Some rich people ride on elephants instead of horses in Chogan. Golf and Hockey have been inspired by this entertaining game of ancient Iranians. Today, all countries are familiar with this game calling it polo. The game is also played by elephants in some countries In the American continent, this intangible cultural heritage of Iranians was performed in Latin American countries and attracted lots of fans in this part of the world. The popularity of this ancient game in the UK was a prelude to expanding it further to the US. So, in 1860, polo was played for the first time in England. Later, they transferred these skills to their countries. When Indian and British officers were part of the foreign ruling systems in Iran, they learned this Iranian game and its rules. When he settled in his new capital city, Esfahan, he ordered Naqsh-e Jahan Square to be built for playing Chogan. We have observed traces of it going back to the Safavid Era and the time when Shah Abbas I reigned in Iran. The history of This Iranian game doesn’t end in the Mongolian Era. This created interest among all East Asian countries in this entertaining game as a unique amusing competition. It’s the first written document that mentions Chogan as an Iranian game.Īfter Mongols had invaded Iran, they learned Iranian arts and culture, including Chogan, and promoted it all across their empire. It narrates the story of Ardeshir I, the founder of this dynasty.
“Kar-Namag i Ardashir i Pabagan”, is a middle Persian prose tale written in Sassanian Era. As time went by, Chogan changed to the present-day style. Therefore, this entertainment included horses’ military-style marching and riding war horses. Horse riding was more of a military and warfare practice. Of course, it was played differently back then.
One of the amusing activities among kings was playing Chogan. It dates back to the centuries before Christ when it was quite popular among kings, rulers, wealthy people, and those who could afford it as an entertaining sport. As Achaemenians extended their borders to far and vast geographical spots, this ancient Iranian game found its way to other countries too. History of Chogan (Polo) Chogan, an intangible cultural heritage played by both men and womenįor the first time, This game was played during Achaemenians in Iran. This game is part of the Iranian intangible cultural heritage inscribed by UNESCO.
Ferdowsy and Roodaky have mentioned this Iranian horse-riding game in their poems.ĭuring this game, entertainers play special pieces of music and songs using particular musical instruments. Several well-known people have created a number of stories and poems for Chogan. It’s an amazing game that has attracted many people throughout history. Iranians have played Chogan (Polo) as an entertaining horse riding game since almost 2500 years ago. Chogan Game, an Intangible Iranian Cultural Heritage