Simurgh lived high in the Alburz Mountains, existing for a span of 1,700 years before it dove into a fire of its own creation and died, only to rise again (like the later Phoenix). World History Encyclopedia, 10 Dec 2019. Mark, published on 09 December 2019. Ahura Mazda king of the gods. getty. He is shown as a warrior with golden weapons, notably an impressive spear, charging against the forces of light or whirling about to destroy those of darkness. On the fourth day, the soul traveled to the Chinvat Bridge where it was met by the Holy Maiden Daena who would comfort it. The soul then approached the Chinvat Bridge which was guarded by two dogs who would welcome the justified soul and rebuff those who were evil. Vayu was considered a yazata (spirit worth worshipping) or a daeva (evil spirit) depending on how he sided at a given time. Haurvatat goddess of wholeness, completeness, perfection and so associated with prosperity, wealth, and health. Their enemies are the daevas, evil spirits of darkness. In some myths, he is the first king, in others Yima (Yama) is the first king and, in still others, Gaya Maretan and Haoshyangha follows after. Vohu Manah encourages people to do the right thing under any circumstance. Cista - an early goddess of health and well-being who presided over one's path in life and also one's spiritual walk of faith. The gods tell Yima that a hard winter is coming and he should gather a man, woman, the seeds of all kinds of vegetation, and two of each kind of animal in a large three-tiered barn. Yima does so, and the world is saved. Zal is raised by the dog-bird Simurgh and is later reconciled with his father. . [4][5] The Encyclopdia Iranica uses the term Iranian Cultural Continent for this region.[6][7]. Thank you! The world, seen and unseen, was created by Ahura Mazda, the source of all good and all life. Among the best known are: There were a number of other entities in addition to these, among the most important being the angel Suroosh guide of the dead and Daena the Holy Maiden both of whom met the soul at the crossing to the afterlife. When Hushedar appeared, people would stop eating meat and the sun would stand still for ten days. His name means Lord of Wisdom. When someone in the community went missing, and there was no clue as to what happened to them, it was judged to be the work of a manticore. The world, seen and unseen, was created by Ahura Mazda, the source of all good and all life. Dev demon of war and the terror of war, one of the most powerful daevas, completely lacking in morality or compassion. Oral tradition was especially important and storytelling a central value in ancient Persian culture, and so the stories of the old continued to be told, and many of the deities, now reimagined, appear in the works of the oldest monotheistic religion, Zoroastrianism, which developed between c. 1500-1000 BCE. There were four levels ascending upwards from the Chinvat Bridge, where judgment was given, each brighter and lovelier than the last until one reached the highest heaven where the soul would live in the direct light of Ahura Mazda. Most famous of these is the Simurgh, a large, beautiful, and powerful bird; and the Huma bird, a royal bird of victory whose plume adorned Persian crowns. The term 'mythology' comes from the Greek mythos (story-of-the-people) and logos (word or speech), meaning the spoken story of a people. If one chose to follow Ahura Mazda, one would live a good and productive life in harmony with others and one's environment; if one chose Angra Mainyu, one lived in opposition to the truth and became a source of confusion and strife. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Asha Vahishta god of Truth/Righteousness, one of the seven Amesha Spentas. Eranvej the Pahlavi name for Airyaneum Vaejah, the center of the world. The Al is a nocturnal predator who preys on newborns and was among the most feared of all the evil spirits. Sam great king and father of the hero Zal who abandons him in the Alburz mountains because he considers his fair hair a bad omen. Geus-Urvani god of cattle and their protector. However one chose would then dictate the quality of one's life and, naturally, one's afterlife. He was adopted by Simurgh, the dog-bird, and raised as one of her own children, acquiring great strength and wisdom. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U W Y Z. Aeshma a demon of cruelty who inspires brutality; later re-imagined as one of the archangels. Sassanian-style Plate with Simurghakhenatenator (Public Domain). License. Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout (University of Wisconsin), Merlot (California State University), OER Commons and the School Library Journal. Ancient Persian Mythology is the term now referencing ancient Iranian religion prior to the rise of Zoroastrianism between c. 1500-1000 BCE. Gaya Maretan the first king of the Iranians (in some legends) who established law in the land and initiated civilization. She was among the most popular deities of the pantheon and was retained as a divine emanation in Zoroastrianism. According to one part of his legend, Jamshid banished a woman of his harem who, in attempting to commit suicide afterwards, drank a bottle of fermented grape juice thinking it was poison. The most feared among them were the Al (Hal) who preyed on newborns and their mothers. After the soul has left the body, it was thought to linger on earth for three days while the gods came to a decision regarding one's life and final fate. Simurgh gave Zal three of her feathers to call upon her if he should ever need help. The couple cannot conceive for 50 years after their fall and, when Mashyanag finally does give birth, she and Mashya eat the children because they have lost any sense of balance and reason. Chamrosh a giant bird with a dog's body and the head and wings of an eagle. They were depicted as old women with long, stringy hair, sharp teeth, and talons. Dragon-serpents (azhi) frequently appear in Persian mythology as the embodiment of evil and disorder, and Azhi Dahaka was the most fearsome of them all. Related Content Originally confined to ideas of social and . When he marries Shahrazad, she preserves her life by telling him a story the night of their wedding but not finishing it; to hear the conclusion, he lets her live, and so she continues telling her stories in the same way and escapes execution. It was considered invincible and was only finally defeated by the great Persian hero Thraetaona who captured and imprisoned him, keeping him in chains until the end of the world at which time he will be killed by the resurrected Karsasp, slayer of Kamak. Chamrosh and Kamak are also giant birds; Chamrosh a force for good and Kamak for evil. Both assist the newly dead in their crossing from life to death. The early Iranian deities were almost completely reimagined by Zoroaster but many retained their original function to greater or lesser degrees. Silver Coin of Bahram IIOsama Shukir Muhammed Amin (Copyright). The central vision of ancient Persian religion was of a universal struggle between the forces of good and evil, order and chaos. Karkadann a horned beast similar to a unicorn. Mah (Mangha, Maha) goddess of the moon who accepted the corpse of Gavaevodata and purified its seed so that animals could be created. English/Language Arts: The study of creation myths from around the world can be an incredibly engaging and meaningful activity. We care about our planet! The soul would then cross the bridge which became broad and easy for the justified but narrow and difficult for the condemned soul. Every civilization of the ancient world developed a belief system, which is characterized as 'mythology' in the present day but which, for them, was religious belief, and this was as true for ancient Persia as for any other. He is associated with light, righteousness, and purity. https://www.worldhistory.org/Ancient_Persian_Mythology/. Zorvan (Zurvan) the god of time. Persian Hero RustumMaksim (Public Domain). Nasu (Naush) demon who contaminates corpses of the newly deceased in the form of a fly. Suroosh symbolized protection & Daena one's own conscience. Inscriptions found in the ruins of cities like Susa or at the great temple of Chogha Zanbil (also known as Dur Untush) provide only the most basic allusions to deities predating the development of Zoroastrianism. African mythology commonly depicts the cosmos anthropomorphically. He was later replaced by Mithra. A comprehensive list, or at least an attempt at one, should therefore prove useful to anyone interested in the subject of Persian mythology and religion specifically or the study of myth, folklore, and religion generally. According to some interpretations, she is the later version of Saena; according to others, a distinct entity. His name means smiting of resistance, and he epitomizes the concept of victory. Its horn was thought to be a powerful antidote to poison and seeing one was thought to bring good luck. His white hair was taken as an ill omen, and he was left abandoned on the slopes of the Alburz Mountain. His archenemy was Angra Mainyu, spirit of evil and disorder. Azhi Dahaka. House of Lies the dark abode of the dead, a hell in which the condemned soul was tormented while simultaneously feeling completely alone. Azhi Dahaka was the great three-headed dragon created out of the lies of Angra Mainyu to thwart any positive impulse in the world and create chaos. Kaveh (Kawa, Kaveh the Blacksmith) the blacksmith in the Shahnameh who incites rebellion against the ruthless tyrant Zahak by lifting his blacksmith's apron on a spear. The mace confers authority and so Mithra was also associated with farr (divine grace) which legitimized a king's rule. Books The first person and the founder of the Pishdadian Dynasty was Keyumars, according to Persian creation myth, and his offspring Mashya and Mashyana carried on the human species by their procreation. The Persians were initially part of a migratory people who referred to themselves as Aryan, meaning noble or free and having nothing to do with race. Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. Rustum (Rostom, Rustam) the great hero of the Shahnameh, grandson of King Sam, son of the hero Zal and the Princess Rudaabeh. Creation & the Problem of Evil. Manticore man-eater, a monster with the head of a man, body of a lion, and tail of a scorpion who devoured people whole, leaving no trace of them except sometimes spatters of blood. Rapithwin god of the midday sun, guardian of the south, warm winds, and summer. They are the sworn enemies of the Amesha Spentas and all that is good and work closely with the drujs who are mostly female demons. Tistar god of rain, possibly another form of Tishtyra but most likely a separate deity. Zal summons Simurgh who teaches him how to deliver the child through Caesarian section and also instructs him in the medicinal use of plants. One of the seven Amesha Spentas. The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Mythology: An A-Z Guide to the Myths and Twelve Ancient Persian Mythological Creatures, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Haug's answer seems to fit with Zoroaster's original vision but whether it would apply to pre-Zoroastrian understanding is unknown. He was also known as Thrisaok (meaning "three burning places") as deliverer of the fires which stood against the forces of darkness and chaos. World History Encyclopedia. Sohrab grows up to become a great warrior and is given the armband so he can prove to Rustum he is his son when they meet but, when this happens, they are fighting on opposite sides and Rustum kills Sohrab before the armband is shown. Historically, these were regions long ruled by dynasties of various Iranian empires,[note 1][1][2][3] that incorporated considerable aspects of Persian culture through extensive contact with them,[note 2] or where sufficient Iranian peoples settled to still maintain communities who patronize their respective cultures. Many creation myths draw on trees as symbols of life. Hushedar was followed by Hushedar-mar and then by Saoshyant, the final messiah (whose name means One Who Brings Benefit), who would bring the end of the world and reconciliation with Ahura Mazda. He was overthrown by the hero Fereydun who restored order and justice. World History Encyclopedia. Since ancient Iran/Persia maintained an oral tradition until the Sassanian Period (224-651 CE), there is no ancient text along the lines of Hesiod's Theogony or Homer's Iliad and Odyssey (both c. 8th century BCE) describing and defining the old gods at the time they were being worshipped. Umm-Naush nocturnal demonic predators who threatened human lives and cosmic order. The Oxford Companion to World Mythology identifies a number of traditional narratives as "Islamic myths". Winged Figure, Rock-Cut Tombs of Qizqapan. The general khrafstra manifested themselves frequently in the natural world, taking on the form of wasps, stinging ants, beasts of prey, rodents, spiders, and similar creatures. Mark, Joshua J.. "Ancient Persian Mythology." He has taught history, writing, literature, and philosophy at the college level. He was the supreme creator, maker of heaven, earth, animals, humans, and the sacred elements of air, water, earth, and fire which allowed creation to function. Thus, in the first three centuries, a number of ideas from the ancient Middle East, from Hellenistic and especially from Jewish and Christian traditions . There are, of course, many other famous stories from Persian mythology the Rustum tales alone are epic, and the Shahnameh weaves these with others in 50,000 rhymed couplets, making it longer and more thematically complex than other famous works like The Epic of Gilgamesh or Homer's Iliad which explore and expand upon the theme of good vs. evil and order triumphing over chaos. 30 Apr 2023. Owing to the first couple's acceptance of the lie, however, paradise has been lost and humans will now live in strife with the natural world and each other. Along with the demon Aesma Daeva, he waits to catch souls with a rope and pull them from the bridge, but justified souls are protected by the angel Suroosh and comforted by the Holy Maiden, Daena. Many years after this, another set of twins is born who will become the progenitors of humanity. She is one of the seven Amesha Spentas and is also the patron goddess of plants and flowers. She continues this pattern for one thousand and one nights and so saves herself. Al (Hal) nocturnal predator demons who fed on newborns and could harm or kill women in late-stage pregnancies. Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout (University of Wisconsin), Merlot (California State University), OER Commons and the School Library Journal.