Persian mythology

Persian mythology is the complex body of myths from ancient Iranian peoples.

These stories explain the origin and nature of the world. They also detail the lives of deities, heroes, and mythological creatures. Scholars use these myths to understand religious and political institutions. This study covers the Persosphere, which includes West, Central, and South Asia. It also reaches into Transcaucasia. The culture of Iran has influenced these many regions through history.

The core of these myths is a struggle between good and evil. This conflict mirrors the moral views of the Zoroastrian period. In this view, the world is a battlefield. On one side is the Creator, Ahura Mazda. He represents light, life, knowledge, and beauty. He is represented by the izads and righteous people. On the other side is the destructive Ahriman.

Ahriman leads hordes of demonic Divs. These forces represent darkness, sorrow, and disease. This cosmic struggle is a central theme in almost every narrative.

Ancient Indo-Iranian peoples categorized gods into two main ranks. These were the Ahuras and the evil Divan. Interestingly, these roles shifted between different cultures. Among Indians, the Ahuras became evil and the Divan became good. Among Iranians, the opposite occurred. Ahuras became the good gods. The Divan became the evil ones. People performed sacrifices for both types of gods. Sacrifices to evil gods were ransoms to stop them from killing. Sacrifices to good gods were to seek blessings.

The history of these myths involves many different tribes. Before the Medes, Aryan civilizations lived on the Iranian plateau. These included the Lullubi, Gutian, and Kassites. The Elamites also had a major civilization in the southwest. They were not of the Aryan race. However, their traditions influenced later societies. Kassite mythology shares some names with later Iranian groups. Researchers also see connections to ancient Indian mythology. Both groups share common roots and similar god names.

Mythology describes a specific view of the world's creation. Before Zoroastrian reforms, some believed the world was flat like a plate. The sky was imagined as hard as a diamond. Ahura Mazda changed this by creating dynamism. He made mountains and rivers. He caused the moon and stars to rotate. The universe was divided into seven regions. The center was called Khoonirth. The sky had three levels: the star base, moon base, and sun base. The Dark Mountain in Alborz was the center of the universe.

Creation is said to occur over twelve thousand mythological years. This time is divided into four periods of three thousand years each. In the first period, Ahura Mazda and Ahriman are born from Zarvan. Ahura Mazda creates the Amesha Spenta, which are holy beings. Ahriman creates the Sardivan to oppose them. A peace pact is made to delay the final battle. During the second period, Ahura Mazda creates the sky, water, earth, and plants. He also creates animals and humans in a single year. These creations are celebrated with six festivals called Gahambars.

Many creatures and symbols appear in these legends. Birds are often signs of good omens. The Simurgh is a large, beautiful, and powerful bird.

The Huma bird symbolizes victory. Its plume was used on Persian crowns.

The Peri is another figure. In early myths, the Peri was a beautiful but evil woman. Over time, she became more beautiful and less evil. Other stories feature Zahhak, a king with vipers on his shoulders. These symbols help illustrate the constant presence of both good and evil.

We learn about these myths through several key texts. The Avesta contains the oldest religious references. These are often short prayer hymns called Yashta. More detailed information comes from Middle Persian Zoroastrian writings. These include the Bundahisn, Denkard, and the Vendidad.

A very famous source is the Shahnameh. This is "The Book of Kings." It was written by the poet Abolqasem Ferdowsi. This epic poem is a major part of the Persian literary tradition.