INVESTIGATING THE ROLE AND FUNCTION OF SPORTS DURING THE SAFAVID ERA BASED ON CHARDIN'S TRAVELOGUE (CASE STUDIES OF CHOGAN, JAVELIN THROWING, ARCHERY, AND HORSE RIDING)

During the Safavid period, sports, as an important cultural and social element, played a significant role in people's lives. Chardin's Travelogue, as a reliable historical source, examines the sports activities of that era. This research analyzes the functions of various sports such as Chogan, javelin throwing, archery, and horse riding in Safavid society. These sports not only helped to strengthen physical skills, but were also effective in strengthening national and social identity. According to Chardin's descriptions, this research seeks to explain the cultural and social effects of these sports on Safavid society and their place in people's daily lives. This research aims to examine the role and function of sports in the Safavid period with an analytical perspective based on Chardin's travelogue (a case study of Chogan, javelin throwing, archery, and horse riding). Therefore, it seeks to answer these questions: 1- How did different sports in the Safavid period affect the social and cultural identity of the society? 2- What were the differences in the way different sports were held and welcomed among different strata of Safavid society? The research findings indicate that the common sports in the Safavid period, especially Chogan and archery, as symbols of national and cultural identity, strengthened social and national cohesion among the people. Economic and social differences among different strata of Safavid society had a direct impact on the way sports were participated in and welcomed, so that the more affluent strata showed a greater tendency towards specific sports such as Chogan.