#middle persian

[suraanahita]

The Indian system of the nakṣatras (Pahl. xvurdag) with 27 and 28 “asterisms” is similarly attested in Iranian sources. In Ir.Bd II, we find a list of 27 xvurdag; they are generally referred to as the “lunar stations”, with each of them measuring 13° 20'…

With the start of the seventh millennium of the gumēzišn, i.e., the beginning of ‘the period of mixture’ (Ahreman’s assault unto the primordial good creation), the “chiliadic domination” (hazārag xvadāyīh) was given to the Balance (IrBd. V(B).15-17), the sign that represented “the dejection of the dejections” (Pahl. šēbān šēb = Gk. tapeínōma tapeínōmatōn) for the Sun — the astrologically worst place of the Zodiac.

Why? Well, as pictured above, the Balance contains the place of exaltation of Saturn (Kēvān), the most dangerous planetary demon of the heavens, who thus had become the lord of that millennium.

— — —

Notes:

IrBd. = Iranian (Greater) Bundahišn.

Pahl. = Pahlavi (Middle Persian).

Gk. = Greek.

[parsabad]

Mollayaghoub Synagogue/ Isfahan/ Iran

Photography: Saeed amini

[druidicentropy]

There are also variations in the location from which Arash shot his arrow. It is Airyo khshaotha, an unknown place in the Middle Climate, as mentioned in the Avesta, which does not include any references to locations in Western Iran. According to sources from the Islamic era, the scene is usually located somewhere south of the Caspian Sea, either in Tabaristan (Tabari, Talebi, Maqdesi, Ibn al-Athir, Marashi) or in other parts of the region, such as al-Biruni, Gardīzī, Amol fortress, Mount Damavand (Balami), or Sari (Gorgani). The location where the arrow landed has been variously identified as follows: Bactria/Tokharistan (Maqdesi, Gardizi); the banks of the Oxus River (Balami); east of Balkh (Talebi); 'Mount Khvanavant' in the Avesta (likewise an unknown location); or Merv (Mojmal). Al-Biruni claims that it struck a walnut tree "in the furthest place" between "Fargana" and "Tabaristan's [Greater] Khorasan's reaches."

I also just want to mention briefly while doing research for this post the first few images that come up are from Fate Prototype which is kind of funny so here's some of that:

And I'd also personally recommend the video I've linked below by Five Minute Folklore if this post was a bit complicated to understand as they do a much better job at quickly summarizing then I do in this post.

Āraš

In Iranian mythology, Arash the Archer (Persian: آرش کمانگ\ر‎ Āraš-e Kamāngīr) is a brave archer-figure.

Persecuted folklore holds that Arash sacrificed his own life to launch an arrow that marked the border between Iran and Turan. After traveling for several days, the arrow eventually touched down on the bark of a walnut tree on the opposite side of the Oxus, hundreds of miles from its initial launch site atop a mountain.

While some sources (like al-Biruni) seem to believe that 'Arash' is the source of the name 'Arshak' (i.e. Arsaces), the Parthian dynasty name comes from an Eastern Iranian or Parthian version of 'Ardashir,' that is, 'Artaxerxes,' specifically Artaxerxes II, who the Arsacids claimed descent from. (In the context of the mythologically mixed lineages of Iranian dynasties, the Arsacids asserted that they descended from Kai Kobad through the other Arash.)

Like most names derived from oral tradition, 'Arash' has multiple variants. 'Erekhsha' (̎rəxša) means "of the swift arrow, having the swiftest arrow among the Iranians" in the Avesta (Yašt 8.6). This Avestan-language form is preserved as 'Erash' (Bundahishn, Shahrastanha-I Eran, Zand-i Vahuman Yasht, Mah i Frawardin) in Zoroastrian Middle Persian, from which 'Eruch' is anglicized. 'Erash' and 'Irash' in al-Tabari and ibn al-Atir; Aarashshebatir in al-Tabari; 'Arash' in al-Talebi; 'Aarash' in Maqdesi, Balami, Mojmal, Marasi, al-Biruni, and in the Vis o Ramin of Gorgani are among the innovative Persian forms. Some examples of names with a stock epithet referring to the Avestan "swift arrow" are 'Arash-e Shewatir' by Mojmal and 'Aarashshebatir' by al-Tabari. "Arash/Aarash kaman-gir" is a form of surname that means "Arash, bow-expert."

