This is, in part, due to the adoption of this ancient symbol by the Pahlavi dynasty, established by Reza Shah Pahlavi when he came to power in Iran in 1925 AD. These exceptions aside, the Faravahar was not used much until the 20 th century AD, when it was revived as a nationalistic icon. For example, in the investiture relief of Shapur II at Taq-e Bostan, the Sassanian king is shown receiving the royal diadem from Ahura Mazda, the supreme deity of Zoroastrianism. In this context, the ring is meant to symbolize the royal diadem, which is given to the king during his investiture. For instance, the ring that his held by the figure on the Faravahar can be seen in Sassanian art. Above the sanctuary is the Faravahar, giving the king its blessing.Īpart from that, some elements of the Faravahar were preserved by the successors of the Achaemenids. On the reverse of a silver coin issued by Wadfradad I, the king is shown standing in front of a sanctuary. Although the area was under Seleucid rule at that time, the local kings, for a brief period, were able to issue their own coins. One exception to this was Wadfradad I, a local king of Persis (modern day Fars, in southwestern Iran) who lived during the 3 rd century BC. CC BY-SA 3.0 )įollowing the demise of the Achaemenids in the 4 th century BC, the Faravahar seems to have fallen out of use, as it did not appear in the art of their successors. Above the sanctuary is the Faravahar giving the king its blessing. Wadfradad I, a local king of Persis (modern day Fars, in southwestern Iran) shown standing in front of a sanctuary. Therefore, the Faravahar, though in a slightly different form, was already in use long before its adoption by the Zoroastrians and Achaemenids. The symbol is meant to be a solar disc, and a representation of Horus, the falcon-headed god. Unlike the Faravahar, the Egyptian winged disc has no human figure associated with it. What Could We Lose?Īpart from the Achaemenids and Assyrians, the winged disc was also used by other ancient Near Eastern powers, perhaps most notably the ancient Egyptians, from whom the Assyrians may have adopted the symbol. Iran’s Heritage Sites Remain Under Threat.The Plurality of the Persian Empire: Part I – The Achaemenids to the Sassanians.Who Was Zoroaster and How Did He Gain Religious Followers?.Like its Zoroastrian counterpart, the Assyrian winged disc is depicted as a kind of divine protection of the king. The symbol, and the figure in the disc, is meant to represent Assur, the national god of the Assyrians. Unlike the Zoroastrian Faravahar, the Assyrian symbol has a human figure depicted within the disc. It is likely that the Persians adopted this symbol from the Assyrians, who also used it widely in their monumental art. In its form as a winged disc, the Faravahar was used long before the Achaemenids came to power. It shows the Faravahar at the top and Darius the Great and his prisoners below. The Behistun Inscription is a relief with accompanying text carved 330 feet (100 meters) up a cliff in Kermanshah Province, Western Iran. The Faravahar is also seen in Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenids. In this rock relief, the Faravahar is shown hovering above the prisoners of Darius the Great and giving the king its blessing. For instance, the symbol is depicted on the famous Behistun Inscription. This is evident in the fact that the Faravahar appears in a variety of different places. (Napishtim / CC BY-SA 3.0 ) The Ancient Historical Origins Of The Faravahar SymbolĪlthough we may not how the ancient Persians referred to the symbol, we do know that it was an important one for them. Stone carved Faravahar in Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire, located in modern-day Iran. Incidentally, the name “Faravahar” was given to the symbol in more recent times, and it is unclear as to how the ancient Persians referred to this symbol. ‘Faravahar’ is a Pahlavi (known also as Middle Persian) word and is said to be derived from the Avestan word (the language of the Avesta, the Zoroastrian scripture) “fravarane,” which translates to mean “I choose.” Alternatively, it has been suggested that the name of this symbol is connected to the Old Persian word “fravarti” or “fravashi,” meaning “to protect.” The former implies the choice one makes to follow the teachings of Zoroastrianism, whereas the latter implies the divine protection of a guardian spirit. The Faravahar was adopted as a secular symbol to represent the modern nation of Iran. Whilst the symbol is well known, the meaning behind it is more complicated. This symbol consists of a winged disc with a man emerging from it. The Faravahar is arguably the best-known symbol of the Persian Zoroastrian faith.
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