Persian Mythology
Persian mythology is traditional histories and old histories, with all exceptional or supernatural humans involved. Based on the legendary history of Iran, the conditions to which they originally belonged in the community are reflected: attitudes to the conflict of good and evil, activities of gods, yazats (lesser deities), and adventures of heroes and fabled animals. Myths play a vital role in Iranian culture; when we regard them in the framework of Iranian history our knowledge of them is strengthened.
The Persian mythological personalities are almost always in one camp. Either it’s nice or it’s bad. The resulting discorde reflects both the nationalist ideals and the moral and ethical perceptions in the early Islamic period in which the world was perceived to be locked up in a battle against creator Ormuzd who, even though not involved in everyday human affairs, was locked between the destructive Ahrimana and his hordes of demonic wonders and his un-Iranian supporters.
Persian Mythology Persian mythology traditional histories histories exceptional supernatural humans involved Based legendary history Iran conditions originally belonged community reflected attitudes conflict good evil activities gods yazats lesser deities adventures heroes fabled animals Myths play vital role Iranian culture regard framework Iranian history knowledge strengthened The Persian mythological personalities camp Either nice bad The discorde reflects nationalist ideals moral ethical perceptions early Islamic period perceived locked battle creator Ormuzd involved everyday human affairs locked destructive Ahrimana hordes demonic wonders Iranian supporters Persian mythology traditional tales stories ancient origin involving extraordinary supernatural beings Drawn legendary Iran reflect attitudes society belonged attitudes confrontation good evil actions gods yazats lesser gods exploits heroes fabulous creatures Myths play crucial Iranian culture understanding increased context Iranian history For purpose ignore modern political boundaries historical developments Greater Iran vast area covering Caucasus Mesopotamia Anatolia Central Asia frontiers day Iran The geography region high mountain ranges plays role mythological stories The millennium regarded age migration emergence western Iran form Iranian pottery earlier wares north eastern Iran suggesting arrival Ancient Iranian peoples This pottery light grey black colour appeared 1400 called Early Grey Ware Iron indicating Iron Age area The central collection Persian mythology Shahnameh Ferdowsi written years Ferdowsi work draws heavily attribution stories characters Mazdaism Zoroastrianism Avesta texts Bundahishn Denkard The characters Persian mythology fall camps They good evil The resultant discord mirrors nationalistic ideals early Islamic era moral ethical perceptions Zoroastrian period perceived locked battle destructive Ahriman hordes demonic dews Iranian supporters Creator Ormuzd participating day day affairs mankind represented izads righteous ahlav Iranians The famous legendary character Persian epics mythology Rostam fence Zahhak symbol despotism finally defeated Kāve led popular uprising Zahhak Avestan Aži Dahāka guarded vipers grew shoulders matter times beheaded heads grew guard The snake mythologies symbol evil animals birds Iranian mythology birds signs good omen Most famous Simurgh large beautiful powerful bird Huma bird royal bird victory plume adorned crowns Peri Avestan Pairika considered beautiful evil woman early mythology gradually evil beautiful Islamic period symbol beauty houris Paradise citation needed The conflict good evil prevalent Persian myth Zoroastrianism Persian mythology developed Iran 1500B About years religion Zoroastrianism emerged region held earlier beliefs themes deities myths The result mythology based dualistic vision cosmic conflict good evil The roots Persian mythology lie steppes southern Russia Central Asia Between 1500 1000B Indo European peoples migrated south steppes regions Turkey Iran northern India Those settled Iran Persians Their mythology common early Hindus developed common Indo European source time Persians absorbed influences Mesopotamia western border The religious reformer prophet Zoroaster born 628B founded faith dominated Persia arrival Islam theA 600S Apart unreliable accounts ancient Greek historians earliest Persian mythology Zoroastrianism sacred book theZend AvestaorAvesta Much originalZend Avestawas lost Alexander Great conquered Persia 334B What survives set writings gathered arranged betweenA One theGathas consists songs believed composed Zoroaster Much mythological material containingYashts