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Index
Cover
Title page
Table of Contents
Notes on Contributors
Acknowledgments
Aims and Scope
A Note on Transcriptions
Avestan
Pahlavi (Zoroastrian Middle Persian)
New Persian (Farsi)
Arabic
Gujarati
Abbreviations
Introduction
A Disintegrated Academic Landscape
Attempts at Mapping Main Approaches
Some Main Figures in the History of Zoroastrian Studies
Contributions of Zoroastrian and Iranian Scholars
The Impact of the Study of Zoroastrianism on Modern Zoroastrianism
Emerging Trends in Recent Scholarship
Part I: Zarathustra Revisited
CHAPTER 1: Zarathustra’s Time and Homeland
Zarathustra’s Time and Homeland: Approximations and Dead Ends
The Location of the Legendary Zarathustra
The Geographical Horizon of the Young Avesta
Further Reading
CHAPTER 2: Zarathustra’s Time and Homeland
External Evidence for the Avesta
Linguistic and Literary Relationship between the Older and Younger Avesta
The Provenance of the Avesta
Conclusion
Further Reading
CHAPTER 3: Interpretations of Zarathustra and the Gāthās
CHAPTER 3A: The Gāthās
CHAPTER 3B: The Gāthās, Said to Be of Zarathustra
The Gāthās within the Avesta
The “Edition” of the Old Avesta
The Young Avestan Exegesis of the Old Avesta
Zarathustra
Unity and Homogeneity of the Gāthās
The Doctrine of the Gāthās
The Sole Source of Zoroastrianism?
Concluding Remark
CHAPTER 3C: Dimensions of the Gāthās as Poetry
Further Reading
CHAPTER 3D: The Gāthās as Myth and Ritual
Summary
Background
The Historical Zarathustra in Western Scholarship
My Approach
The Gāthās as the Story of Zarathustra
The Gathic Ritual Myth
CHAPTER 4: Zarathustra
Zarathustra as Author and Source
Zarathustra as Hero, Recipient of Revelation, and Prophet
Narratives and Identifications
Visual Representations
Conclusion
Further Reading
Part II: Periods, Regions, and Contexts
CHAPTER 5: Religion and Politics in Pre-Islamic Iran
Zoroastrianism before the Iranian Empires
The Achaemenid Empire
The Origin of Achaemenid Court Rituals
The Zoroastrian Calendar
The Judgment of the Soul
The Zoroastrian Story of Creation and the End of Time
Alexander and the Seleucids
The Parthian (Arsacid) Empire
The Rise of the Sasanians
Further Reading
CHAPTER 6: Zoroastrianism under Islamic Rule
Historical Periodization
Conquest and Settlement of the Arab Muslim Conquerors (7th CE)
The Age of Conversion and “Heterodox” Movements
The Zoroastrian Dark Ages (11th–16th Centuries CE)
Zoroastrians under a Shī’ī Gunpowder Empire (16th–18th Centuries CE)
Further Reading
CHAPTER 7: Armenian and Georgian Zoroastrianism
Armenia and Georgia: Geography and History
Languages and Sources
The Religion of Pre-Christian Armenia
The Religion of Pre-Christian Georgia
The Parthian Commonwealth
Further Reading
CHAPTER 8: Zoroastrianism in Central Asia
Sources
Calendars
The Kushan Pantheon
The Sogdian Pantheon
Temples
The Clergy and Its Literary Productions
Marriage Customs
Funerary Practices
After the Muslim Conquest
Conclusion: Central Asian Zoroastrianism in Perspective
Further Reading
CHAPTER 9: Zoroastrianism in the Far East
The History of Zoroastrian Studies in the Far East
Main Periods
The Advance of Zoroastrianism into the Far East (the 4th–9th Centuries)
The Formation of “Sinicized” Zoroastrianism (the 10th–20th Centuries)
The Parsis in the Far East (the 18th–21st Centuries)
Conclusion: Studies on Zoroastrianism in the Far East
Acknowledgments
Appendix:Chronological Table of Zoroastrianism in the Far East
Further Reading
CHAPTER 10: The Parsis
The Early Days
Colonial India
Parsis in Independent India
Final Remarks
Further Reading
CHAPTER 11: Zoroastrians in Modern Iran
