The so-called Zurkhaneh or Pahlevani rituals, recognized as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO since 2010, represent a form of martial art originally used to train men in ancient Persia (of which present-day Iran was a part) to defend against the Arab invasion by becoming skilled warriors. Drawing from pre-Islamic Persian culture, including Zoroastrianism, Mithraism, and Gnosticism, as well as the development of Sufism in the eighth century, these rituals also came to incorporate philosophical and spiritual elements. In 1979, in the wake of the Islamic Revolution,
the martial art lost its significance due to the perceived ‘pagan’ elements. While there has been some recent tolerance towards it, this practice continues to have only a limited presence. Today, there are about 500 male practitioners of the traditional sport still active in Iran.