TEHRAN – The ancient city of Bam prepares to host an international event to celebrate the sixth anniversary of Chogan’s registration on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

“An international ceremony honoring the world registration of Chogan will be held in Bam,” Kerman province’s tourism chief said, without mentioning a specific date for the event.

Chogan, which is a traditional horse-riding game accompanied by music and storytelling, has a history of over 2,000 years in Iran and has mostly been played in royal courts and urban fields.

Safavid-era evidence of this game can be seen in plaster motifs of the Ganj Ali Khan historical complex in Kerman, which suggests Kerman also has a valuable historical record in this field, Saeid Shahrokhi explained.

The official said photo and handicraft exhibitions, Shahnameh recitation, and regional music performances are among side programs to be held in the event intended to help revive the cultural heritage of the region.

Chogan is believed to be the world’s first team sport, the world’s first ball game, and today is recognized as the world’s fastest team sport and ball game.  The first recorded game took place in 600 BC, in Ancient Persia.

From time immemorial, it was considered an aristocratic game and held in a separate field, on specially trained horses. Nowadays, Chogan is played in Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.

In Chogan, two riding teams compete and the aim is to pass the ball through the opposing team’s goalposts using a wooden stick. Chogan includes the main game, a corresponding musical performance, and storytelling. Bearers include three primary groups: the players, the storytellers, and the musicians.

According to the UNESCO cultural body, Chogan is a cultural, artistic, and athletic element with a strong connection to the identity and history of its bearers and practitioners. “It has a strong presence in the literature, storytelling, proverbs, handicrafts, and ornaments that are valuable parts of the symbolism of its practitioners.”

Available evidence suggests that the game spread from its Iranian origins in Persia to Constantinople, eastward through Bactria and Afghanistan to Tibet, China, and Japan, and from Tibet to India, where it flourished throughout the Mughal (Mogul) dynasty.  The word “polo” comes from the Tibetan word for the willow root from which polo balls were made, which is “Pulu”.

Throughout history, the game has been popular among generals, warriors, princes, and kings as a means of training cavalry for warfare.

AFM