a sassanian iconography of the Dên

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IRANIAN ART

A Sassanian Iconography of the Dēn

By: Gherardo Gnoli

1993

When Professor Bivar published his excellent catalogue of the Sassanian stamp seals in the British

Museum[1] in 199! the important study carried out by Ph" Gignoux and #" Gyselen on the

collection of $r" Male% &rad' Moshiri[2] (as not yet available" Professor Bivar thus lac%ed sufficient

grounds to (arrant departure from the traditional interpretation of an iconographical motif found bothon a number of seals in the British Museum and on other Sassanian seals: a standing female figure!sometimes framed by an arch! facing right in profile! (ith one hand stretching out to the right and

holding a flo(er )figs" 1! *+"[3]

Professor Bivar notes:

,f the many representations occurring of a standing female figure! it is scarcely to be

doubted that the ma'ority! if not indeed all! represent the goddess -nahita! the &raniane.uivalent of /enus" 0his is especially evident in the case of one example )B121*3*1+! upon (hich this figure is depicted standing under a cupola similar to that of afire4temple" &n this instance! as in others! she holds in her hand a lily! evidently thespecific attribute of this goddess" &t is significant that on at least t(o seals (ith thissub'ect )that .uoted above! and 12119567+! the accompanying names sho( that theo(ners (ere (omen" &t is natural that the goddess should have been a popularpatroness for the female sex" -t the sametime! examples accompanied by the names

of men are by no means uncommon"[4]

8o(! in my vie( the importance of the Moshiriollection lies in the fact that a phrase probably

offering the %ey to the interpretation of this femaleimage is inscribed on one of its seals )fig" 5+bearing the said motif! as & pointed in a revie( of

the volume Pad nām ī Yazdān![5] edited by Ph"

Gignoux together (ith other rench colleagues"Since Professor Gignoux has not himself ta%enup the suggestion4though describing it as not

implausible[6] 4 & thin% it appropriate to return to

the sub'ect in this brief note intended as homageto an acute and prolific interpreter of Sassanianand other iconographical motifs"

Bearing in mind that the motif in .uestion(ith or(ithout the framing arch4is found on variousseals of the Sassanian era belonging to bothmen and (omen! let us consider theinscription: kwnšn ZY pr'clwny ŠPYL, kunišn īfrāzrōn weh" Gignoux translates this as ;<actionprogressive est bonne! having good reason toregard it as someho( connected

(ith handarz literature"[7] -s he remar%s:

ette formule est particuli=rement int>ressante!parce .u<elle nous livre un mot inconnu 'us.u<icien pehlevi! a ma connaissance: pl'clwny ! .ui ne

peut >videmment s<expli.uer comme une graphied>fective pour ? pl'Iwny " ;e mot est clair dans sacomposition: fr@A rCn! direction en avant! ets<apparente aux autres mots de la mDme famille!

Fig. 1 (click to Enlarge)

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ab@rCn! bErCn! andarCn! fr@rCn! CrCn )voir lF4dessus mon art" dans St&r" 1 19H*I! pp" 164*5+" etad'ectif a peut4Dtre un sens dans un contexte moral comme ici! mais '<ai pr>f=re le rendre par

progressif! au sens de en progr=s! .ui avance! d<apr=s son >tymologie"[8]

,n the basis of the %no(n e.uivalence of kunišn and dēn in Pahlavi texts![9] my revie( put for(ard

a different interpretation! pointing out that frāzrōn could in fact be interpreted literally rather than as

fr@rCn4righteous! honest[10] and could thus refer to the den )J kunišn+ coming to meet the soul of

the deceased" -s mentioned above! Gignoux noted this suggestion but reiterated his o(n version:

;<action de progr=s est bonne"[11]

While not disputing that reference to handarz literature may be correct in a number of cases!including the present instance! & suggest that my o(n interpretation is borne out by a (hole series ofconsiderations and elements! (hich & shall no( present in full"

0he fact that the names of the o(ners of these seals are both male and female4as Bivar notes4detracts from the strength of the argument that the image depicts a popular patroness of the female

sex" 8ames such as rmindu!" ![12] #ēr$ed%du!" ![13] and Pērōz%du!" [14] are in fact accompanied

by others li%e &u!"%Šā$uhr ![15]ahrām%Šā$uhr ![16] and āra( "[17] &n these cases! therefore! the

female image must have a value very different from that! for example! of the female busts appearing

together (ith female names on seals o(ned by (omen"[18]

