Home exercise (The ancient sport of Iran) The first part

Home exercise – The ancient sport of Iran and its historical roots

The first category of communication , the relationship between European Mehri temples and Zorkhaneh buildings in Iran . Mehri ceremony should usually be done in caves . These caves were the manifestation of the vault of the sky and the expanse of the earth . There should be flowing water near or inside these natural temples, but in cities or plains where there were no caves, these temples were built underground like caves. . The temple reached the ground level by a long staircase. These temples did not have windows and did not benefit from outside light. Sometimes the stairs ended in a room where the followers prepared themselves for the ceremony and then entered the main area of ​​the temple from there. . They decorate the temple arch like the night sky . Inside the temple, there were two rows of platforms on both sides, and between the two rows of platforms, there was a rectangular court and a temple pit, where the ceremony took place, and the audience watched the ceremony on the benches that were next to the platforms, at the foot of the wall. they paid . At the end of the court, in an altar, there was a scene of Mehr killing a cow . Next to the entrance, there was a container with a stand for blessed water. In the opposite container, at the foot of the seal image, there were two fire pits.. Many pictures were carved on the walls of the temple . The general point about all these temples was their smallness, so that only a few groups could fit in these temples. . Unfortunately, we do not know about the ceremony that was held in the courtyard of these temples. 0 (1)

Our powerhouses are very similar to this Mehri Temples have. Zurkhanahs always reach the street level with a long staircase from the underground . All the prisons, which were built according to the traditions of the ancestors and not with "modern" standards, are located underground and usually under other buildings; These ancient powerhouses have little light.
As mentioned, Mehri temples were built next to or near running water . maybe interesting Let's pay attention to the two old powerhouses in Kashan, one of them was built in the district of Kashan Square, under the Hosseinieh building, and there is a public water tank on one side of it, and the other one is in the neighborhood behind Mashhad, Kashan, and its entrance is in the staircase. There is a public reservoir(2) . The dear friend of Dr. Ahmed Mohammadi says that because they destroyed the powerhouse that was built on the canal route in Malair, they chose a new spot on the same canal route to build a new powerhouse and started building a new powerhouse..

Inside Zorkhana, unlike Mehri temples, there are no two side platforms and a rectangular stage in the middle pit, and the multi-sided or square pit of Zorkhana is surrounded by platforms on all sides. But, just like Mehri temples, there is a bench next to the platform, at the foot of the wall, where the spectators sit and watch the ceremony. . Anyway, the main point is sharing the pit, platform and bench . Next to the entrance of Zorkhaneh, like Mehri temples, there is a water tank, which, of course, has lost its main purpose today. . Instead of the fire pits that are located in Mehri temples, at the end of the stage and on both sides of the Mehr image, in the Verkhana, in front of Sardam, there is a stove that is used today to heat the batter and prepare hot drinks. . Just as there were sacred pictures on the walls of Mehri temples, there are also pictures and pictures of Rostam and other warriors in Zorkhanehs.. Another point is the small size of the prisons, which can only accommodate a small group.
There is one thing in Mehri temples that is not in Zorkhanehs, and that is the image of Mehr killing a cow . The reason for the complete removal of this scene - if cow slaughter by Mehr is an Iranian tradition (3) – Not only because of the Muslim people, but, it can be said with certainty, especially because under the influence of Zoroastrian religion in Iran, cow killing is attributed to the devil. (4) And thus, there was no place for it to exist on the walls in Iran.

