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. He has taught history, writing, literature, and philosophy at the college level. In time, the Huma would come to symbolize the concept of elevation and enlightenment. Azhi Dahaka. Her name means immaculate and she is depicted as a beautiful young woman in a white gown brocaded with gold wearing a gold crown and carrying the sacred barsom twigs which represented the earth; sometimes also shown with a water pitcher. Similar to the Jinn were the Peri (fairies) who could be mischievous or helpful. He also carries daggers, throwing-axes, and his famous mace which is his most powerful weapon. Rustum and Sohrab meet in battle, neither knowing the other's identity, and Sohrab is killed. His son, the great Kay Kosrow, later avenged him. Persian MythologyPersian Mythology in ContextPersian mythology developed in what is now Iran around 1500 bce. Those who settled in Iran became the Persians. World History Encyclopedia, 09 Dec 2019. Mithra is depicted riding in a great chariot drawn by white horses, armed with a silver spear, bow, and arrows of gold. Interpreting this as an evil omen, Sam abandons the newborn in the Alburz Mountains and leaves him to die. Web. The ancient Persian religious tradition was passed down orally, and the only written texts relating to it come from after the prophet Zoroaster (c. 1500-1000 BCE) initiated the reforms which would become Zoroastrianism. Faravahar the famous Persian symbol of a royal figure seated on a solar disc in the center of outstretched wings, usually interpreted as representing divine grace and higher powers. Some, like the Peri or the Al, were considered a constant in one's life while others such as Simurgh or Azhi Dahaka represented a universal paradigm which informed one's present. House of Lies the dark abode of the dead, a hell in which the condemned soul was tormented while simultaneously feeling completely alone. It was said to be so large it could easily stride the seven regions of the earth and people could climb on its back to travel from one place to another. Please support World History Encyclopedia. The human body is a microcosm that incorporates the same primordial elements and essential forces that make up the universe. In Persian mythology and folklore, Jamshid is described as the fourth and greatest king of the epigraphically unattested Pishdadian . Jinn were thought to especially favor lonely places such as desert plains and oases so amulets were carried by merchants and travelers for protection from their influences. Vayu (Vayu-Vatu, Vata) god of the wind who lived between worlds, in the interface between the good of Ahura Mazda and the evil of Angra Mainyu and so could be a powerful force for either side. English/Language Arts: The study of creation myths from around the world can be an incredibly engaging and meaningful activity. Archenemy of the Amesha Spenta Haurvatat, goddess of wholeness. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. Tiri god of agriculture associated closely with Tishtyra and sometimes given as his twin; poorly attested and possibly the same deity in an earlier form. Her name means evil eye. This exact theme is the foundation of virtually every ancient world religion to one degree or another, but for the Persians, it amounted to the meaning of existence. One refers to these and similar stories from any culture as mythology in the present day only because the theological paradigm has changed and a universe of many gods, spirits, angels, and demons has been replaced either by the monotheistic or atheistic model. Nasu (Naush) demon who contaminates corpses of the newly deceased in the form of a fly. Ashozushta the great owl who flies at demons and scares them away as it recites holy words and phrases. Shabrang Behzad the mighty black horse of the hero Siyavash. [4][5] The Encyclopdia Iranica uses the term Iranian Cultural Continent for this region.[6][7]. On the side of good was a pantheon of gods and spirits presided over by the supreme deity Ahura Mazda, the creator of all things seen and unseen, and, opposing these, was Angra Mainyu (also given as Ahriman), the spirit of evil, chaos, and confusion with his legion of demons and assorted supernatural (and natural) creatures and animals. It lurked in the long, uncultivated grasses away from towns and cities and struck without warning except, sometimes, seems to have announced itself with a growl which sounded like a loud trumpet. Main Carving, Rock-Cut Tombs of QizqapanOsama Shukir Muhammed Amin (Copyright). He is one of the Amesha Spentas and a powerful opponent against the forces of evil. The following is a list of the various entities of pre-Zoroastrian Persia who appear in some of the most famous myths and legends. Rustum is born and, after one day, is the size and strength of a one-year-old and continues growing quickly to the height of a cypress tree and with the strength of an elephant (Curtis, 39). Ancient Persian Mythology is the term now referencing ancient Iranian religion prior to the rise of Zoroastrianism between c. 1500-1000 BCE. World History Encyclopedia. Shahrazad (Scheherazade) heroine of the One Thousand Nights and a Night who is married to the king Shahriyar. Srosh an angel, possibly the same as Sraosa/Suroosh, who announces the time of death of the king. The resultant discord mirrors the nationalistic ideals of the early Islamic era as well as the moral and ethical perceptions of the Zoroastrian period, in which the world was perceived to be locked in a battle between the destructive Ahriman and his hordes of demonic Divs and their Aneran supporters, versus the Creator Ormuzd, who although not participating in the day-to-day affairs of mankind, was represented