-t the same time! it is (ell %no(n that the iconography of -n@hKd is one of the great unsolvedproblems in the study of Sassanian figurative art! despite the numerous and praise(orthyendeavours of various scholars in the study of roc% reliefs! coins! silver(are and seals" &n general! &thin% it must be ac%no(ledged that the charges levelled against a number of identifications areanything but unfounded" - timely contribution in this connection is provided by the highly problematic

approach ta%en to the issue in a recent article in the Lncyclopaedia &ranica"[19] -n overly mar%ed

preference may in fact be noted in the study of Sassanian iconography for interpretations designedto explain everything4or practically everything4in terms of the canons of the oroastrian religioustradition" & regard this as an exaggerated and restrictive tendency (hich forces the varied andheterogeneous expressions of Sassanian figurative art into a rigid pattern! ma%ing it possible to

grasp neither the richness of the different strands! nor the simultaneous presence of elements bothsacred and profane! allegorical or merely ornamental" ;ost too is the difference in approach

distinguishing official art[20] )e"g"! in scenes depicting the investiture of sovereigns+ from the art

reflecting individual tastes and aspirations )e"g"! in sphragistics+" &n any case! it is certain that divineimages in the strict sense are rare! to say the least! on Sassanian seals"

&n any case! if there (as one religious motif thatlent itself to figurative representation! this (ascertainly the den! practically by definition"

0he concept of the den is in fact intimately boundup (ith vision of the soulN also by virtue of its

etymology![21] i"e"! the soul or its image is itselfthe ob'ect of vision"[22] /ision of the soul

)ruwān+ is a theme of augural formulas4of morethan solely eschatological value4that accord (ell(ith handarz literature" &t is found in the )īda(handarz ī pōryō"kēšān! in a passage

misinterpreted by #" " aehner![23] ruwānwēn loo%s at the soul! and on Sassanian seals!as noted by Ph" Gignoux: lw$'n #ZY*+'n puissevoir lOme )ou mon me+Q lw$'n #ZY*+ regarde

lOmeQ [24] 0hese formulas are probably

explicable in terms of the virtual

interchangeability of concepts suchas ruwān anddēn and are connected (ith theidea of the good or beautiful soul! huruwān )cf" -v" huruniia4 See lenselig%eit!













































Pahl" huruwānīh[25] and alsohuruwānī( ![26] (hich term (as used in Manichaeism to designate

the audi"re- )niyōša(ān+"[27] ,n the basis of this idea! &" Gershevitch[28] has put for(ard a

number of important observations on the nima .i/a as Beauty )Man" Mid" Pers" !wšnN Man"Bactr" wa0! cf" -v" /afuš and /ed" /apu-+ and ;ight )light being regarded in the oroastriantradition as the most beautiful of creatures+ and on the institution of alms4giving by -uditors to Llecti!

referred to in &ranian Manichaeism as ruwāne(ān that (hich has reference to the soul"[29]&n such

a context of visions! images and light! it is thus more than reasonable that the den should be

figuratively represented as a fifteen4year4old maiden of a(esome beauty"[30] 0he inscription on the seal from the Moshiri ollection! kunišn i frāzrōn weh! may thus be translatedas follo(s: 0he action that advances isI good! i"e"! 0he den that comes for(ard is good" 0hereference to the meeting of the sub'ect )the o(ner of the seal+ (ith his or her o(n daenā providesthe inspiration for the formula" -s a good omen! this meeting is represented as a 'oyous event! sincethe sub'ect is naturally a hu%dēn )-v" hu1%daēnā4+ and not a du2 dēn )-v3 du1%daēnā4+" 0he formulaon our seal probably refers to the (ell4%no(n passage in the #ādō!" +a-k describing the meeting of

the soul of the ašauuan4 (ith its daēnā"[31]Borne on a fragrant breeAe! the latter appears as a

beautiful! splendid! noble! fifteen4year4old maiden! ēdōn nēk 4iyōn dāmān dōša("ar ni(erišna$āyišnī( "ar ! as beautiful as the most lovable of creatures! the most desirable to

