Bokator
Ancient Khmer battlefield art — hundreds of animal-style strikes, throws and grappling techniques.
👥1 per team🌤indoor
What is Bokator?
Bokator is Cambodia's ancient battlefield martial art, depicted on the bas-reliefs of Angkor Wat. Its curriculum includes hundreds of techniques inspired by animals — lion, elephant, horse, tiger, crane — spanning striking, grappling, throwing and weapons work. UNESCO added it to the Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2022.
Quick facts
Category
Combat Sports
Type
Individual
Players
1 per team
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇰🇭 Cambodia
Estimated origin
Ancient Khmer Empire (Angkor, ~10th century)
Olympic
No
Popularity
niche
Sources & provenance
Last verified 2026-08-24.verified