The Kara fish swim constantly around these in order to drive away evil spirits who try to destroy them. Manuchehr initiates the Iranian-Turanian War. Peri a small, beautiful, winged female spirit better known as a faerie. It was usually depicted as an old woman with sharp teeth, long, stringy hair, and talons which could also harm or kill pregnant women and would strike when mother and child were sleeping. Last modified December 09, 2019. Overall, they were regarded with suspicion, and amulets were carried for protection from their influence. Karmak continuously fed on human beings and livestock until killed by the hero Karsasp who showered it with arrows. He was later recognized in the post-Zoroastrian movement of Zorvanism as god of limited space and time. After Zoroastrianism's development, he became the only god of the new faith; later known as Ormuzd and Hormuzd. Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! Pairaka (Pairi) shapeshifting female demons (daeva) who appear as beautiful women to seduce and corrupt men in the night. A Peri might bring a message from the gods or, alternately, trick someone into believing some untruth or an outright lie. Published by Echo of Iran, Tehran 1965. It was the first of the seven regions created by Ahura Mazda. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. Tahmineh mother of the hero Sohrab in the Shahnameh. The regal period, 753-509 bc Thus, in the first three centuries, a number of ideas from the ancient Middle East, from Hellenistic and especially from Jewish and Christian traditions . Please support World History Encyclopedia. Shahriyar allows her to live so he can hear the ending. According to some interpretations, she is the later version of Saena; according to others, a distinct entity. The following is a list of the various entities of pre-Zoroastrian Persia who appear in some of the most famous myths and legends. Cite This Work Siyavash hero of the Shahnameh symbolizing virtue, innocence, integrity, and courage. Traditional legends and stories originally told by ancient Persians and other Iranian peoples, For example, those regions and peoples in the, Indogermanisches etymologisches Wrterbuch, Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of articles related to Persian mythology, Dialect, Culture, and Society in Eastern Arabia: Glossary, Ferdowsi millennial celebration in Berlin, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Persian_mythology&oldid=1146589156, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from September 2021, All articles needing additional references, Articles containing Avestan-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Armaiti (Spenta Armaiti) goddess of devotion, daughter of Ahura Mazda, one of the seven Amesha Spentas. Sassanian-style Plate with Simurghakhenatenator (Public Domain). 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. The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Mythology: An A-Z Guide to the Myths and Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, Rashnu an angel; the righteous judge of the dead, Verethragna the warrior god who fights against evil, Vayu god of the wind who chases away evil spirits, Atar god of the divine element of fire; personification of fire, Haoma god of the harvest, health, strength, vitality; personification of the plant of the same name whose juices brought enlightenment. Many of the other gods of the original Early Iranian Religion were forgotten, however, and are only known through brief reference in Zoroastrian scripture, religious literature, and the tales collected and written down in works such as the Shahnameh and One Thousand Nights and a Night. Gaymart | Zoroastrianism | Britannica When a human encountered a jinn, the entity might grant the person's wishes or trick them at the last moment. The dog was considered the best protection against these demons and also warded off cats. The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Mythology: An A-Z Guide to the Myths and Twelve Ancient Persian Mythological Creatures, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. On the fourth day, the soul traveled to the Chinvat Bridge where it was met by the Holy Maiden Daena who would comfort it. Zoroastruanism is the ancient pre-Islamic religion. He is the son of the water god Vouru-Kasa, keeper of the waters, who gives water to humans. Dog imagery also appears in depictions of the great birds Simurgh (known as the dog-bird) and Chamrosh. Submitted by Joshua J. 30 Apr 2023. Bibliography He has taught history, writing, literature, and philosophy at the college level. It lives beneath the Tree of All Seeds and, when the great bird Saena-Simurgh living high in the trees' branches flaps her wings, the seeds scatter and Chamorsh distributes them into the wind and rain to fall across the earth. He was adopted by Simurgh, the dog-bird, and raised as one of her own children, acquiring great strength and wisdom. Hushedar-mar the second of three saviors to appear before the end of the world. The most plausible hypothesis seems to be that Roman Mithraism was practically a new creation, wrought by a religious genius who may have lived as late as . Help us and translate this definition into another language! Tascheter one of the Four Royal Stars (modern designation Aldebaran) who worked for the good forces of Ahura Mazda. He has a magic cup used in divination which was thought to contain the elixir of immortality. It was thought to live in lonely places outside of communities, could kill anything except elephants, and was invincible because its hide was so thick. 