behold"R[32] While the description of the meeting (ith the daēnā is also found in other Pahlavi

passages in more or less similar terms![33] & regard the most pertinent comparison for the formulain .uestion as that provided by the #ādō!" +a-k " 0he passage in .uestion is a5h6 dim /d"aii6fr7ran"a5I-a8aiiei"i yā hauua daānā kainīnō k7hrpa" 0hisis translated into Pahlavi as andar ān wād ōy ā%š franāf"-ahēd ān ī !wēš dēn, kunišn ī !wēš, pad kanī( kir$ and(as translated by hr" Bartholomae as follo(s: indemsie )die Seele+ dieser Wind an(eht! (ird das eigene &ch

sichtbar in Gestalt eines Madchens" [35] #eaders (ill

note the gloss kunišn ī !wēšinserted into the Pahlaviversion after ān ī !wēš dēn" kunišnmay be used in place

of dēn! as in 9āde-"ān ī :ēnō( ī ;rad &&"1*6! and inGreat BundahiTn UUU"*1! as (ell! perhaps! as on anotherseal from the Moshiri ollection studied by Ph" Gignoux inthe same context of seals (ith formulas deriving

from handarz literature"[36] #eaders (ill also note that

the advance of the daēnā4or the approach or blo(ing of

the (ind[37] is expressed by means of -v"fr7r7n"a!

corresponding to Pahl" franāf" " 8o(! in the parallel MiddlePersian passages (e have padīra( āmadan r padīra(ra-idan or padīra( $<dan![38] expressions to (hich

our frāzrōn corresponds (ell at the conceptual level"

0he inscription (ould thus explain the iconographic motifborne by the seal: the dēn is coming )or (ill come+ in theform of a beautiful young (oman to meet the soul of(hoever possesses the seal" She holds a flo(er! (hichrecalls the fragrant breeAe surrounding her both inthe #ād!" +a-k and in the 9āde-"ān ī :ēnō( ī ;rad ! as(ell as in the rdā īrāz +āma( " 0he latter states that!on the third da(n after decease! the soul moves among delicately scented flo(ers )urwar i $y i !wa( +[39] and can then behold the luminous and blessed higher existence of the righteous ) pahlma!wān ī ahlawān+ and many finely scented flo(ers )wa- -prahm ī hu$ōy +! blossoming )škf"a( +!splendid )$āmī( + and full of !warrah"[40] or that matter! oroastrian ritual also assigns flo(ers a

position of particular importance! (hich becomes crucial in the liturgy for the souls of the deceased" -s V" V" Modi (rote (ith regard to holidays in commemoration of the blessed souls:

" " " the decoration of flo(ers etc" at the place of the Mu%tad and the remembrance ofthe ravashis of the dear departed ones in connection (ith the fragrant flo(ers reminds












































the survivors of the past righteous deeds of some of their forefathers! deeds (hich havespread moral and spiritual perfume as strong or rather stronger than that of the flo(ers

here"[41]

0he interpretation no( given of the iconographic motif and formula borne by our seal accords (ell(ith the inscription found on seal 6 11959 of the British Museum! (hich presents a similar

image! albeit (ith slight variations: lwšn pndy yzd 'ndyš'" "[42] Bivar gives the translation put for(ard

by W" B" enning: May he thin% of God<s path of the light" God<s path of light is certainly the onesho(n by the den to the soul re.uired to underta%e its celestial 'ourney" 0his idea (as very common

in oroastrianism4suffice it to recall thel'-y ZY Iwšny of Xerder<s vision[43] 4and so deeply rooted in

&ranian religious feeling[44] as to be transmitted also in contexts other than those of the orthodox

MaAdayasnian church! such as Manichaeism"[45] &n 196! W" B" enning published a Sogdian

fragment! in cursive Sogdian script! (hich better than any Manichaean text so far %no(n )" " "+sho(s that the Manichaeans shared the oroastrian idea of the <religion< )daend+ of a man meeting

him after death in the shape of a virgin"[46] &n this fragment! the man<s action )r"šy !w !yp8 'kr"yh+

[47] is personified by a (ondrous divine virgin (ho approaches him! bedec%ed in flo(ers! to sho(

him the path leading to paradise"