The second category is the connection between the Roman ritual of Mehr and the ritual of Zorkhaneh:
The first thing is wrestling and its customs . According to Roman legends about Mehr, the god of Mehr, after being born, decided to test his strength.. In this way, he first tried forcefully with the sun god and took a ship. In wrestling, the sun could not withstand the force of the seal and fell to the ground . Then, Mehr helped him to get up . Then he turned his hand towards the sun . The two gods shook hands with each other and this was a sign of the sun's allegiance with the seal . Then, he put a crown seal on the sun's head and after that, the two friends stayed together (5).
The main point in Zorkhaneh is to wrestle, and when a wrestler falls, two wrestlers follow exactly the same manner as a wrestler and hold each other's right arms with their left hands and shake each other's hands with their right hands. Mehr and Khurshid made a friendship pact with each other, two wrestlers should never be enemies with each other, and if a grudge arises, they should kiss each other and reconcile and remain friends..
Apart from wrestling, shaking hands and making a friendship pact, there are other similarities between these two religions, among them, one is the tradition of nudity. (6):
A wrestler in the pit, like a seal when giving birth, does not have any clothes on, and only has a limp or a trunk in the middle of it, which can be a seal on the cloud of fig leaves. (7) . The best part of the ceremony is definitely Gud.
Another custom of Zorkhane is to ring the bell, and it is a bell that is hung by a chain on the head of Zorkhane, and the master rings it when the great warriors enter, so that everyone is aware of their arrival.. A bell has also been found in Mehri temples, which is believed to be rung at the end or at the beginning of the ceremony when the image of the seal is shown. (8). But it is possible - if our idea about the connection between Zorkhane ritual and Mehri temples is correct - this bell is sung in Mehri temples when religious elders enter..
The existence of a machete, dagger or knife among our athletes, with the dagger that Mehr had with him when he was born and was his main weapon. (9) It has an exact resemblance. The warriors of Maniz did not fight except with machetes and daggers.
The ranks that exist in the Zurkhanehs, such as the old rider, the mentor, the old man, the ring bearer, the crown owner, and others, remind us of the seven ranks of the followers of Mehr, and it is possible that both of these were of the same origin..
In the customs of Zurkhana, when a warrior reached the position of master and became perfect in body and soul, he was given the honor of placing the crown of poverty on his head from the leaders of Tariqat. (10). This ceremony is also found in Mehri Etiquette(11).
Nochehs, presikhis, new-borns and constructions have the same position in Zorkhaneh as they had in the Mehr ceremony of newcomers..
In the Roman Mehr tradition, followers of Mehr were trained with a martial spirit (12) . In Zorkhaneh, battle etiquette is also learned in a symbolic way(13). Following this series of connections - if our assumption is correct - it can be assumed that in European Mehri temples rituals similar to Zurkhaneh sports were also performed..
In Zorkhaneh, like Mehr ceremony, only those who have reached the age of puberty have the right to honor . In Iran's wrestling tradition, a man can join the ranks of wrestlers if his shoulder is on his face, that is, the newcomer must have a beard on his face. (14).
Women are not allowed in Zur Khana, just like Mehr (15). Social status and wealth have no place and value in Zorkhaneh, like the ritual of Mehr(16). Wrestlers call each other brother or co-worker and this is what has been common among Mehr worshipers as well.. In Zorkhaneh, the right of precedence is always with the elderly in every work, and this tradition is also seen precisely in the Mehr ritual. (17).
The third category of communication There are similarities between the character of the Iranian and Roman Mehr and the character of the warrior . It is in the manners of a warrior that a warrior must be brave, pure, early-morning and pure-minded, and in addition to fulfilling the customs and traditions, he should be a night owl and have a good character.. Help the poor to the best of your ability and avoid low morals (18). On the other hand, it is stated in Mehrisht Avestai that the seal of the enemy is a lie (Close 26) . He is aware of the truth (Close 49) . It represents good thoughts, speech and actions ( Close 106) . Mehr is the first God who climbs on top of Mount Hora before the sun, he is the first person who climbs from the top of the beautiful mountain with ornaments. ( Close 13) . He is never deceived (Clause 5). He is the protector of the covenant ( Close 3 ) . He is a sleepless bully who looks after the people (Close 7 ). He is the one who goes to the earth after the sun has set and looks at what is between the earth and the sky. (Clause 95). He is the protector of all creations (Close 54).
In the tradition, the role of a warrior is to defend the weak, destroy bullies and protect the pious.. May he be kind, forgiving and helpful. Against, it is mentioned in Mehrisht : May he come to help us. May he open it ( work ) we come . May he come to arrest us. May he come for our compassion. May he be the solution ( work ) May he come for our victory. May he come for our happiness . May he come to judge us( Close 5).
According to the tradition, an exemplary warrior is a fearless warrior who never lets fear into his heart and single-handedly attacks the enemy line and destroys them. Mehr is also the most powerful among creatures. (Close 6).He is fit, tall and strong (Close 7 ) . He is a warrior and a strong swordsman (Close 25) . He is the one who stays in Paydra's war (Close 36). The strongest gods are the most powerful gods, the most agile gods, the strongest gods and the most victorious gods.( Close 98).

The existence of these long and various fields of connection between Mehr ritual and Zorkhane ritual Anyone can think that Pahlavi religion may be inspired by Mehri religions and especially think that the construction and customs of ancient Roman temples have their roots in ancient Iran, which still exist in Iran until our time in the form of Zorkhaneh Hanur customs. remained.
However, in Persian works, especially in Sultani's Fatut Nameh, the practice of wrestling and wrestling is attributed to Torah prophets and mythological figures, and Ya'qub and Adam Abul Bashar are mentioned as the people from whom this practice and technique originated. (19). This point is not in harmony with the writer's opinion of attributing the Pahlavi religion to the Mehr religion, but there is a harmony between the two, and that is to attribute the ancient religion to ancient people in ancient times. This is the conclusion reached by anthropology. It is complete, because according to the researches of anthropologists, what has come to the people of the more recent eras according to the Sunnah, is all related to the very old ages, and the person who believes in the Sunnah has thought that what he did wisely, before and in the beginning, was done by the gods. and leaders have been done ( 20).
Although it is illogical to attribute the Iranian Pahlavi religion to Ya'qub and Adam Abul-Bashar, who are Semitic-Jewish personalities, but it is not surprising.. This is one of the characteristics of religions and myths, which try to accept the color of the new environment and coordinate with the changes of time in order to survive in every new intellectual and social period.. Paying attention to Persian and Arabic historical works of the first Islamic centuries proves this mercurial and slippery state of mythological religions.. In these works, many Zoroastrian heavenly and earthly figures have been given Islamic colors and names. For example, Kiyomareth is equal to Adam or his children (21) And some of the historical works of ancient Iran have taken the name of our tomb in Suleiman or his throne . It is not surprising that this ancient sport in the Islamic period is related to myths and semi-mythical-semi-historical figures of Judaism and Islam.. If the foundation of some of the Shia beliefs and rituals of Iran can be found in the rituals and beliefs of the ancient people of Iran..

