The mythology of wrestling includes, one of the oldest descriptions of a wrestling match. The Iliad describes Aias and Odysseus wrestling against each other.^[1]

Contents 1 Middle and Far East 2 Old Norse mythology 3 References 4 Notes

[edit] Middle and Far East

The Mahabharata, one of the major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, describes the encounter between the accomplished wrestlers Bhima and Jarasandha; "grasping each other in various ways by means of their arms, and kicking each other with such violence as to affect the innermost nerves, they struck at each other's breasts with clenched fists. With bare arms as their only weapons roaring like clouds they grasped and struck each other like two mad elephants encountering each other with their trunks".^[2] The popular folk wrestling style of India performed on a mud surface called the akhara follows the Indian tradition.

The Epic of Gilgamesh in Sumerian literature features its hero Gilgamesh establishing his credibility as a leader after wrestling Enkidu. Other sculptures and literature from ancient Mesopotamia show that wrestling was held in popularity.^[3]

One other early description of wrestling appears in the Old Testament Book of Genesis 32:22-32. The passage depicts the patriarch Jacob wrestling with the Angel, for which Jacob was subsequently renamed Israel. (Israel translates to "wrestles (or strives) with God".)^[4]

[edit] Old Norse mythology

Thor is the "god of wrestling".

Thor wrestled against Ella. ^{[5] [n 1]}

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

1. ^ Narrated in Edda, by Snorre.

This article related to the martial arts is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e

This mythology-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e