The ancient Aryans revered those aspects of nature that sustained and enriched life. The clear sky, fire, wind, the Sun, the stars, and rain—all seen as manifestations of life—were objects of veneration. The Moon was likewise regarded as a life-giving force. In the Aryan view, because it illuminated the darkness of the night, it was always held in high esteem. Across seals, coins, pottery, and artistic representations dating from approximately 4000 to 1000 BCE in Iran, the Moon consistently appears as an object of reverence. One of the earliest lunar symbols discovered in Iran is a cross-shaped emblem unearthed at Susa, with the Moon depicted at its center. A seal from Susa dating to the third millennium BCE also portrays the Moon god riding in his chariot.
Symbols Associated with the Moon
The oldest Iranian pottery indicates that the wild goat (ibex) and the deer were animals associated with the Moon. The ibex, with its large, crescent-shaped horns resembling the lunar crescent, symbolized this connection. Later, the bull became the Moon's most important symbol. Other lunar symbols in ancient Iran included the eye of the peacock, and occasionally the human eye. The scorpion, whose curved pincers resemble the crescent Moon, was also regarded as a lunar symbol. Pottery excavated at Sialk near Kashan even depicts a horned serpent, another emblem associated with the Moon.
Achaemenid coins and seals likewise demonstrate that the Moon continued to be venerated during that period. One Achaemenid seal depicts the Moon standing beside the king. Archaeologists believe that the crowned symbols of the Moon and the Sun in Achaemenid art expressed the idea that the glory and majesty of the Achaemenid monarch shone over the world day and night. Throughout the palaces of Persepolis, symbols of the Moon and Sun appear together or separately. The ancient Iranian standard also featured the Sun with the Moon positioned above it.
During the Seleucid and Parthian periods, greater emphasis appears to have been placed on the Sun than on the Moon. Nevertheless, lunar imagery survives on coins issued by the kings of the Persian province (Persis). In the Sasanian era, images of both the Moon and the Sun are commonly found on coins and seals, reflecting the continued reverence for these two divine lights within Sasanian religion and tradition. Notable examples include coins of Bahram V and Peroz I, which depict the Moon above the ruler's head.
The Moon in Zoroastrian Tradition
In the Gathas of Zarathustra (Zoroaster), whose central message is monotheism, the Moon is simply one of the lights created by Ahura Mazda, and no sacrifices are offered to it. According to the Gathas, Ahura Mazda is the Creator who brought forth light and darkness, sleep and wakefulness, morning, noon, and night. It is He who causes the Moon to wax and then diminish again.
One of the hymns (Yashts) of the Avesta is known as the Mah Yasht ("Hymn to the Moon"). A beautiful passage from this hymn reads:
"Now I have beheld the Moon. I have gazed upon its radiance and recognized it. The Amesha Spentas arise; they gather the divine glory and spread it across the earth created by Ahura. Whenever the Moon's radiance shines, green plants spring forth from the earth each spring... O Moon, generous bestower, noble shining one, swift and wealthy, beneficent nurturer of plants and bringer of prosperity... I offer my reverence to the Moon!"
An International Day for the Moon
International Moon Day commemorates the first time human beings set foot on the Moon. From that moment onward, humanity moved beyond imagining the Moon as a distant object in the night sky and gained the ability to observe this beautiful world up close, uncovering some of its mysteries. The day also honors the extraordinary challenges and achievements that made the journey to the Moon possible.
Note: Much of this article is based on The Moon in Iran (Mah dar Iran) by Mehrangiz Samadi (Tehran, 1988 [1367 SH]).
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