Ahurani wife or daughter of Ahura Mazda, goddess of waters, health, healing energies, wealth, and personal growth/development. The mythology of any civilization reflects its core values, greatest fears, and highest hopes and so it is with the mythology of ancient Persia.The great heroes like Karsasp, Thraetaona, and Rustum express particularly Persian values but, as with all mythical figures, are recognizable to people of any culture as role models whose best qualities are worth emulating. We care about our planet! 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. African mythology commonly depicts the cosmos anthropomorphically. Persian mythology or Iranian mythology (Persian: ) is the body of the myths originally told by ancient Persians and other Iranian peoples, and a genre of Ancient Persian folklore. Tushnamatay goddess of thought and meditation. Like the unicorn, the karkadann could be tamed by a virgin. He is eventually defeated and destroyed by Ahura Mazda at the end of the world. 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. Belief in such beings and their stories designated in the modern-day as 'mythology' was simply their sincere religious system, as valid to them as any religion is to an adherent in the present. Thus, in the first three centuries, a number of ideas from the ancient Middle East, from Hellenistic and especially from Jewish and Christian traditions . The dragon Azhi Sruvara preyed on humans and horses while another, Gandareva, stirred up the seas and sank ships. He was also associated with the haoma plant, as its protector, linking him with enlightenment and guided the faithful toward Truth (Asha) while defending them against the wiles of the forces of darkness. We already have a better picture of how 2023 might unfold. Iraj's portion was thought the best and so his brothers killed him for it. Airyaman god of friendship, healing, reconciliation. The prophet Zoroaster revised this earlier vision so that Ahura Mazda became the one true god while the most significant of the other deities became emanations and manifestations of his eternal goodness. Related Content Ahura Mazda had created human beings with free will to choose which course they would follow and, if one chose rightly, one would live well and find paradise in the afterlife, if poorly, one lived a life of confusion and strife and was dropped into the torment of hell after death. We want people all over the world to learn about history. The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Mythology: An A-Z Guide to the Myths and Twelve Ancient Persian Mythological Creatures, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. The great bird Chamrosh (with a dog's body and eagle's head and wings) assists in distributing seeds from the Great Tree and also protects Persians against threats by non-Persians while, on the opposing side, is the enormous bird Kamak who seeks to thwart whatever good Chamrosh intends. 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. Karmak continuously fed on human beings and livestock until killed by the hero Karsasp who showered it with arrows. Modern scholars study the myths to shed light on the religious and political institutions of not only modern-day Iran but the Greater Iran, which includes regions of West Asia, Central Asia, South Asia and Transcaucasia where Iranian culture has had significant influence. Peris are tiny, beautiful, winged creatures usually female who can deliver important messages from the gods or, just as easily, steal and hide some important object or misdirect a person. Gaymart, Avestan Gay Maretan ("Mortal Life"), in later Zoroastrian creation literature, the first man, and the progenitor of mankind. She was prayed to for protection and survival by soldiers prior to battle and so is also considered a goddess of war. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Her name means evil eye. Some Jinn were malevolent and some benign but, overall, they seem to react to circumstances and individual prompts. Haurvatat goddess of wholeness, completeness, perfection and so associated with prosperity, wealth, and health. His grandson, Haoshyangha (Hushang), would later rework Gaya Maretan's early efforts and be known as the lawgiver. It is considered the first mountain from which all others came and the source of water and light. He took her up on this offer when his wife, Rudaabeh, was in labor and, by Simurgh's aid and instruction, the great hero Rustum was born. One branch of these Aryans settled in and around the region now known as Iran (originally known as Ariana the land of the Aryans) prior to the 3rd millennium BCE and are referred to as Indo-Iranians; another branch settled in the Indus Valley and are known as Indo-Aryans. Vouru-Kasa a water god who is the keeper and protector of the waters of the Vourukasha Sea, the source of all waters, and is the embodiment of that sea. About a thousand years later, a religion known as Zoroastrianism (pronounced zor-oh-AS-tree-uhn-iz-m) emerged in the region. 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. World History Publishing is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. Thank you! Dogs warded off evil spirits, comforted and guided, and watched over one's most valuable possessions. Chamrosh is also a protective entity who defends Persians against outside invaders, especially raiders, swooping down upon them and carrying them off. Umm-Naush nocturnal demonic predators who threatened human lives and cosmic order. Garshasp another name for the monster-slaying hero Karsasp/Keresaspa. Gavaevodta's corpse is taken to the moon and purified, and from the bull's purified seed, all animals come into being. The dog was considered the best protection against these demons and also warded off cats. A freelance writer and former part-time Professor of Philosophy at Marist College, New York, Joshua J. Zal Taken by the Simurgh (Public Domain). . 