Kırkpınar is a Turkish oil-wrestling (Turkish: yağlı güreş) tournament. It is held annually, usually in late June, near Edirne, Turkey since 1346. Before each bout, the wrestlers pour olive oil over their entire bodies, and the matches take place in an open, grassy field, with the contestants naked except for trousers made of leather, which extend to just above the knee. Victory is achieved when one wrestler either pins the other to the ground (as in many other forms of wrestling) or lifts his opponent above his shoulders. It now holds a Guinness World Record for the longest running sports competition. History Oldest known evidenceThe history of oil wrestling links straight back to 2650 BC with evidence both from Ancient Egypt, Assyria and around. The Babylonian body of evidence, a tiny bronze, excavated near the Chafadji-temple. It is as clear as plain day-light that the bronze ...
FOLKLORE, FACTS AND FEATURES ABOUT HOLIDAYS AND FESTIVALS AROUND THE WORLD