#iranian miscellanea

[yamayuandadu]

do you have any resources on mesopotamian iranian syncrestism? also correct me of I'm wrong but a lot of these happened during the achaemenid and parthian periods but not so much during the sassanid period? (if you exclude the selucids as an "iranian" dynasty)

I do not have much, but it's a topic I'm looking into currently, though I will admit I am largely just focused on Tishtrya for the time being (tbf, Thistrya is arguably the most major example of this save for outright incorporation of Mesopotamian deities). Given that the Central Asian evidence goes all the way up to 7th (or in some cases even 10th century) I would say it's fair to say that Sassanian sources can still be useful, also. Even if the kings and clergy became quite dogmatic. What I have to offer so far: -Intangible Spirits and Graven Images: The Iconography of Deities in the Pre-Islamic Iranian World by Michael Shenkar, particularly important due to high degree of caution on the author's part. He points out that ex. the often repeated frankly nonsensical Nana = Anahita claim is pure vibes, and the other offered explanations for Anahita's lack of importance in the east are more substantial. He also wrote two articles which are somewhat relevant: Royal regalia and 'Divine Kingship' in the pre-Islamic Central Asia (a bit far-fetched imo), and The Religion and the Pantheon of the Sogdians (5th–8th centuries CE) in Light of their Sociopolitical Structures -Nana and Tish in Sogdiana and The So-Called “Pelliot Chinois 4518.24” Illustrated Document from Dunhuang and Sino-Sogdian Iconographical Contacts by Matteo Compareti -My Lord with his Dogs. Continuity and Change in the Cult of Nergal in Parthian Mesopotamia by Lucinda Dirven - more reception than syncretism but I think this still counts, that's really what the Nana(ya) case discussed in the papers above is too after all.

-The Revival of the Anu Cult and the Nocturnal Fire Ceremony at Late Babylonian Uruk by Julia Krul briefly discusses the possibility of Ahura Mazda-Anu syncretism, but I've seen opposition to this proposal elsewhere. -Other Gods Who Are (there's a copy floating online but it misses around 100 pages for some reason) and The Heartland Pantheon by Wouter Henkelman touch upon mostly Elamite but also some Mesopotamian religious influence on early recorded forms of Persian religious practice. Once again, more reception than syncretism though. I will try to update this post if I'll find anything else useful.

#mesopotamian miscellanea #iranian miscellanea