Editing Tug of war (section)

==Origin==
[[File:Awatoceanofmilk01.JPG|thumb|upright|A tug of war between [[Asura (Hinduism)|asuras]] and [[deva (Hinduism)|devas]]<ref>The bas-relief of the [[Samudra manthan|Churning of the Sea of Milk]] shows [[Vishnu]] in the centre, his turtle [[avatar]] [[Kurma]] below, [[asura]]s and [[deva (Hinduism)|devas]] to left and right, and [[apsaras]] and [[Indra]] above.</ref> ([[Angkor Wat]], Cambodia)]]
The origins of tug of war are uncertain, but this sport was practised in [[Cambodia]], [[ancient Egypt]], [[Ancient Greece|Greece]], [[Ancient India|India]], and [[Ancient China|China]]. According to a [[Tang dynasty]] book, ''The Notes of Feng'', tug of war, under the name {{Gloss|hook pulling}} ({{lang|zh-Hant|牽鉤}}), was used by the military commander of the [[Chu (state)|State of Chu]] during the [[Spring and Autumn period]] (8th to 5th centuries BC) to train warriors. During the Tang dynasty, [[Emperor Xuanzong of Tang]]  promoted large-scale tug of war games, using ropes of up to {{convert|167|m|ft}} with shorter ropes attached, and more than 500 people on each end of the rope. Each side also had its own team of [[drummer]]s to encourage the participants.<ref>Tang dynasty Feng Yan: Notes of Feng, volume 6</ref>

In [[ancient Greece]], the sport was called {{Lang|grc-latn|helkystinda}} ([[Greek language|Greek]]: {{Lang|grc|ἑλκυστίνδα}}), {{Lang|grc-latn|ephelkystinda}} ({{Lang|grc|ἐφελκυστίνδα}}) and {{Lang|grc-latn|dielkystinda}} ({{Lang|grc|διελκυστίνδα}}),<ref>[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Ddielkusti%2Fnda διελκυστίνδα] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906152925/https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Ddielkusti%2Fnda |date=2021-09-06 }}, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, ''A Greek-English Lexicon'', on Perseus</ref> which derives from {{Lang|grc-latn|dielkō}} ({{Lang|grc|διέλκω}}), meaning amongst others {{Gloss|I pull through}},<ref>[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Ddie%2Flkw διέλκω] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191229061247/http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text%3Fdoc%3DPerseus:text:1999.04.0057:entry%253Ddie/lkw |date=2019-12-29 }}, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, ''A Greek-English Lexicon'', on Perseus</ref> all deriving from the verb {{Lang|grc-latn|helkō}} ({{Lang|grc|ἕλκω}}), {{Gloss|I draw, I pull}}.<ref>[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3De%28%2Flkw ἕλκω] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906152928/https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3De%28%2Flkw |date=2021-09-06 }}, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, ''A Greek-English Lexicon'', on Perseus</ref> {{Lang|grc-latn|Helkystinda}} and {{Lang|grc-latn|ephelkystinda}} seem to have been ordinary versions of tug of war, while {{Lang|grc-latn|dielkystinda}} had no rope, according to [[Julius Pollux]].<ref>Pollux, 9.112</ref> It is possible that the teams held hands when pulling, which would have increased difficulty, since handgrips are more difficult to sustain than a grip of a rope. Tug of war games in ancient Greece were among the most popular games used for strength and would help build strength needed for battle in full armor.<ref>Jaime Marie Layne, ''The Enculturative Function of Toys and Games in Ancient Greece and Rome'', ProQuest, UMI Dissertation Publishing, 2011</ref>
[[File:Chouju tugwar.jpg|thumb|A tug of war in [[Japan]] from "[[Chōjū-jinbutsu-giga]]" (Animal-person Caricatures)　12–13th century]]
Archeological evidence shows that tug of war was also popular in India in the 12th century:

{{Blockquote|There is no specific time and place in history to define the origin of the game of Tug of War. The contest of pulling on the rope originates from ancient ceremonies and rituals. Evidence is found in countries like Egypt, India, Myanmar, New Guinea... The origin of the game in India has strong archaeological roots going back at least to the 12th century AD in the area what is today the State of Orissa on the east coast. The famous Sun Temple of Konark has a stone relief on the west wing of the structure clearly showing the game of Tug of War in progress.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tugofwarindia.gov.in/History/en-GB/code/Subcontinent/default.aspx|title=Tug of War Federation of India: History}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>}}

[[File:Tug of war, at Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan.jpg|thumb|Women in a tug of war, at the annual [[Pushkar Fair]], [[Rajasthan]], [[India]]]]
Tug of war stories about heroic champions from [[Scandinavia]] and Germany circulate [[Western Europe]] where [[Viking]] warriors pull on animal skins over open pits of fire in tests of strength and endurance, in preparation for battle and plunder.{{when|date=September 2014}}

During the 16th and 17th centuries, tug of war was popularised during tournaments in French châteaux gardens and later also in Great Britain.

In the 19th century, tug of war began a new tradition among seafaring men who were required to tug on lines to adjust sails while ships were under way and even in battle.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.equitygaming.com/history.php |title=Equity Gaming: History of Tug of War |access-date=2008-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015080045/http://www.equitygaming.com/history.php |archive-date=2008-10-15 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The [[Mohave people]] occasionally used tug-of-war matches as means of settling disputes.{{when|date=September 2014}}<ref name="Native American Legal Traditions">[https://books.google.com/books?id=B5rR5ir_LmMC&pg=PA133], Page 133.</ref>