Seljuk #Turks Playing Chevgen (Polo), 13th c.
Ball and Stick, 1000-800 BC, from Turfan and
Coat of Arms of Mamluk Turks, 12th-13th c.
Chevgen (Çevgen/Çevgan/Çöğen), known as Polo to the Westerners, is a Turkish tradition and culture. The game, which has been practiced as "riding training" since the 6th century BC, was also played for entertainment during diplomatic negotiations and congresses.
* The Saka Turks performed their riding training by wrapping an enemy's skull in a piece of textile, which is why Saka Queen Tomyris' revenge against Cyrus the Great included his "skull."
(PS. The Achaemenid/Achaemenids, which is known today as "Persians," did not exist at that time!)
* In the Shahnameh, Persians and Turanians (Turks) play a match, and of course, in the Shahnameh, written with an Persian perspective, the Turks, referred as "novices", win. However, not only is the fact that the Shahnameh was writing in the eleventh century, but the ancient inhabitants of the region, the Saka-Scythian Turks, also not mentioned as Turkic tribes. The Turanians in the Shahnameh is the tribe of Alp Er Tonga (=Afrasiab, also the clan of Tomyris (Tomris, still a female name among Turks). It should also be remembered that the game was played during the Safavid period in İran, and the Safavids, who are also Turk, was considered as "Iranians." For this reason, many "Western travelers" or sources claim that Polo was invented by the Persians. This was completely misunderstanding, misleading and false info (and still ongoing).
* Chevgen (çevgen) entered India from the Himalayas with the Saka and Hun Turks, and was played by the Mughal Turks (the founder is Babur, from the Timurid Dynasty).
* The Chinese encountered the chevgen (through those who left the Asian-Hun and Turkic Khaganates) during the Tang Dynasty (partly a Turk dynasty), and used them to train their "cavalry." In fact, many Turkic traditions and cultures were copied by the Chinese during this period, such as wearing trousers or knotting the tails of their horses.
* Chevgen, which was also enjoyed by the Mamluk, Kipchak, Seljuk, and Ottoman periods. Was also played by Eastern Roman nobles in the twelfth century. Anna Komnene's book the Alexiad, describes the Turkish commander Tatikios and Alexios playing a type of chevgen called "Tzikanistirion." The emperor even fell from his horse and injured his knee. It is also known that Turkish women played chevgen, challenging the men.
* After the martyrdom of Husayn (Hüseyin; son of Ali and Fatma and grandson of Mohammed) and the beheading, which affected Muslim Turks (especially those living in Türkiye), chevgen game was banned among Muslims for centuries. Of course, dismounting and sedentary lifestyle were the other factors.
* According to a legend, Darius sent a ball and a stick to insult Alexander. This event is also used in the Scottish epic "King Alexander" and Shakespeare's "Henry V." However, they never played in Scotland or in England, until the 19th century. In the 1850s, it was brought to England from India, by British who were colonizing the land. But it became a pastime for the "nobility." The British also adapted the word "Pulu" (ball), which they learned in India, to Polo.
* Azerbaijani Turks embraced this Turkish culture and brought it back to life, even had added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2013 as "Chevgan/Chovgan" (ancient Karabakh horse-sport game). Thus, this also invalidated the claims of Iran, China, India, and England that this game was "theirs."
This "game" is 100% an invention of the Turks.
"Playing" it without a saddle or stirrups requires skills...
SB
#ArtofTurks
#Turkish Culture
