Tracing the Zoroastrian and Bundaheshn Creation Myth in the Story of Zahhak

جستارهای نوین ادبی

Article 3, Volume 45, Issue 2 - Serial Number 177, November 2013, Pages 61-83   

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.22067/jls.v45i2.18913

Authors

Fatemeh Jahanpour; Leila Haghparast^*

Abstract

This article aims to show that the recent story of Zahhak is in fact a re-modeling of the creation myth. This theory is proved through the comparison of the structural elements of the Zoroastrian myth of creation with the story of Zahhak from the Shāhnāma. For this purpose, initially, a summary of the creation myth is presented in three parts. Then, it is concluded that the triple division of Zahhak’s story corresponds to the three-thousand-year period of the creation myth. The comparison will subsequently reveal that Zurvan, Ahriman, Urmazd and their functions are recreated in the functions and characteristics of Jamshid, Zahhak, and Fereidoon respectively.

Keywords

the Shāhnāma; creation myth; Ahriman; Urmazd; Zahhak; Fereidoon