Oil wrestling

Two oiled wrestlers in leather trousers try to gain control by grips and throws.

Heritage note

Part of the living heritage of Turkey. Some forms of this practice carry deep meaning for the communities who keep it; here we describe the play and the craft only, with respect for its roots.

Origins

Usually placed in the era of River Valleys and First Cities (about 3000 to 1000 BCE), although its exact origins are uncertain, within the cultural world of Mesopotamia, Levant and Arabia.