&t is interesting to note that Bivar gives an alternative interpretation for 6 11959 )according to(hich lwšnand pndy are to be regarded as t(o elements of the proper name #oshan4pand+

[48] and aptly points out that pious formulae (ith (ord4play on the name of the o(ner (ere no

doubt popular in Sassanian seal inscriptions! as later in &slamic times" 0his is important for the

interpretation of another seal published by #" Ghirshman![49] (hich bears the same iconographic

motif together (ith an inscription that Ph" Gignouxs[50]reads as follo(s: mtr $wcyn y dyndwh"y !:ihr &ōzēn son of 9ēn%du!" " &f (e bear in mind a further point made by Bivar! i"e"! that there attimes exists a relationship bet(een a theophoric o(ner<s name and an accompanying type (hich

represents or symboliAes the corresponding deity!R[51] it (ill be noted that the name 9ēn%du!" lends

itself most aptly to (ord4play on a seal depicting the den"[52]

&n the foregoing! & have chosen to confine my observations to the seals presenting basically the

same iconography! albeit (ith slight variations such as that of the arch framing the female figure!(hich has little significance in our context+"[53] &f the arguments put for(ard in these pages prove

convincing! the present research should clearly be extended to other similar iconographic motifscharacteristic of Sassanian art"

1I -" $" " Bivar! =a"al(ue f "he e-"ern -ia"ic >eal- in "he &ri"i-h :u-eum3 >"amp >eal-! pt" *! *he >a--anian9yna-"y 2;ondon 199+ )hereafter abbreviated to: Bivar! =a"al(ue+"

*I Ph" Gignoux and #" Gyselen! Sceaux sasanides de la collection M" &" Mochiri! in Pad nām ī Yazdān? @"ude-d'Api(raphie, de numi-ma"iBue e" d'hi-"ire de l'Iran ancien! 0ravaux de 1<&nstitut d<Ltudes &raniennes 9 )Paris! 19H92! pp"

1311 )hereafter abbreviated to Gignoux and Gyselen! ollection Mochiri2" 0he t(o authors have since continued their studyof this collection: Ph" Gignoux and #" Gyselen! 8ouveaux sceaux de la collection M" &" Mochiri! Stlr 13 )1971 2! pp" 1994*11"

5I Bivar! atalogue! pp" *6! 1ff"N pl" H f" #" 8" rye! >a-anian >eal- in "he =llec"in f :h-en Cru(hi, &&#! pt" 5! vol"

! portfolio * );ondon! 19H1 2! pl" UUU&U4HN Ph" Gignoux! =a"al(ue de- -ceau!, camee- e" $ulle- -a-anide- de la&i$li"hDBue +a"inale e" du :u-ee du Lu/re! vol" *! Le- -ceau! e" $ulle- in-cri"- )Paris! 19H72! p" 5 )"532! pl" UN Ph"Gignoux and #" Gyselen! 8ouveaux cachets sasanides de la collection PirouAan! >"lr H )19H7+ )pp" *5472! p" *7 )13"31 2! pl"&N Gignoux and Gyselen! ollection Mochiri! p" 111 )13"1 and 13"*+! pl" &N Ph" Gignoux and #" Gyselen! >ceau! -a-anide- dedi/er-e- cllec"in- pri/ee- );euven! 197*+! pp" 5f" )l3"lff2! pl" &&&N idem, &ulle- e" -ceau! -a-anide- de di/er-e- cllec"in-,>"lr ! cahier )Paris! 197H2! pp" 169ff" )-M, l3"lff"2! pl" &/N p" *** 2&B0 13"1 and 13"*2! pl" U&/N p"*5 )MB 13"*Y2! pl" U/&&N #"Ghirshman! Iran? Par"he- e" >a--anide- )Paris! 19*2! p" *1! fig" *94$N X" Lrdmann! 9ie Eun-" $an- zur Zei" der>a-aniden )MainA! 1992! fig" 95 and p" 119" See also P" -c%erman! S@s@nian Seals! in >P! vol" 1 )pp" H747162! pp" H9f"

I Bivar! atalogue! p" *6"

6I f" n" * and my revie( in -nnali dell<&stituto Zniversitario ,rientate di 8apoli 1 2 19772 )pp" 939H2! pp" 96f"I Ph" Gignoux and ;" Xalus! ;es formules des sceaux sasanides et islami.ues: ontinuite ou mutationY Stlr 11 )197*+ )pp"