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. Sraosa works with the Holy Maiden Daena and, like her, reflects the conscience of the soul after death. In Persian mythology and folklore, Jamshid is described as the fourth and greatest king of the epigraphically unattested Pishdadian . Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Our mission is to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. This so-called 'mythology', in fact, would go on to inform Zoroastrianism which, in turn, would influence the development of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Garshasp another name for the monster-slaying hero Karsasp/Keresaspa. His son, the great Kay Kosrow, later avenged him. Angra Mainyu the chief of the dark spirits of evil and chaos. Huma Bird a mystical bird who lived an exceptionally long life before dying in its own flames and rising again like the Phoenix. Bahram god of victory in life and after death, associated with the warrior god Verethragna. We care about our planet! The list attempts to be complete but will omit some minor deities and even some heroes whose qualities are represented by others more famous. 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. Creation & the Problem of Evil. Vayu was considered a yazata (spirit worth worshipping) or a daeva (evil spirit) depending on how he sided at a given time. The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. Shahriyar adopts a policy of marrying a virgin, spending a night with her, and executing her the next morning. Tushnamatay goddess of thought and meditation. Dogs in ancient Persia were accorded an especially high status and, in later Zoroastrian belief, guarded the Chinvat Bridge (which would replace the image of the dark river in the Crossing of the Separator) spanning the abyss between life and death. Also associated with the demon Nasu who contaminates dead bodies, flying from the north (location of hell) when it hears someone has died. Chamrosh and Kamak are also giant birds; Chamrosh a force for good and Kamak for evil. Associated with the great dog-bird Simurgh, although some scholars claim they are two distinct entities. Silver Coin of Bahram IIOsama Shukir Muhammed Amin (Copyright). Neriosang an angel, messenger of the gods. It is described as having a thousand senses and so is aware of any possible threat and can defend against it while, at the same time, knowing where its prey is at any time. Please donate to our server cost fundraiser 2023, so that we can produce more history articles, videos and translations. Twelve Ancient Persian Mythological Creatures The dragon Azhi Sruvara preyed on humans and horses while another, Gandareva, stirred up the seas and sank ships. The later sect of Zorvanism made Angra Mainyu the twin brother of Ahura Mazda, but this dualism was (and is) rejected by traditional Zoroastrians. The Supreme Deity first created sky an orb and then filled it with water and separated the water with earth, which was planted with various types of vegetation, and then made the Primordial Bull, which was brilliant white and glowed like the moon. His archenemy was Angra Mainyu, spirit of evil and disorder. Rakhsh the great stallion of the hero Rustum, mightier and more intelligent than any other horse, and of amazing strength and speed. Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. After a person died, the soul lingered by the corpse for three days while the gods considered their ultimate fate and tallied up their good and bad deeds. 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. African religions - Mythology | Britannica Iransaga - Persian Myths, The Creation of the World - Plus Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. Nanghaithya demon of discontent and ingratitude who whispers poisonous lies to people of what they should have or could have and so deprives them of gratitude for all the good things they do have. Please donate to our server cost fundraiser 2023, so that we can produce more history articles, videos and translations. He is best known as the spirit of light who delivered the revelation of divine truth to Zoroaster on the banks of a river. A freelance writer and former part-time Professor of Philosophy at Marist College, New York, Joshua J. 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. Ardashir I & Ahura MazdaLutf 'Ali Khan (Copyright). She was a companion of Mithra. Roc the giant bird of prey best known from the stories concerning Sinbad the Sailor from One Thousand Nights and a Night. World History Encyclopedia, 09 Dec 2019. was Ahura Mazda C ., Indo-European peoples migrated south from the steppes into the regions now known as Turkey, Iran, and northern India. Afterwards, his successors must struggle to maintain just rule since deception and trickery will now regularly play a part in politics.
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