A Study on Wrestling Rituals, Terms, Rules, and Techniques in the Narrative Scrolls and Late Heroic Poems

Wrestling has been one of the oldest martial arts/sports activities that dates back (with conjecture) to the earliest days of human existence on earth. Wrestling has a long history and importance, not only among the ancient Iranians, but also among many ancient nations. Although wrestling is our national sport, and the oldest Iranian archeological documents in this field date back to about three thousand years ago, surprisingly, no serious study could be found about the ritual, terms and techniques of such an activity from antiquity to the late Qajar period, apart from parts of a few treatise, as well as a few poems (all related to the Teymuri period onwards), in none of the historical, epic and folk works - even heroic poems such as Shahnameh, Garshasb-nameh, Bahman-nameh, etc. Narrative Scrolls and late heroic poems are sources that partially answer this shortcoming and provide valuable information about the rules, terms, traditions, and techniques of wrestling. Since these valuable resources have not yet been considered by scholars of ancient sports, the author intends to focus on this concern.