1*54652! p" 153! n" 1"

















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HI Gignoux had already tac%led the .uestion of the influence of handarA literature on the formulas of essentially moral and

religious content found on Sassanian seals in his paper ;es formules des sceaux sasanides et la signification de rdst etrdstih! in Miscellanea in honorem 1" Purdavud! arhang4a &ran amin *1 )0ehran! 19H2! pp" 146" or handarA literature inpre4&slamic &ran! see the excellent overvie( of S" Sha%ed! -ndarA! i! in Llr! vol" *"1 2 19762! pp" 1141 G"

7I Gignoux and Gyselen! ollection Mochiri! p" 111"

9I See belo("

13I $" 8" MacXenAie! - oncise Pahlavi $ictionary ),xford! 19H1N repr"! (ith corrections! 1972! p" 5*N cf" " S" 8yberg! -

Manual of Pahlavi! pt" *! Glossary )Wiesbaden! 19H2! p" H"11I Gignoux and Xalus! ;es formules des sceaux sasanides et islami.ues! p" 153"

1*I Ph" Gignoux! 8oms propres sasanides en moyen4perse >pigraphi.ue! &ranisches Personennamenbuch! vol" *"* )/ienna!

197+ no" 157! p" 7"

15I Gignoux! "Moms propres! no" 5! p" 9"

1I Gignoux! 8oms propres! no" H1! p" 1H"

16I Gignoux! 8oms propres! no" *5! p" H" 0he figure is very probably female but see Bivar! atalogue! p" 1 211913: pl" H!

- 12"

1I Gignoux! 8oms propres! no" 9*9! p" 1H*"

1HI Gignoux! 8oms propres! no" 957! p" 1H5" See also the seal published by #" GhirshmanN see n" 5 above and belo("

17I Ph" Gignoux and #" Gyselen! Sceaux de femmes a 1<epo.ue sassanide! -rchaeologia &ranica et ,rientalis:

Miscellanea in honorem ;ouis /anden Berghe! ed" ;" $e Meyer and L" aerin% )Ghent! 19792! pp" 7HH49G" f" -" $" " Bivar!

Glyptica &ranica! B-1 )1993+ )in honor of #" 8" rye: -spects of &ranian ulture! ed" " -" Bromberg et al"+ )pp" 1914992! p"19"

19I " Bier! -nahita in the -rts! in L&r! vol" 1"9 )19762! pp" 1337411" 0his (ell4balanced article also provides the essential

bibliographical references to the (or% and observations of ;" &" #ingbom! #" Gobl! ," Grabar! " 0rever! #" Lttinghausen! /"G" ;u%onin! -" -" SarfaraA! V" $uchesne4Guillemin! ;" /anden Berghe! $" Shepherd! P" ," arper! etc" 0o these should beadded a second article by V" $uchesneGuillemin! -rt and #eligion under the Sassanians! in Memorial lean de Menasce! ed"Ph" Gignoux and -" 0afaAAoli );ouvain! 19H2! pp" 1H46"

*3I or this definition! see in particular /" G" ;u%onin! Monnaie d<-rdachir & et fart ofhciel sasanide! & 7 )197 2! pp" 1,G4

1H"

*1I or the present situation in studies on -v" daend4 and its etymology! cf" "40h" ;an%arany! $aend im -vesta: Line

semantische Zntersuchung! Studien Aur &ndologie and &ranisti%! monograph 13 )#einbe%! 19762! pp" 14*7" See my revie( ofthis boo% in LW )1976+! pp" *949"

**I f" G" Gnoli! [uestioni sull<interpretaAione della dottrina gathica! -nnali dell<&stituto Zniversitario ,rientals di 8apoli 51

)19H1 2 )pp" 514H3+! pp" 5146"

