Turkish wrestlers drenched in oil compete in traditional event

2023-06-26

There must be something I can grip on to… Turkish wrestlers drenched in oil grapple one another in traditional competition

Wrestlers compete for the title of Baspehlivan (head wrestler) in the event
The festival is part of an historic tradition in the country celebrating heritage
It is believed that the competition can be traced back to the 14th century

Turkish wrestlers were drenched in oil as they grappled one another in a traditional competition.

The men took part in an annual Oil Wrestling competition in Åzahinbey, in the Turkish province of Gaziantep, which is part of Turkey’s oil wrestling league.

The sport is a popular tradition in Turkey and is believed to have been practiced competitively since the 14th century, when it was performed by soldiers to keep fit and ready for battle.

Olive oil is applied to the body of the wrestlers before the competition, which takes place on grass. The oil makes it harder for opponents to grab each other.

The winner, who earns the title of Baspehlivan (head wrestler), is the one who makes his opponent’s back touch the ground.

The most prominent oil wrestling festival in Kırkpınar reportedly dates back to the 1360s, when the second Ottoman sultan, Sultan Orhan, allegedly wanted to keep his soldiers fit in case of upcoming battle.

The event was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010 in recognition of its rich history.

The sport itself has been practiced in the region for thousands of years.

The men took part in an annual Oil Wrestling competition in Åzahinbey, in the Turkish province of Gaziantep, which is part of Turkey’s oil wrestling league

The sport is a popular tradition in Turkey and is believed to have been practiced competitively since the 14th century, when it was performed by soldiers to keep fit and ready for battle

Olive oil is applied on the body of the wrestlers before the competition, which takes place on grass

The oil makes it harder for opponents to grab each other

The winner, who earns the title of Baspehlivan (head wrestler), is the one who makes his opponent’s back touch the ground

The event was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010 in recognition of its rich history

The sport itself has been practiced in the region for thousands of years

The athletes were trying to wrestle each other to the ground

Olive oil is poured over the men before they compete

The olive oil makes it hard to grab onto each other, putting both wrestlers at a disadvantage

The men were competing with a bare chest drenched in olive oil

An audience gathered to watch the oiled men wrestle each other

The wrestlers were trying to turn their opponents over to push their back to the ground, which would result in them winning

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