The bowman's basic tale goes like this: the Turanian general Afrasiab has surrounded the forces of the righteous Manuchehr in a war between the Iranians and Turanians over the "royal glory" (khwarrah), and the two sides decide to make peace. Both come to an understanding the Manuchehr and the Iranians will reclaim any land that is within bow-shot range, while Afrasiab and the Aniranians will inherit the remaining land. An angel (called Spendarmad in Middle Persian, Isfandaramad in al-Biruni, or the Amesha Spenta Spenta Armaiti) gives Manuchehr instructions to make a unique bow and arrow, and asks Arash to be the archer. At dawn, Arash then unleashes the specially-tuned arrow, which travels a considerable distance.

Arash is destroyed by the shot in Talebi and Bal'ami and vanishes. He is elevated by the populace in al-Tabari, given command of the archers, and leads a life of great honor. The arrow travels different distances: a thousand leagues (farsakhs) in one, and forty days' walk in another. The arrow went from dawn until noon in some, and from dawn until dusk in others. A few sources give the event's specific date. The 6th day of the first month, or Khordad of Frawardin, is mentioned in the Middle Persian Mah i Frawardin; later sources link the event to Tiregan's name-day celebrations (the 13th of Tir), "presumably" sparked by the homonymy with the Yazata Tir or tir "arrow." (Tafażżolī 1987, p. 266)

[illustratus]

Scheherazade and the Sultan by Alfred Choubrac

[chasingrainbowsforever]

Persian Blue Interiors

[ragingmusclesexual]

An absolute classic video that made me fall in love with this iranian muscle hunk many years ago. From start to finish, everything is VOYEURISTIC MUSCLE WORSHIP PERFECTION:

peeling off the shirt

the grunting in the background in the beginning

the slutty skimpy poser slowly drooping down throughout like it's gonna fall off *DROOL*

front double bi

cocky lat spread

side chest + side tri with the stank face

back lat spread

back double bi

abs and thighs

most muscular

Casual walk towards the camera

[belovedapollo]

Vank Cathedral in Isfahan, Iran • visited in 2022 reblog is okay, don’t repost/use

[jerryhabibisource]

Jerry Habibi in D MAGAZINE

"The Hardest Working Man in Show Biz" by Matt Zoller Seitz

[morethansalad]

Persian Shirazi Salad (Vegan)

[baebeylik]

Incident in a Mosque/Divan of Hafiz.

Persian. Safavid Period. 1530.

Gifted to the Harvard University Art Museums.

[warper-in-training]

loves tea.. sits cross legged.. doesn't show much skin.. his sprite's skin is yellow... ohmygodhe'scanonicallyiranian

[parsabad]

Akhavan House/ Kashan/ Iran

Photography: abolfazl sadr

[airitree]

~ Rudaba letting down her hair ~

-

Primarily based on an illustrated manuscript from Safavid Iran (museum didn’t specify a date smh just its era) The rim of the tower came from a different manuscript that is older than the Safavid period but I digress. I started with that trim and switched the year last minute

[dianci3]

Images of Jerry Habibi, Persian and Iranian-American Actor who portrays Abbas in Sony’s ‘The Persian Version’.

[cherrychevellet]

دست از طلب ندارم تا کام من برآید یا تن رسد به جانان یا جان ز تن درآید

I will not cease my pursuit until my wish is fulfilled, Either my body reaches my beloved, or my soul leaves the body.

Saadi Shirazi

[dolorygloria]

ABOUT ELLY | درباره الی (dir. Asghar Farhadi, 2009)