*5I idag handarA i poryot%esdn! 66 )M" " Xanga! ita% andarA i Poryot%esdn: - Pahlavi 0ext )Bombay! 1932! pp" 11! 17!*92! for (hich cf" #" " aehner! 0he 0eachings of the Magi: - ompendium of oroastrian Beliefs );ondon! 1962! p" *7N Ph"Gignoux! <orps osseux et ame osseuse<: Lssai Sur le chamanisme dans 1<&ran ancien! V- *H 219H9+ )pp" 14H92! pp" H5f"NM" Sha%i! idag andarA i poryot%esan! Llr! vol" 6 )1991+! pp" 66943" - different interpretation of this passage is given by $"8" MacXenAie! &ndogermanische orschungen 7H )197*+ )pp" *7349H: revie( of M" Bac%! $ie sassanidischenStaatsinschriften2! p" *76! (ho adopts the reading ru(an ast(an)d+ rather than ru(dn (en )ast(and: mis(ritten \0W82(en22"

*I ;oc" tit" in the previous noteN cf" also W" B" enning apud Bivar! atalogue! p" 1" See also: Gignoux! ;es formules des

sceaux sasanides! p" 63N idem! #eligion de 1<&ran ancien! -nnuaire de 1<Lcole Prati.ue des autes Ltudes 7 )19HH419H72

)pp" 196*362! pp" *35f"N Gignoux and Xalus! ;es formules des sceaux sasanides et islami.ues! pp" 15345*"

*6I See for example $en%ard 111"*1* )V" de Menasce! ;e troisieme livre du $en%art Paris! 19H5I! p" **2"

*I -ogamadaecd 71b )X" M" Vamasp-sa! -ogamadaecd: - oroastrian ;iturgy /ienna! 197*I! pp" 6! H72"

*HI f" W" B" enning! Lin manichdisches Bet4 and Beichtbuch! -P-W 195! n" 13! pp" 17! *H"

*7I Beauty as the ;iving Soul in &ranian Manicheism! --n-S *7 219752! pp" *71477"

*9I &bid"! p" *7"

53I &n this connection! attention should be dra(n to G" -Aarpay<s study of a Sassanian boat4shaped silver bo(l from the

collection of M" oroughi! exhibited at the ;os -ngeles ountry Museum of -rt in 19619H1! and her identification of fourfemale figures dancing (ith musical instruments as images of the den: G" -Aarpay! 0he -llegory of $en in Persian -rt! -rt-s57 219H+! pp" 5H47! pls" & and &&" er interpretation is not! ho(ever! (holly convincing" 0he hypothesis cannot be ruled outthat the four nude female figures are in fact devoid of any real religious significance"

51I adoxt 8as% &;7ff"N cf" Wistasp \ast 6ff" f" G" Widengren! ;a rencontre avec la daend! .ui represents les actions de

fhomme! ,rientalia #omana 6! &ranian Studies )#ome! 1975+ )pp" 14H92! pp" 1ff"N ;an%arany! $aend im -vesta pp" 16ff"!etc"

5*I f" Widengren! ;a rencontre avec la daend! pp" ff"

55I -rdd WiraA 8dmag &/"9N $ddestdn i Menog i Urad &&" 1*5453N $ddestdn i denig UU&/"SN Bundahisn UUU"S4 )ed"

-n%lesaria! pp" *31! 11" 141+" [uotations from these passages are found in Widengren! ;a rencontre avec la daendN P" ,"S%'xrve! Xirdir<s /ision: 0ranslation and -nalysis! -M& 1 )1975+ )pp" *9453+! pp" *99f" )Great Bundahisn UUU2N M" Mole!$aena! le pont invat et )initiation dans le MaAdeisme! #evue de 1<istoire des #eligions 16H )1932! pp" 166476"

5I Bartholomae interprets fraranta as a locative singular )-ltiranisches Worterbuch Strassburg! 193I! col" 13*5+ (ith

temporal value )cf" " #eichelt! -(estisches Llementarbuch eidelberg! 1939I! ]612" V" Xellens has given t(o partiallydifferent interpretations of the passage: $ans le snuffle de ce vent! sa propre conscience religieuse lui apparait sous la forms



























































