Field hockey

Lore & Background

The roots of hockey are buried deep in antiquity, with historical records suggesting early forms were played in Egypt and Persia c. 2000 BC, and in Ethiopia c. Ancient Greeks, Romans, and Aztecs all played hockey-like games. In Ancient Egypt, a depiction of two figures playing with sticks and ball appears in the Beni Hasan tomb of Khety. In East Asia, a similar game using a carved wooden stick and ball was entertained before 300 BC. The Daur people of Inner Mongolia have played beikou for about 1,000 years, and a variant called suigan was played in China during the Ming dynasty. In 17th-century Punjab, a game called khido khundi was played. In South America, the Chilean natives played chueca in the 16th century. Northern European games such as hurling and knattleikr date to the Early Middle Ages, and by the 12th century la soule was played in France and southern Britain.

Reader's Guide

Field hockey's significance lies in its ancient roots and modern global reach. Teddington Hockey Club introduced the striking circle and changed the ball to a sphere from a rubber cube. The introduction of artificial turf in the early 1970s changed the sport, increasing speed and leading to new tactics such as the Indian dribble, and ended Indian and Pakistani domination. The stick has evolved from wood to synthetic materials like carbon fibre, fibreglass, and aramid. Only the flat face of the stick may progress the ball; goalkeepers may touch the ball with any body part inside their shooting circle.

Did You Know?

• In Sweden and Finland, the sport is called landhockey and maahockey respectively, translating to 'ground hockey' to distinguish it from ice hockey.