in the world by the izads and the righteous ahlav Iranians. Khvarenah divine glory the force which enables a person to perform the function they are supposed to in life, synonymous with farr (divine grace) which legitimized the reign of a king. Since both of these originated from roughly the same environment and culture, they shared a common religious belief system, which would develop in time as the Vedic lore and Hinduism of India and the Early Iranian Religion and Zoroastrianism of Persia, all of which share key concepts and types of supernatural beings. The soul was then called to cross a dark river to the land of the dead during which good souls were separated from bad ones (a process known as the Crossing of the Separator). The gods, creatures, & heroes who made up the early stories are scattered amongst the various works of Zoroastrianism & later collections of myth & fable. Verethragna warrior god whose sole responsibility is to fight against evil. They were thought to be spirits imprisoned in the fairy-form to atone for a past sin or sins but were not considered immortal and were certainly not human souls. Drvaspa goddess of cattle, children, and friendship, who promotes harmony. God splits heaven from earth, darkness and light, night and day, evening and morning, water and sky, sets of . Gavaevodta's corpse is taken to the moon and purified, and from the bull's purified seed, all animals come into being. With your support millions of people learn about history entirely for free, every month. Yima (Yama) the first mortal king to have ruled. The gods, creatures, and heroes who made up these early stories of ancient Persian mythology are therefore scattered amongst the various works of Zoroastrianism and later collections of myth and fable. Manuchehr initiates the Iranian-Turanian War. The Avesta gives no origin for this entity and seems to assume a prior knowledge among its audience of Angra Mainyu's existence and beginnings. His seed was purified by the sun and engendered a rhubarb plant which later gave birth to the first mortal couple Mashya and Mashyanag, progenitors of all other humans. He was overthrown by the hero Fereydun who restored order and justice. 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. Hushedar-mar would continue the work begun by Hushedar, but this would be interrupted by the demonic dragon Azhi Daraka who would break his chains and wreak havoc on the world before his defeat and death, which would signal the coming of the last messiah, the Saoshyant. The great heroes like Thraetaona or Karsasp or Rustum who defeated the forces of chaos served the same purpose, standing for the principles of goodness, justice, and order in an uncertain world and giving people hope that these ideals would triumph over selfishness, cruelty, and chaos. The Al were part of a larger body of evil and dangerous spirits known as khrafstra who troubled, disrupted and, at times, ended human lives. Tascheter one of the Four Royal Stars (modern designation Aldebaran) who worked for the good forces of Ahura Mazda. On the fourth day, the soul traveled to the Chinvat Bridge where it was met by the Holy Maiden Daena who would comfort it. After a reign of over 300 years, however, he begins to listen to the lies of Angra Mainyu and so he sins and the divine grace leaves him. Like all other animals, the dog owed its existence to the life-giving energies of one of the first of Ahura Mazda's creations, the Primordial Bull. The evil demons known as khrafstra tried to kill it, taking on the form of a frog and a lizard to eat it, but the plant was protected by the Kara fish who swam around it and kept them away as well as by the Righteous Ass, a pure-white donkey with a single golden horn on his forehead, three legs, nine mouths, and six eyes. Geus-Tasan god of cattle and their creator. Tishtrya god of rain and the harvest, sometimes given a twin, Tiri (god of agriculture). He derives strength from the proper worship of the people; fighting well when offerings are made in the right spirit and faltering when his worshipers neglect him. 1) The Bundahishn, which means 'the Creation', is one of the great Pahlavi texts, Zoroastrian sacred literature written in the middle-Persian language. Khrafstra evil demons who manifest themselves physically in the form of frogs, lizards, wasps, annoying insects such as stinging ants, and beasts of prey. Haurvatat goddess of wholeness, completeness, perfection and so associated with prosperity, wealth, and health. The four stars were Tascheter (Aldebaran), Venant (Regulus), Satevis (Antares), and Haftorang (Fomalhaut). Airyaman god of friendship, healing, reconciliation. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. The Huma bird, similar to Simurgh in many respects, conferred kingship and held all the wisdom of the ages while the giant bird of prey known as the Roc (or Rukh) dispensed justice upon those who thought they could escape it. War in Europe fuels geopolitical tensions . Simurgh tells Zal to return to his father and the world of humans but gives him a feather (in some versions, three feathers) which he should use to summon her if he needs help. Jinn were thought to inhabit lonely places outside of established communities and were especially to be feared when crossing the desert and in stops at oases. Her name means Belonging to Ahura and, as ahuranis, is also used in reference to divine spirits (ahuras) who fight against evil forces and protect humanity. 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 . The latter process, in particular, requires the presence of writing in order that . Huma Bird a mystical bird who lived an exceptionally long life before dying in its own flames and rising again like the Phoenix.