dune 'eune fills )Mythes et conceptions avesti.ues sous les Sassanides! Monumentum " S" 8yberg! -ct&r 0ehran! 19H6!pp" 6H4H3! p" I+N il lui semble .ue dans ce vent s<avance sa propre conscience religieuse etc"+ );e verbs avesti.ueWiesbaden! 197I! p" 5572" 0he latter interpretation is follo(ed by ;an%arany! $aena im -vesta! p" 16! n" 5! (ho gives thefollo(ing translation: Ls scheint ihm! daf5 sic% in diesem Wind seine eigene daend nahert in der Gestalt " " " &t should benoted that the parallel passage of Wistdsp \ast 6 has fraranti" or other studies on the ddoxt 8as%! see " olpe! $iereligionsgeschichtliche Schule )Gottingen! 1912! pp" 11H459 )(ith a reference to our passage on p" 1532! on (hich! cf" G"Widengren! $ie religionsgeschichtliche Schule and der iranische Lrlosungsglaube! ,rientalistische ;iteraturAeitung5"1121* )1952! pp" 65547! and! again by olpe! $aena! ;icht'ungfrau! (eite Gestalt! in Studies in Gnosticism andellenistic #eligions Presented to G" [uispel! ed" #" /an den Broe% and M" V" /ermaseren );eiden! 1971 2! pp" 674HH" or a

restoration of the text of the ddoxt 8as% cf" ;" " Gray! - Suggested #estoration of the aboxt 8as%! V-,S H )19H2! pp"14*5"

56I Bartholomae! -ltiranisches Worterbuch! toll" 59! 13*5N cf" also " Wolff! -vesta! die heiligen Biicher der Parsen 2;eipAig!

1913+! p" 1H )for the passage of \ast 6"! (here the ad'ectives used for the daend are attributed to -nahita2"

5I Gignoux and Gyselen! ollection Mochiri! pp" 13*! 113 )33"62! pl" &N Gignoux and Xalus! ;es formules des sceaux

sasanides et islami.ues! p" 153" 0he seal 2M,0 "1 2 bears the phrase X#< M8$<M ;< t [$M %(nsn! [ue rien ne snit au4dessus de factionQ &f %unisn (ere to be interpreted as den! the phrase (ould become more comprehensible as a conceptalready (ell documented! e"g"! in $en%ard /;H! 'ig4iA aA den sudomandtar nest! (hich S" Sha%ed )0he Wisdom of theSassanian Sages Boulder! ol" 19H9I! p" *H+! translates as 0here is nothing more beneficial than religion"

5HI See above! n" 5"

57I See also the inscriptions of Xerder at 8a.s4e #ostam and at Sar Mashad )]**+N $" 8" MacXenAie! Xerdir<s &nscription!

in G" errmann! $" 8" MacXenAie and #" " aldecott! 0he Sasanian #oc% Beliefs at 8a.sh4i #ustam! &ranische $en%maler!#eihe && )Berlin! 1979+ )pp" 564H*+! pp" ! 66! 69 )padirag dyed+N cf" also S%'xrvo! Xirdir<s /ision! p" *H! and Ph" Gignoux!;es .uatre inscriptions du mage Xirdir! Stlr! cahier 9 )Paris! 1991+! p" 9 and n" *1*"

59I rda irāz +āma( &/"H )Ph" Gignoux! ;e livred<-rdd /iraA Paris! 197I! pp" 7! 9! 16N " /ahman! -rda Wir@A 8@mag:0he &ranian $ivina ommeddia ;ondon! 197I! pp" 93! 9"1! 19! *5f"+"

3I -rda Wir@A 8@mag U/"13 )Gignoux! ;e livre d<-rda /irdA! pp" ! H! 19N /ahman! -rda WirdA 8dmag! pp" 11*f"! 115f"!

*33+"

1I 0he #eligious eremonies and ustoms of the Parsees )Bombay! 19**+! p" H7"

*I Bivar! atalogue! p" 5"

5I MacXenAie! Xerdir<s &nscription! pp" 7! 6! 3N Gignoux! ;es .uatre inscriptions du mage Xirdir! pp" 75f"! 9 )]*+" See

also Xellens! Mythes et conceptions avesti.ues sous les Sassanides! pp" *ff"N S%'xrve! Xirdir<s /ision! p" *71"

I &n the -vesta! for example! mention is not made solely of the path created by rvan pa3.m Aruuo"ddtanpm )Wide(dad

