Is horse polo a central asian invention

[arnewise12]

I wondered if horse polo that u see rich people play these days in tv, is it turkic central asian origin of it

[keaganjoelbrewer]

I just checked the Wikipedia article on polo and it says that noone really knows.

Are there any similarities between polo and other horse sports in Central Asia like Buzkashi/Kok Boru/Ulak Tartysh?

[Azadan Januspar]

I believe myself that origin of this game and games alike are in the very place that horsemanship born i.e. Steppes. But the distinct father of the today Polo is the game name of "Chogān" played thousand of years by many dynasties of Iran and most notable of them the Sassanids. This phrase "Zeh Sawar!" (meaning Bravo, horseman!) is the phrase directly in Persian cited in Arabic sources like Al-Dinavari narrating one of the events of late Sassanid era, in which king Xosrau II Aparvizh is watching the game played by his "Marzpans"(title for commander of the border patrols) of Khwarvaran (Iraq) province, in this game he is said to have stated that phrase about hundred times seeing the mastery of one of Marzpans in hitting the ball. This game like many games of the Sassanian court (Nerd as an example) after Arabic onquest, passed into the courts of the later ruling classes in middle east.

[ALTAR]

Polo was playing among Qara Qoyunlu and Aq Qoyunlu Turcomans in Anatolia. It was called "Chevgān" However it was forgotten after the settlement of Nomadic Turcomans in the cities, villages for centuries. (Source: Faruk Sümer - Qara Qoyunlus)

Buzkashi/Kokboru is a well known Central Asian sport. Its very popular in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan. There are special educated Buzkashi horses for the competitions who are only used in this Buzkashi games nothing else.

And Keegans question;

The main similarity and common point btwn Polo and Buzkashi is playing with riding on the horses.

However, you have to steal the skin outed of a goat or sheep from the other riders with using whips to prevent other riders taking the skin. Then you have to put the skin in a circle which was drawn before the race.

In polo there are two teams and run behind a small ball. And then they need to score it the rivals goalkeep like hockey but you have do it on the horse.

[Azadan Januspar]

Polo was playing among Qara Qoyunlu and Aq Qoyunlu Turcomans in Anatolia. It was called "Chevgān" However it was forgotten after the settlement of Nomadic Turcomans in the cities, villages for centuries. (Source: Faruk Sümer - Qara Qoyunlus)

As I was earlier saying the distinct father of game polo, was Iranian game of "Chōpakān" (from Pahlavi language alternately called Chōpīgān) in which “Chōpak” means stick, shaft and in this sense mallet, and ān is the plural suffix. The Persian term of “Chōgān” is the development of that word in Persian. In this category there was the collocation "Chōpakān hushnās" (meaning the skillful polo player in Pahlavi). Earliest references of it, dates back to the time of Achaemenids in which in about 4th century BC Xenophon describes its gameplay and its wide range playing amongst the Achaemenids. There is also comprehensive reference to its widespread playing amongst the elites of that era in the old book of the time of the early Sassanids name of "Kārnāmak i Artaxsher i Pāpakān" (The book of wars of Artaxshir Pāpakān). After that details and various events related to this game repeatedly narrated in Sassanian and Islamic history books. It is said that also women also playing that game especially elite women and the daughters of the distinguished persons for instance it is said that "Xosrau ll" played that game with his Nestorian wife "Shirīn" who was good at it. Therefore speaking of the origin and earliest records of the game it has nothing to do with "Kara koyonlu" or "Ak kuyunlo" Turkmens of the 15th century AD, as this game adopted from Iranians by various foreigners like Harun al-Rashid the Arab caliph of Abbassid dynasty, who is told to be fund of this game.

[H. İhsan Erkoç]

No one said the earliest records of that are from 15th century Turkmens

[Azadan Januspar]

But I guessed we were talking about its origins in this thread.

[ALTAR]

I never claim that Chevgan(Polo) was a original Turcoman game. I said that it was played among Anatolian Turcomans too. I gave an extra information. There's nothing about the origin of the game in my post. Read my posts carefully.

And thanks for detailed information about the origin of Polo. Though, it isnot very popular in Iran and Turkey today. It is very famous and second national sport in Pakistan after Cricket.