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. This story was a Roman adaptation of a widespread ancient Mediterranean folktale told of many national leaders, such as the Akkadian king Sargon (c. 2300 bc), the biblical Moses, the Persian king Cyrus the Great, the Theban king Oedipus, and the twins Neleus and Pelias of Greek mythology. In this view, Angra Mainyu takes on sentience and power from the act of creation but is himself a created being and, ultimately, will fail against the greater power of the creator. The Kara fish swim constantly around these in order to drive away evil spirits who try to destroy them. Known as the golden-heeled, he was finally defeated and killed by the hero Karsasp. Asto Vidatu the demon of death who, not content with killing a person, then tries to snatch their souls into hell as they cross the Chinvat Bridge after their passing. Mark, J. J. Ancient Persian Mythology. Mark has lived in Greece and Germany and traveled through Egypt. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities of deities, heroes, and mythological creatures, and the origins and significance of the ancient Persians' own cult and ritual practices. These systems only became designated as mythological after they had been replaced by others which, even so, continued to express the same values emphasizing the forces of good and order over those of evil and chaos. . Web. Sraosa works with the Holy Maiden Daena and, like her, reflects the conscience of the soul after death. 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. Submitted by Joshua J. He is a shapeshifter and can appear as a bull with yellow ears and golden horns, a white horse with gold trappings, a mighty camel, a strong boar, a young man in fighting form at the age of 15 (considered the ideal age when a boy became a man), as a huge ram, an agile deer, a warrior wielding a golden sword, a strong wind, or a great bird. Tishtrya is represented as a white horse with golden ears, ornamented with gold trim, who battles the demons Apaosha (drought) and Duzhyairya (bad harvest), rising from the Vourukasha Sea, the source of all waters, to fly across the sky or dive into the waters to defeat his enemies. When the dog enters the room without hesitation and does not balk at approaching the corpse, Nasu is thought to have been driven away and mortuary rites may proceed. Last modified December 09, 2019. It restored health when eaten and its juice granted vision and immortality to the resurrected dead. Sohrab is born while Rustum is away at war and, when he is grown and has become a great warrior, goes to find him. The four stars were Tascheter (Aldebaran), Venant (Regulus), Satevis (Antares), and Haftorang (Fomalhaut). As with other ancient religions, the cosmological dichotomy of chaos and cosmos figured in both myth and worldview. Rashnu angel of judgment and divine judge of the dead at the Chinvat Bridge. His name means evil spirit, and he is the archenemy of Ahura Mazda and the forces of light. Apam-Napat a water god whose name means child of the waters. He is only finally killed through deceit but still is victorious in maintaining order against chaos. Persian Hero GarshaspBaloo1000 (Public Domain). Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! The khrafstra were invisible but manifested their intentions through observable nature in stinging ants, wasps, crop-destroying beetles, spiders, frogs, rodents, serpents, and beasts of prey. The god Vouru-Kasa watches over, and embodies, the sea and his son, Apam-Natat, is responsible for dispersing the waters around the world. 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. Both assist the newly dead in their crossing from life to death. It was probably compiled in the eighth and ninth centuries, though it reflects ancient Zorastrian (and pre-Zorastrian) teachings. 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. Sam is the grandfather of the great champion Rustum. The boy is taken by Simurgh, however, who raises him as her own son, and he develops amazing strength and superhuman powers. In some versions of the Persian* creation story a huge tree grew from the rotting corpse of the first human. She spends a night with Rustum who gives her an armband to give their child. Even so, the oral tradition of the Persians is thought to have influenced the religious systems of other cultures many centuries earlier. 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. (2019, December 10). This was a polytheistic faith with a pantheon led by the supreme god Ahura Mazda ("Lord of Wisdom"), champion of order, against the dark forces of Angra Mainyu ("Destructive Spirit") and his legions of chaos. 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. 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. They were neutral in the war between the forces of Good and those of Evil and based their actions on circumstance rather than ideology. (2019, December 09). Azhdaha dragons, generally; large snakes who prey on people and livestock and are the regular adversaries of the great heroes. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. President Joe Biden spoke about the creation of new manufacturing jobs Tuesday at the . The other major sources for Persian mythology are the Shahnameh (The Book of Kings) written by the Persian poet Abolqasem Ferdowsi (l. 940-1020 CE) drawing on the much earlier oral tradition, and the popular One Thousand Tales (better known as The Arabian Nights), written during the Sassanian Period (224-651 CE) and also based on oral tradition. He has a thousand senses and is invincible but, embodied as the tyrant Zahak, was defeated by the hero Thraetaona (Fereydun) who keeps him in chains until the end of the world at which time he will be killed by the resurrected hero Karsasp. 30 Apr 2023. Nasu (Naush) demon who contaminates corpses of the newly deceased in the form of a fly. Haoma god of the harvest, health, strength, and vitality; personification of the haoma plant whose juices brought enlightenment and of which Gaokerena was the greatest and largest. Defining history is hardly easier than defining myth, but a historical approach necessarily involves both establishing a chronological framework for events and comparing and contrasting rival traditions in order to produce a coherent account. [4][5] The Encyclopdia Iranica uses the term Iranian Cultural Continent for this region.[6][7]. Winged Figure, Rock-Cut Tombs of Qizqapan. 1) The Bundahishn, which means 'the Creation', is one of the great Pahlavi texts, Zoroastrian sacred literature written in the middle-Persian language. Iran's army said two Iranian crew members were missing and several others injured after a collision Thursday in the Gulf involving an oil tanker which was later seized by its forces. The creation pericope of Genesis 1-2:4a, is taken from the liturgy of the Babylonian or Persian New Year festival. Kamak is so enormous that its spread wings blocked the rain, bringing drought to the land, and in the chaos which followed it easily plucked up human and animal prey to feed on. Jinn (Djinn) supernatural entities, neither immortal nor human spirits, who are better known as genies. Even if one never actually saw a Koresk, one could still have hope one would someday and all one's problems would be solved in a sudden streak of supernatural good fortune. The most prominent and unique feature of ancient Iranian religion was the development of dualism, primarily expressed in the opposition of truth ( arta) and falsehood ( drug, drauga ). Zarich the demon of ageing and decrepitude. Zam the earth, home of the mortals, which should be cared for as one cares for one's own house. Guardian of the winter solstice. Last modified January 16, 2020. Shahbaz a giant bird, larger than any other, who watches over and encourages humanity; thought to be the Imperial Eagle representing royalty under the reign of Cyrus the Great. In the religious movement of Zorvanism, he became the father of Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu, twin brothers, and Time became the supreme power in the universe against which nothing could stand. Associated with, and possibly the same demon, as Vizaresha. Ahura Mazda was uncreated and eternal and, by his goodness . The ahuras were good spirits and the daivas were evil; both influenced human life and thought. The world, seen and unseen, was created by Ahura Mazda, the source of all good and all life. Jamshid (Jam, Yima Kshaeta) the fourth king of the world who brought civilization to its greatest height, initiated the construction of cities, established social hierarchy, and introduced winemaking. Peris, like jinns, are considered neutral in the war between Good and Evil and, also like them, are as apt to trick a person as to deal fairly. Mithra one of the most popular and best-known gods of the Persian pantheon, Mithra was the god of the rising sun, covenants, and contracts and is therefore also associated with friendship. If someone saw or even thought they saw the bird flying overhead, however, it was a great blessing. 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. He has taught history, writing, literature, and philosophy at the college level. Like the Peri, they were neutral in the struggle between good and evil and seem to have based their actions on the circumstance of the moment. 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. Only Rustum was able to ride Rakhsh as Rustum's superior strength and power would have killed any other horse, although Rakhsh would not allow any other rider through devotion to Rustum. There is little notice of the Persian god in the Roman world until the beginning of the 2nd century, but, from the year 136 ce onward, there are hundreds of dedicatory inscriptions to Mithra. She is scared off by a dog, especially the four-eyed dog (one with a spot above each eye), who is led into the room between three and nine times for this purpose. Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. These include the Zoroastrianism creation myth and the tale of King Yama and the salvation of the earth. She taught Zal how to deliver a difficult birth through the Caesarian section and also instructed him in medicinal herbs for healing. Chamrosh has a dog's body with the head and wings of an eagle. Whether one or the other, the natural and supernatural forces the figures represent were recognized as quite real and steps were taken to defend against the malevolent and give proper respect to those who wished only the best for humanity.
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