Explore the rich history of Zoroastrianism – the world’s first monotheistic faith.
Adam and Eve, if they existed, would have known God in the wonder of the natural world, the earth, the air, and water. Jesus Christ was not a Christian, but a Jew, and he knew better than anyone that God is multifaceted. Although Jewish scholars and theologians name Abraham as the first Jew because he rejected idolatry and recognised one god, the concept of monotheism – which passed from Jews to Christians, and then to Muslims, too – was not something new. Abraham just happened to be the man who made it famous, and whom popular history has recorded as the originator, the first believer.
But before Abraham, and what we know as the three Abrahamic faiths, there were already those who worshipped one god: the Zoroastrians, or Parsis, as many of the modern day adherents of the religion are known. A small community, who traditionally marry amongst themselves and have no doctrinal requirement to proselytise, their history and the tenets of their faith are poorly understood by outsiders. But the impact of their ideas over the past 3,000 years has been nothing short of revolutionary. Zoroastrianism transformed the dominant belief systems from the polytheistic worship of gods representing natural phenomenon, and Mother Earth figures representing fertility and harvest, to the conceptualisation and worship of a single, male god.
The prehistoric roots of Zoroastrianism are to be found in northern Iran, and what is now Azerbaijan, in the early second millennium BC. The faiths of Indo-Iranian peoples at this time typically focused on cosmic mythology, and groups of deities embodying (for example) water and rivers, the sun, spirits, and primordial serpents or dragons. These religious beliefs and rites were closely related to those of Vedism, the forerunner to Hinduism in India; during this early period, there was undoubtedly a cross-fertilisation of concepts between India and Iran.
This story is from the AG 122, 2016 edition of ASIAN Geographic.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the AG 122, 2016 edition of ASIAN Geographic.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Green Dreams
With its tea plantations and rice paddies, dense jungles and expansive forests, the region is well known as a green paradise. But many of the most impressive Asian landscapes have names you may never have heard of. Journey with us as we reveal just some of the incredible locations that make the rest of the world green with envy!
Life On The Edge
In the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, in the remote northern Russian Far East, indigenous ethnic groups like the Chukchi and the Yupik live in the most extreme conditions, hunting seals in their traditional kayaks as they have for millennia
The Karakoram Anomaly Decoded
For decades, scientists have believed that glaciers in the Karakoram Range are defying the trend of those across the globe-resisting glacial melt due to human-induced global warming. But as we trek up the Karakoram's second-longest glacier in July, as the United Nations announces the world's hottest ever month on record, does the melting ice beneath our feet suggest the so-called Karakoram Anomaly is slowing? Or is there a ray of hope it will continue to delay the inevitable?
Green Water Revolution
Southeast Asia's Quest to Sustainable Wastewater Management in an Era of Climate Sensitivity
Green Philippines
The Philippine Archipelago may be synonymous with perfect beach holidays, but the Southeast Asian nation is also a great choice for your next ecotourism adventure
Why so Green?
From the Green Dome of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina to the fluorescent greens of flags and political campaigns, Islam has established itself as the world's \"green\" religion
Pilgrimage To Japan
The Land of the Rising Sun is as eclectic as it is fascinating, an exotic blend of ancient and modern. But two destinations in particular offer visitors an authentic taste of this unique nation: Wakayama, its spiritual centre, and Kyoto, its cultural heartland.
The Silk Road Through Uzbekistan
High-speed trains may ply some of this route today, but the historical, religious and cultural significance of the great cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva remains intact
10 Awe-Inspiring Reasons To Visit Sri Lanka
From eye-popping temples and tea estates to jaw-dropping national parks and natural wonders, the "teardrop island" has it all
Nepal: In The Shadow Of Giants
Sandwiched between China to the north and India to the south, Nepal receives influences from Asia's two major powers, but this unique land bordered by the greatest mountain range on Earth promises experiences offered nowhere else