bouffons, court jesters, as well as the French mime tradition. On top of this there are many non-European clowning traditions (including clown-like figures in Japanese Kabuki theatre), North American native shamen traditions to consider which may or may not have influenced what we now think of as a clown in the Western world.





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clown#Histo鈥?/a>

http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/jung鈥?/a>

http://books.google.es/books?id=HE3kv720鈥?/a>

http://www.jstor.org/pss/535333

http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENT鈥?/a>The art of clowning has existed for thousands of years. A pygmy clown performed as a jester in the court of Pharaoh Dadkeri-Assi during Egypt鈥檚 Fifth Dynasty about 2500 B.C. Court jesters have performed in China since 1818 B.C. Throughout history most cultures have had clowns.



When Cortez conquered the Aztec Nation in 1520 A.D. he discovered Montezuma鈥檚 court included jesters similar to those in Europe. Aztec fools, dwarf clowns, and hunchbacked buffoons were among the treasures Cortez took back to Pope Clement VII. Most Native American tribes had some type of clown character. These clowns played an important role in the social and religious life of the tribe, and in some cases were believed to be able to cure certain diseases.
Clowns in originated in Norway actually despite some of the nonsense you read!



Here is a Norwegian clown!

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20鈥?/a>
your mom!!!!
I know this one...



The circus!
Congress or law school.
Clown college?