Historic Polo Field

Historic Polo Field Found in Western Iran

Archaeologists have discovered a historical polo field in the western province of Lorestan by discovering the stone goalposts of the field and an inscription with a Persian poem on it. The Director of the Iranian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism’s office in Lorestan Province said archaeologists and anthropologists have discovered an old sports field near the city of Aligudarz.

The official said: “The findings include the main architectural and historical elements of the first polo filed in Lorestan province and the third one discovered in Iran.”

This complex, which was recently discovered in the area, consists of four standing stone pillars, which were used as goalposts for polo fields, one of which has an inscription in Persian., the ministry official added.

An archaeologist has provided more details on the new findings, saying the inscription on the stone post of the polo field was carved in the shape of a flower and a mushroom and includes four hemstitches of Persian poetry dating back to 1704 AD. Around the last ages of Safavid rule in Iran.

The newly-unearthed site is the third historic polo field discovered in Iran after the ones in the cities of Isfahan and Qazvin, the archaeologist noted, saying the polo field of Lorestan has stone poles that resemble those of Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan, known as the oldest polo field in the world. The Safavid rulers, reigning from 1501 to 1736, were fond of the national Persian sport of polo.

Polo is a team sport that is done with horses. The purpose is to score goals against the opposing team. Players score by driving a small hard white ball into the opposing team’s goal using a long-handled wooden mallet.