19"*9+! appropriately pointed out by Xellens )Mythes et conceptions avesti.ues sous les Sassanides! p" *+4but also of thevarIhau!s padabis manarlho )\asna 61"1+! of the agaongm pa3a )\ast "+! and of the raoxsndr'ho patano or luminouspaths of the -maga Spanta )\ast 15"7+! etc" &n our context! it is interesting to note that in the $en \ast! ista! the double of$aena )daenayd mdAdaiiasnois upamana4 in \ast 13"1*: cf" 1" Gershevitch! 0he -vestan ymn to Mithra )ambridge!1969+! p" 1H+! is described as hupa3mainiia4 or possessing good paths" ;i%e ista! $aena is said to ta%e care of (ays in

\ast 13"7: yer'he daena maAdaiiasnig xvite patio rd7aiti! the MaAdayasnian religion paves its paths for good travel)Gershevitch! 0he -vestan ymn to Mithra! pp" 13! 136N cf" Xellens! ;e verbe avesti.ue! pp" 11! 5f" +" ,n $aend andista see also ;an%arany! $aend im -vesta! pp" 1f"

6I f" Widengren! ;a rencontre avec la daena! p" 9"

I Sogdian 0ales! BS,-S 11 )196+! )pp" 67H+! p" H"

HI f" Pahl" do i x(eg den )$adestdn i Menog i Urad &&"1*6+" <%ty N action or deed )from %rti4 4d+! probably refers to

%unisn also in another Manichaean Sogdian fragment in Manichaean script )M 15* J 0ii $ 1H iii: M" Boyce! - atalogue ofthe &ranian Manuscripts in Manichean Script in the German 0urfan ollection Berlin! 193I! p" 1*3+" & am most grateful to &"Gershevitch for having dra(n my attention to this fragment and to this significant correspondence bet(een the <%rtyh of 0 ii0oyu. and the ^%ty< of 0 ii $ 1H iii! (hich he has used in his Grammar of Manichean Sogdian ),xford! 191+! pp" xiv! *13 no"15! etc" & am also indebted to him for the information that this contains a precise reference to the soul<s meeting (ith7ynyfrn and (ith three mr7<spnd bringing him a dress! a nec%lace! a diadem and a cro(n" or these symbols cf" /" -rnold4$oben! $ie Bildersprache des Manichdismus )Xoln! 19H7+! pp" 19ff"! and! for the ihrist of &bn al48adim! in olpe! $iereligionsgeschichtliche Schule! pp" 133ff"

7I Bivar! atalogue! pp" 5f"

9I &ran: Parthes et Sassanides )Paris! 19*+! p" *1! fig" *94$"

63I Whom & than% for %indly furnishing me (ith this information" #" Ghirshman attributed this seal to the lady adgar du%ht"

61I Bivar! atalogue! p" 1H"

6*I 0he fact that the name inspiring the (ord4play belongs in this case to the father of the o(ner rather than the o(ner

himself is evidently irrelevant"

65I or female figures depicted under arches! cf" " 0rever! -propos des temples de la deesse -nahita en &ran sassanide!

&- H )19H+! pp" 1*145*! follo(ing in the path of &" -" ,rbeli! and the criticism made by V" $uchesne4Guillemin! -rt et relig ionsous les Sassanides! in ;a Persia a il mondo greco4romano! -ccademia 8aAionale dei ;incei )#ome! 19H1+ )pp" 5HH77+! p"5H9" 0rever herself ac%no(ledged in - propos des temples de la deesse -nahita! p" 15*+ that &l faut pourtant reconnaitre.ue les arcades avec les personages ne sont pas une particularite uni.uement des temples d<-nahita" ette formuledecorative etait tres largement repandue dans la sculpture au cours de la premiere moitie du premier millenaire de notre eredans Part de la #ome imperiale! dans Part paleochretien et copte et dans celui de &nde )Gandhara et autres+ et de 1<-sieentrale )les ossuaires de Biya 8aiman+ et d<autres" &n connection (ith this motif in Sogdian art )Bi'a 8a'man and Mian%al<+!see the 'ust observations of " Grenet! ;<art Aoroastrien en Sogdiane! Mesopotamia *1 )197+ )pp" 9H4151+! p" 1*9" orbiographic references on the study of this motif! see above )n" 19+ and M"4;" haumont! -nahid: 0he ult and &ts $iffusion!in Llr! vol" 1"9 )pp" 13349+! p" 1337"









































Documents

a sassanian iconography of the Dên