Iranian Gamefowl

Remark: in my article I use the name Iran and not Persia. Why this ? The name Persia is of Greek origin and derived from the Greek name Persis it was used till 1935 by Westerners. Throughout history the Irani people called their country Iran which means "land of the Aryans".

What is the origin of Irani (and Turkish) chickens. A DNA study titled "Maternal Origin of Turkish and Iranian Native Chickens Inferred from Mitochondrial DNA D-loop Sequences" (2016) written by Hasan Meydan and 3 others mentions the following (citation).....These results suggest that Turkish and Iranian chickens originated from the same region, the Indian subcontinent....(end of citation)

The Aryans migrated from northern Afghanistan to present-day Iran in 2000 BC, they introduced chicken to what is now Iran. Archeological evidence from the Indus River Valley Civilizations (Harappa and Mohenjo-daro) already showed that the Aryans did not consume chickens as food. They only used chicken for cockfighting and religious ritual purposes. In the Irani culture, especially in the Zoroastrianism religion the rooster stands for "symbol of light." it is also associated with "good against evil". In Iran during the Kianian period, from about 2000 BC. to about 700 BC among domestic birds, the cock was the most sacred animal.

Malayoid gamefowl can be found all over Iran. They are generally known as “Lari”. The true meaning of the expression “Lari” is unknown. It is referring to the Fars province. According Ami Houshmand Shamsaie from Iran, three types of Lari exist ; large Malay-type Asil, Kulang-type Asil and a more lower stationed and bulkier type (similar to Cornish or Indian Game). He also speaks of so the socalled “lowland-type” found in the plains and of a “highland- type” found in the mountains. Iranian breeders only breed their birds for fighting. Weights: pullets 3 to 4 Kg (6,6 to 8,8 Lbs) stags 4 to 5 Kg (8,8 to 11 Lbs) and old cocks reach about 6.5 Kg (14,3 Lbs). Height max.70 Cm (27½ inch). In Iran you can also see many bearded Kulang Asil and Malay-type varities. These are very common and locally known as “Risho” or “Gopoo”.
Beside the Asil-types above you will also find large Asils with single comb called "Khasak".

The Malay-type “Lari” is also without doubt the ancestor of the Russian Orlov which in fact is a bearded Malay. Count Alexey Orlov, was a Russian nobleman with a strong interest in horses and fighting cocks. He imported bearded Irani Asils from the Irani province Gilan. These were used by Count Orlov to create the Orlov chicken.

The small Asil are known in Iran as "Reze" or "Rizeh". The large Asil are known as “Bozorg” or “Dorosht”. Irani cockers divide their birds into following weight categories:

Chehar Dang 4 to 5 Kg (8.8 to 11 Lbs)
Panje Dang 5 to 6 Kg (11 to 13.2 Lbs)
Shesh Dang over 6 Kg (13.2 Lbs).

The use of the traditional domestic Irani gamefowl is losing ground in Iran. In the past Irani cockers also imported the large "Kulangi" Asil from Afganistan but since years also the Turkish "Hint Horoz" and other foreign gamefowl are frequently imported by Irani cockfighters. Some of these birds are fought pure but most of them are used for crossbreeding. Mr.Nozar Akaberi from Iran mentions in 2005 the following.....(citation).....Iranian cockers know that the classic Iranian Lari Asil cannot successfully compete against these crosses as they are too heavy and slow. The “Lari” however gets a good chance when it survives the first two hours of the fight. After this time period crossbred birds usually get tired. Then the real endurance and kicking power of the Irani “Lari” will emerge which finally makes the crossbred birds running away, quit or die...(end of citation).

Cockfighting in Iran is traditionally only done in natural spurs. But also in Iran cockfighting traditions are fading away. Nowadays Irani cockers fight their birds also in sharpened natural spurs and artificial spurs. The artificial spurs are similar to the ones used in Afghanistan and Pakistan (natural spurs placed upon a metal base, often made from gun shells)

Sources
The land of Iran and early civilizations (1996-2024) by Khodadad Rezakhan
Maternal Origin of Turkish and Iranian Native Chickens Inferred from Mitochondrial DNA D-loop Sequences (2016) written by Hasan Meydan and 3 others
Poultry Breeding and Genetics (2003) by Roy Crawford
Lari as an Iranian Gamefowl by Ami Houshmand Shamsaie (1997) published in the 1997 yearbook by the International Oriental Gamefowl Club (Belgium)
Nozar Akaberi (Iran / 2005)
Faramarz Vesali (Iran / 2024)

Willem van Ballekom (2024) NL