Now, one more point should be mentioned that helps us to recognize the history of ancient sports.:
The legends of ancient warriors that have survived in Persia are divided into two categories : one Legendary heroic legends is, like what in Avesta , At Ferdowsi's Shahnameh or works such as Gershasb Nameh Surviving, the second is the legends of chivalry and Aiyar, the oldest of which is the story of Samk Aiyar(22).

The analysis of Avestan and Shahnameh warrior figures shows that many of the characteristics of these warriors - including Gershasb and Rostam - are similar to the characteristics of one of the ancient gods of Indo-Iranian civilization, named Indre.. But the comparison of the behavior and behavior of this group of mythical warriors with the warriors of the Islamic era and their customs and habits shows that there is not much similarity between the ancient model of Indra and the mythical warriors with these Islamic warriors and their customs and habits.. Belonging to the urban middle classes, the moral and mystical behaviors and beliefs of the Iranian wrestlers of the Islamic period have no connection with the aristocracy, violence, and the passing of insiders and outsiders among the legendary wrestlers.. To be more precise, a legendary warrior and a historical warrior in Iran, despite some general connections, are not the same, and these two did not originate from the same origin.(23). According to the author, in order to search for the history of historical heroism in Iran, one should look for legends related to brave men and nobles..
Aiyari legends and above all the story of Aiyar fish, show many common features with the traditions and customs of modern wrestling, and certainly Islamic wrestling and Aiyari both have a common origin.. Courage, piety, caring, keeping one's word, being patient and staying awake at night and guarding the people are common characteristics of Pahlavi and Iarii.. Even, how many, in the book of fish, the quality of Pahlavan and the quality of fish have been considered . For example, in one place two braves are called Pahlavan and in another place the same two are counted.(24). In another case, Qayyim Ayar fights hand-to-hand in the field of battle ( 25). In another place, Ezvan, who is a good woman, goes to the field and fights (26) And many times, the pot's friends, including the fish, fight in the field and are called the wrestlers.(27)
From the point of view of class, Islamic fighters and wrestlers often belong to the professional stratum and often carry the name of their guild with their name.. It is interesting to note that this quality of belonging to the professional and urban middle class is also seen among the Sufis, and if we note that the Sufis, Ayars and Pahlavans are all young men, perhaps it can be said that the legends of Ayars and at the top of them the story of the Ayar fish, They show many common features with the traditions and customs of our time. And certainly, both Islamic Pahlavi and Ayari have a common origin. Courage, piety, kindness, keeping one's word, being patient and staying awake at night and guarding the people are common characteristics of Pahlavi and Iari.. Even, how many, in the book of fish, Ayar Pahlavan and Ayar Yiki have been considered. For example, in one place two braves are called Pahlavan and in another place the same two are counted. (24). In another case, Qayyim Ayar fights head-to-head in the battlefield (25). In another place, Rooz Afzon, who is a worthy woman, goes to the field and fights (26) And many times, other creatures, including fish, fight in the field and are called wrestlers (27).
From the point of view of class, Islamic fighters and fighters often belong to the middle class of professionals and often carry the name of their trade with their name.. It is interesting to note that this quality of belonging to the middle class of urban professionals is also seen among the Sufis, and if we note that the Sufis, Ayars and Pahlavans are all men, it may be said that Fatut or movement chivalry belonged to the guilds and professions. Varan is a city where only a handful of nobles or villagers can be seen.

From the story of Samk Ayar, it is clear that Ayars and Pahlavans, or by their general name, Jawanmardan, were professionals and had strong influence among the masses of the people.. Turn Dastan, Fish, Caliber, My Eyed:
«Ermanshah …. He said (It means two bullets) What kind of people are they who lead such people and make them obey them, and if we keep something secret, they will find out and reveal it, and if we take someone from it and we have many gates and prisons, they will take it..» (28).
«The colonels came with Hajib Shah and Shahneh Velayat and tied a rope around the necks of the two youths and brought them to the market.. A hundred thousand men and women from the market and the army roared and lamented that they, two brothers, were famous, brave and strict and the people of the province loved them.. In the market, when they were bringing him, there was a roar from the people of the city» (29).
Qayyim Ayar, which is also called Pahlavan, means Ayar fish: «O warrior, thinker that earthquake and its army are not able to mess with me … Call me a guardian to know that I can do whatever I want and I can do anything. I have another five thousand happy men (30). "earthquake}king{ said … ‌}Qaim{ The city disturbs us, harms us, and we don't get along with everyone» (31).
For this reason, the elders and the powerful of the city called these young men and skilled professionals.Thieves and have-notsThey used to sing (32) And Ghatus Melek, when he got bored, said, "What can we do with this work from the hands of this mob?"(33).

Continuation of this article and article sources : Home exercise (The ancient sport of Iran) Part II -Click here