Religion Culture of Persia PDF

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Religion Culture of Persia...

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Religion and Culture of Persia

Zoroastrianism: Early religion of Persians was most likely polytheistic, and a priest class performed ceremonies and carried out animal sacrifices   

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like Indo-European speaking people who settled and became agriculturalists, Persians adopted and incorporated existing traditions of the area With the formation of the Achaemenid dynasty, most Persians converted to Zoroastrianism, which had monotheistic and dualistic characteristics Founder, Zoroaster (also known as Zarathushtra) may have lived in the 11th century BCE and preached to the Indo-European speaking people o Prophet received his revelations directly from the supreme god, Ahura Mazda, the "Wise Lord" o Composed 17 Gathas (poetic hymns) to praise the supreme god o Holy scripture is called the Avesta, which includes the Gathas, the Book of Common Prayer, the Extension to the Liturgy, and the code of purification and religious observances Zoroastrianism is based upon worship of this sole god, and the prophet's moral teachings stress the righteous act of always speaking the truth and avoiding lies o Core of the teaching = "good thoughts, good words, good deeds" o Viewed the world in dualistic terms as a struggle between good and evil  Ahura Mazda symbolizes all that is good in the world and opposes Angra Mainyu (also called Ahriman), the lord of evil  These two forces are in constant struggle to win humans to their side  At the end of the spiritual battle between Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu, Ahura Mazda will send a savior to destroy Angra Mainyu and resurrect the dead  Final Judgement of all souls will take place; all sinners will be punished and then forgiven, then the world will be a place of joy, free from misery as it was intended from the beginning o Zoroastrians believe that humans may choose the path of good or evil  Those who perform good deeds go to the afterlife called the Abode of Song; those who perform bad deeds go to the Abode of Wickedness and are tortured, similar to Christianity and Islam During the Achaemenid dynasty, temples were built for prayer rituals to Ahura Mazda o Zoroastrians were not obliged to attend the temple; they could pray at home o Temples were attended by priests, one of their tasks was to look after the fire altar  Ahura Mazda's cohort would use a holy fire during the final judgement to distinguish between the good and the wicked o Played a crucial role in forming and driving Persian culture  Early kings of the Achaemenid dynasty saw themselves as representatives of Ahura Mazda, and took the preaching of Zoroaster as an ideal way to create a society where good was victorious  Several festivals had origins in Zoroastrianism, including the celebration of the spring equinox called Norooz, meaning "new day"  Kings of Persia made it common policy to celebrate the day with special ceremonies and gift giving

Religion and Culture of Persia

Zoroastrianism's Impact on Persian Culture: Zoroastrianism was more than a religion to the Persians; it redefined their personal, political, and cultural interactions  

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Was a religious and cultural tradition that influenced the lives of its adherents for generations, making it a milestone of moving from polytheism to monotheism Central to Zoroastrianism is emphasis of moral choice: humans can follow Ahura Mazda or deny him and follow Angra Mainyu o These choices leave humans to bear responsibility for all situations they are in and the way they act towards one another o Good happens to those who do good, evil happens to those who do evil o Helped create a culture and system of worship around positive interactions and tolerance of other faiths Achaemenid Empire popularized the use of shrines and fire temples to pay tribute to Ahura Mazda, influenced by the Babylonians but otherwise considered alien in most of the Middle East o Religious ceremonies, feasts, and banquets were important aspects of Persian culture and lasted for several days  Cuisine included stews, lamb and goat meat, bread, herbs, fruit, and wine  Gold and silver drinking vessels, bowls, and beakers were decorated with Zoroastrian images (birds, animals, or trees)  Special occasions like religious ceremonies and family celebrations were also a time for listening to music which included cymbals, drums, gourds, rattles, and gongs o After the Achaemenid empire fell, shrines were constructed around the empire and helped spread the positive morality of Zoroastrianism  Many aspects of Zoroastrianism are present in the culture/mythology of Greater Iran  Even after rise of Islam and loss of direct influence, Zoroastrianism remained part of the cultural heritage of the Iranian language-speaking world as festivals and customs Ancient Persian texts and archaeological finds show much about the role of women o Highest ranking woman in Persian society was the King's mother  King's wife was highly regarded since she gave birth to and raised the next ruler  Other royal women including sisters and extended female relatives received a level of economic independence and played a part in administering their own public projects and affairs o Women who were not related to the royal family still played a primary role in the operation of society  Ranked by occupations, often owned property and even had their own private seal  Many women served as supervisors in workshops, called arashshara or "great chief"and managed significant numbers of women, children, and sometimes men  If women were especially talented or skilled in a craft, they could receive the same agricultural rations and wages as men

Religion and Culture of Persia

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o Women could divorce and provide inheritance for their children, but could not serve as a witness in the process of drawing up a legal contract  Society was still mostly patriarchal; many marriages were polygamous and fathers/husbands could offer their children to secure debts on their behalf Persian art and architecture is best exemplified by remains of limestone columns, climbing staircases, stone portals, and reliefs found in Persepolis o Excavations find images of kings with wine, perfume, and incense  Also found polychrome inlay jewelry and bracelets adorned with animal heads, carcinated drinking bowls made from gold and silver, ornamentation in gypsum plaster, as well as gigantic sculpted bowls o Darius's palace was once blue, yellow, and turquoise with colored ornamentation in the main hall...