hymns addressed angels heroes Major Deities Figures The driving forces Persian mythology powerful gods presented twin brothers Ahura Mazda creator god light truth goodness His enemy Ahriman spirit darkness lies evil created destructive vermin disease demons The battlefield Although equally matched period history Ahura Mazda fated win fight For reason Ahura Mazda Wise Lord supreme deity Persian mythology The Zoroastrians identified purifying tended fires towers worship The ancient Persian pantheon included Mithras god war sun law order object widespread cultin Roman empire Anahita goddess water fertility Verethraghna god war victory appeared earth forms wind bull horse camel boar youth raven ram buck man Zoroaster reduced role traditional deities emphasized Ahura Mazda supreme god Religious scholars early step monotheism However Ahura Mazda created archangels called Amesha Spentas represented truth power immortality aspects These archangels features pre Zoroastrian gods Heroes kings figured Persian myth legend The hero Traetaona battled Azhi Dahaka headed demon controlled Ahriman When Traetaona stabbed demon chest snakes lizards poured wound prevent demon poisoning Traetaona locked mountain remain When Azhi Dahaka break free hero Keresaspa kill The legendary king Bahram Gurappeared poems tales inventor poetry mighty hunter The greatest hero warrior Rustum adventures theepicShah Namah Book Kings written poet Firdawī aroundA 1010 Major Themes Myths The main theme Persian mythology battle good evil Ahura Mazda Ahriman involved Hosts angels called Yazatas good spirits orashavansfought Ahura Mazda Ahriman headed army evil spirits asdregvantsand demons calleddevas Humans conflict Each person choose follow truth lie Plants animals good evil depending Ahura Mazda Ahriman created controlled Ahura Mazda Creation began cast beam pure light void Ahriman attacked Ahura Mazda uttered prayer silenced Ahriman 000 years Ahriman created Amesha Spentas Yazatas Ahura Mazda final creation Gayomart man Ahriman awoke began evil work sending female demon Gayomart sicken die Perhaps influenced stargazing Babylonian astronomers ancient Iranians deities stars The star Sirius represented rain god Tishtrya main role battle Apausha evil star drought Tishtrya form white stallion Apausha hideous black horse fought days Then Ahura Mazda Tishtrya defeated Apausha Tishtrya star gods protected agriculture charge battling meteors shooting stars Persians believed witches pantheon gods culturecult group bound devotion person belief godmonotheism belief godimmortality ability live foreverepic long poem legendary historical heroes written grand styleGayomart body silver gold earth death fertilized ground plant grew man woman These people Masha Mashyoi wereThis Persian drawing illustrates scene epic Shah Namah Written 1010 poem recounts adventures hero Rustum parents human race Ahriman deceived thinking creator repeated lie evil suffering entered Zoroastrians believed 000 years Zoroaster break Ahriman hold leaving powers fight future The legend Rustum human heroes play great drama good evil Rustum strong brave king head army Then White Demon seized king Rustum set rescue travels Rustum encountered lion desert dragon demoness demon army overcame obstacles faithful horse Ruksh warrior named Aulad defeated combat ally Rustum adventure ended cave lair White Demon Rustum tore demon heart Death Persian mythology involved journey afterlife The soul dead person cross bridge called Chinvat Good souls bridge wide comfortable beam leading heaven For wicked razor sharp blade fell headlong hell Zoroastrianism belief systems include vision signaled appearance saviors sons Zoroaster Upon arrival Hushedar savior sun stand days people eating meat When Hushedar savior appeared sun halt days people drinking milk Just neared purity evil demon Azhi Dahaka break free mountain prison Only killed Soshyant savior arrive People eating plants live water soldier good fight defeat evil enemy Then enveloped molten metal days Everyone lived return life cross wicked suffer heat This final judgment purge sin evil leaving innocent human race cleansed worship Ahura Mazda Persian religion mythology reaching influence Historians mythology beliefs Jewish Christian Islamic faiths grew Persian traditions The tendency Zoroastrianism monotheism turning multiple gods aspects god helped shape faiths Unlike ancient belief systems Persian mythology remains alive covers books survived continuously thousands years isolated groups Iranians worship Ahura Mazda Other Zoroastrian communities exist India descendants immigrants Iran Parsis Parsees reference Persian origin Persian Mythology ZodiacPage