The Amelioration Society, the Struggle against Discrimination and New Agencies
Constitutional Changes
Under the Pahlavīs
Nationalism: Ideological Reappraisal and Civic Zoroastrianism
Religious Boundaries and Modernization
The Islamic Republic
Some Conclusions and Prospects
Further Reading
CHAPTER 12: The Zoroastrian Diaspora
Zoroastrians in China
Zoroastrians in East Africa
Parsis in Pakistan
Zoroastrians in Britain
Zoroastrians in North America
Zoroastrians in Australia
Final Remarks
Further Reading
Appendix Chronological table
Part III: Structures, Discourses, and Dimensions
CHAPTER 13: Theologies and Hermeneutics
“Religion” and the “Sacred Word”
Good and Evil, Truth and Falsehood
The Nature, Will, and Desire of God
The Nature of the Evil Spirit and the Demons
The Divine Plan, Predestination, and Time
Human Behavior, Religious Wisdom, and Life Practices
“The Problem of Evil” and Defenses of Dualism
Textual Taxonomies: The Ahunwar, the Twenty-One Nasks, and the Dēn
Sacred Wisdom, Priestly Authority, and the Teaching of Religious Knowledge
Religion and Polemics: Disciplining Selves and Critiquing Others
Conclusions
Acknowledgment
Further Reading
CHAPTER 14: Cosmologies and Astrology
The Cosmic Fight and the Double Dimension of Existence and of Creation
Unlimited and Limited Time
The Organization of the World and the Place of the Iranians in the Mazdean Cosmography
Early Iranian Astral Cosmology and Mythology
The Avestan Heaven and the Astral Bodies
The Myth of Tištriia and the Astral Battle against the Falling Stars
Later Mazdean Cosmology and Astrology
The Planets, Their Names, and Their Demonization
Other Doctrines
Final Remarks
Further Reading
CHAPTER 15: Myths, Legends, Eschatologies
The Beginnings
Zoroaster’s Life
The End
Conclusion
Further Reading
CHAPTER 16: Gender
A Gendered Concept of the Divine?
“Priesthood of Believers”
Purity, Pollution, and Sexuality
Religio-Social Experience
Final Remarks
Further Reading
CHAPTER 17: Law in Pre-Modern Zoroastrianism
Reconstructing Zoroastrian Law
Law and Religion
Law of Persons and Animals
Family Law, Marriage, and Succession
Law of Property and Obligations
Criminal Law
Legal Proceedings
Zoroastrian Law after the Muslim Conquest
Final Remarks
Further Reading
CHAPTER 18: Law and Modern Zoroastrians
Reinventing Zoroastrian Law
Inheritance
Marriage
Religious Trusts
Beyond India
Final Remarks
Abbreviations
Further Reading
Cases
Statutes, Constitutions, and Related Papers
Part IV: Practices and Sites
CHAPTER 19: Ethics
The Ritual or “Narrow” Morality
Morality in a General Sense
Final Remarks
Further Reading
CHAPTER 20: Prayer
Introduction
Prayer Texts in Avestan
Prayers in Languages Other than Avestan
Prayer in Modern Zoroastrianism
Conclusion
Further Reading
CHAPTER 21: Purity and Pollution / The Body
The Source of Impurity and the Effects of Pollution
Analysis
The Removal of Pollution
Conclusion
Further Reading
CHAPTER 22: Rituals
Terminology
Reform and Change
Animal Sacrifice
The Art of Words
Priesthood and Laity
The Ritualization of Daily Life
Priestly Liturgies
Initiations and Weddings
Initiation into the Priesthood
Funerals and Post-Funerary Services
Further Reading
CHAPTER 23: Festivals and the Calendar
The Earliest Zoroastrian Festivals
Zoroastrian Festivals in Sasanian and Early Islamic Iran
Festivals in the Modern Period
Final Remarks
Further Reading
CHAPTER 24: Religious Sites and Physical Structures
Ancient Holy Structures
Institutions of Late Antiquity
Medieval and Pre-Modern Places of Piety
Modern Communities and Their Religious Sites
Further Reading
Part V: Intersections
CHAPTER 25: Early India and Iran
The Indo-European and Indo-Iranian Heritage of Avestan
