All  

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ Mobile

Zoroaster

Zoroastrian Fire temple at Baku, Azerbaijan adapted practiced according to the Avesta and other Zoroastrian scriptures.	Source: Konstantin / Adobe Stock

The Avesta and Zoroastrianism: The Creation, Disappearance and Resurgence of an Ancient Text

Of all the religious texts, the Avesta is perhaps the least familiar. This is unsurprising, since the Avesta was written in a now-dead language, before being lost for almost one thousand years...
The fire temple of Baku, c. 1860. Hindus, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians have worshipped here. Source: Public domain

Zoroastrianism: 4000 Years of Faith, Fire and the Battle Between Good and Evil

The origins of Zoroastrianism can be traced back to nearly 4,000 years ago. It was the first monotheistic faith in the world and even Persia’s official religion from 600 BC to 650 AD. And it still...
Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu In Zoroastrianism’s Creation Mythology

Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu In Zoroastrianism’s Creation Mythology

Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu are the two main deities in the dualistic doctrine of Zoroastrianism. The former is the supreme deity of this religion, whereas the latter is the evil, destructive spirit...
La conversion de Saint Paul by Luca Giordano (1690), Museum of Fine Arts of Nancy. (Public Domain)

The First Prophets: Inside The Minds Of The World’s Oldest Religious Founders

"Let us be quiet, that we may hear the whispers of the gods." This quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson hints at the subjective experience of religious revelation - the revealing of a higher truth to a...
Towers of Silence, Iran (delbars / Adobe Stock)

Achaemenid Religion: Lighting the Spirit of Ancient Persia

The Achaemenid Persian Empire is historically important for the Western world because of the influence of the Persian civilization on both the ancient Greeks and the ancient Jews. Because of this...
Painting of Zarathustra (Zoroaster) at a temple in Isfahan, Iran.

Who Was Zoroaster and How Did He Gain Religious Followers?

Zoroaster was a prophet of ancient Persia, whose teachings laid the foundation for the religion known as Zoroastrianism, which largely dominated the land of Iran until the arrival of Islam after the...
Faravahar, symbol of Zoroaster, at a Fire Temple in Yazd.

Digitized Zoroastrian Love App! The Preserver or Destroyer of Ancient Ways?

Zarin Havewala is an emerging Indian internet entrepreneur who has unashamedly cashed in on a niche religious sector. While ‘Christian Mingle’ and ‘Jdate’ unite the lonely hearts of Christians and...
What Star is This? The Pagan Origins of Christmas Symbols

What Star is This? The Pagan Origins of Christmas Symbols

Rooted in the cyclical pagan year, Christmas can be linked back to the celebration of the Winter Solstice around December 21st, a time when the night was at its longest, and the coming of the “light...
Darius the Great receiving greetings and gifts from governors and ambassadors. Relief from Persepolis, Iran

Nowruz - The Persian New Year and The Spring Equinox

Nowruz, known as the Persian new year, is one of the most ancient celebrations in history and has been celebrated for around 4000 years in what is now Iran and in the extended cultural area known as...