Linguistic Similarities between Avestan and Old Indic
The Old Indic and Avestan Literature
Time and Place of the Indo-Iranians
The Old Indic and Avestan Poets and Their Poetry
Shared Myths: Cosmology
Dragon-Killers and Other Myths
Mythical Geography
Poetic Formulas
Gods and Demons
Ahura Mazdā
Mitra/Miθra
Vāyu/Vaiiu
Apām Napāt /Apąm Napāt̰
Bhága/Baga (Baγa)
Aryamán/Airiiaman
Evil Deities
Ritual
Soma/Haoma
Conclusion
Further Reading
CHAPTER 26: Judaism
Early Encounters: The Achaemenid Conquest of the Near East
Intersections with Zoroastrianism in Second Temple Times
Intersections during Late Antiquity: The Talmud and Zoroastrianism
After the Conquest: Medieval Intersections between Jews and Zoroastrians
Conclusion
Further Reading
CHAPTER 27: The Classical World
Early Greek Cosmologists: 540–450 BCE
Greek Historians of the East: 450–370 BCE
Plato and the Academy: 370–300 BCE
The Hellenistic Period: 300–30 BCE
The Roman and Early Byzantine Periods: 30 BCE–600 CE
Final Remarks
Further Reading
CHAPTER 28: From Miθra to Roman Mithras
CHAPTER 29: Christianity
The Wise Men from the East
Zoroastrian Elements in Early Christianity
Zoroaster and Iranian Religion in the Church Fathers and Gnostic Literature
Christians in Arsacid and Sasanian Iran
Persecutions of Christians in Sasanian Iran
Zoroastrian Polemics against Christianity
Early Islamic Times
Further Reading
CHAPTER 30: Manichaeism in Iran
Manichaeans in Sasanian Iran
Zoroastrian Topics and Elements in Manichaeism
The Manichaean “Worldview” in Zoroastrianism and in Later Iranian Traditions
Pahlavi Texts against Manichaeans and Anti-Zoroastrica Written by Manichaeans
Conclusion
Further Reading
CHAPTER 31: Islam
The Attitudes toward Zoroastrianism in Early Islam
Descriptions of Zoroastrianism in Muslim Literature
Iranian Influence in Early Arabic Literature
The Iranian Festivals: Nowrūz and Mehragān
Zoroastrian Polemics against Islam
Secular Themes in Islam Derived from Iran
Middle Persian Books Translated into Arabic
Further Reading
CHAPTER 32: The Yezidi and Yarsan Traditions
Further Reading
CHAPTER 33: The Bahā’ī Faith
Early Interactions with Zoroastrian Leaders
The Zoroastrian Conversions
Factors in the Conversion of Zoroastrians
Separation, Integration, and Intermarriage
The Zoroastrian Converts in Later Years
Conclusion
Further Reading
Part VI: Primary Sources
CHAPTER 34: Primary Sources
Avestan
Middle Persian
Scholarly Resources
CHAPTER 35: Primary Sources
The Zoroastrian Dialects of Yazd and Kermān
Texts Written in Middle Persian Language in Persian Script (Pārsī)
Narratives of the Lives of Religious Figures
The Ṣaddars
Religious Miscellanies
The Persian Revāyats
Scientific and Astrological Texts
Zoroastrian–Muslim Apologetic Texts
Stories of Migration to India
Didactic and Ethical Works
Devotional Works
Āẕar Kayvān
The 18th and 19th Centuries
Persian Printing in the 19th Century
20th-Century Zoroastrian Persian Texts
Community Magazines
CHAPTER 36: Primary Sources
Old Parsi Gujarati Translation Texts
The Archive of the Navsari Bhagarsath Anjuman
The Classical Compositions of Ervad Rustam Peśotan Hamjiār
The 18th- and Early 19th-Century Compositions
The Calendar Controversy and the Beginning of Print Literacy
The Missionary Controversy
Zoroastrian Reform and Iranian Philology
Theosophy and Ilm-e Kṣnum (Khshnoom)
Travelogues
Sources on Zoroastrian Ritual
Parsi History and Genealogy
Translations of Avestan and Pahlavi Texts
Novels, Poetry, Songs, and Drama
Library Abbreviation
Bibliography
Index of People, Places, and Topics
Index Locorum
End User License Agreement
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