Syllabus

• Week 1

  Who was Zarathushtra and what did he teach?

  • Welcome to the course

    Welcome to the course and overview of the topics it will cover. In this activity you will meet the educators and tell us why you are interested in learning about Zoroastrianism.

  • Introducing Zarathushtra

    Introducing Zarathushtra – who was he? When did he live? Where did he live? What were his key teachings and who were his followers?

  • Teachings, the Gathas

    Key elements of Zarathushtra’s message. [Image: Ilustrated Videvdad Sadeh. British Library RSPA 230. © 2013 SOAS, University of London - The Everlasting Flame: Zoroastrianism in History and Imagination catalogue.

  • Teachings: Creation and the doctrine of the Amesha Spentas

    The story of Creation and the doctrine of the Amesha Spentas, divine immortals

• Week 2

  Historical Perspectives: Iran

  • The central act of priestly worship: Yasna

    A ceremony central to Zoroastrianism: the Yasna. It will remind you of the doctrine of the Amesha Spentas, the centrality of fire in worship, and introduce you to the role of priestly ritual in the religion. [photo: Noshir Gobhai]

  • The Ancient World and the Achaemenid Empire

    This activity deals with three points: an introduction to the ancient world into which Zarathushtra was born, the first great Persian empire of the Achaemenids, and finally on whether or not we think this religion is ‘Zoroastrian’

  • The Parthian and Sasanian Empires

    We trace the rise of the Parthians in north-eastern Iran and go on to explore the consolidation of church and state under the Sasanians. [Image: Sasanian ox-headed mace. Probably Iran, 3rd-7th century. British Museum 129396]

  • After the Arab conquest of Iran

    We begin this week with priestly ritual, then start our historical journey drawing on different textual sources: religious and epic. [Image: Ilkhanid tile, Iran, Takht-e Suleyman, 15th century. Mrs Fatema Soudavar Farmanfarmaian]

• Week 3

  Historical Perspectives: India

  • Influence of Zoroastrian religious thought on world religions

    Here we will explore the possible influence of Zoroastrianism on the major world religions. [Image: School of Athens from the Stanza della Segnatura, Raphel (Raffaello Sanzio of Urbino) (1483-1520) Vatican City, 1510-1511 fresco]

  • Journey from Iran and early settlement in India

    We will continue our historical overview from the Post-Islamic period in week 2 and the departure of Zoroastrians from Iran. [Image: The Island of Diu (Dib), courtesy of A Zoroastrian Tapesty: Art, Religion and Culture]

  • Devotional life and rites of passage

    We look at Zoroastrianism as it is practiced in India today and go on to consider what life is like for Zoroastrians in contemporary Iran. Finally, you will be invited to take a poll. [Image: silver filigree ses/tray]

  • Challenges facing Zoroastrians today

    We examine some of the challenges faced by Zoroastrians in Iran, India and the diaspora today. [Image: map of Zoroastrian population, FEZANA Journal, 2012].

• Week 4

  Language week - Avestan

  • Introduction

    Welcome to the fourth and final week of this course.

  • Let's start with letters!

    In this activity we will look at the Avestan alphabet, and learn how it has been created.

  • An Avestan text: the victory of Zaraϑuštra over the demons

    In this activity a famous Avestan text telling how Zaraϑuštra overcame the demons will allow us to discover some specificities of the Avestan language.

  • Review

    This activity contains two parts: a review of the grammatical points followed by a small quiz, and the English translation of Vidēvdād 19. [photo: Noshir Gobhai]

  • An Avestan stanza explained

    In this final activity we will have a look at a longer Avestan stanza as a taster of what can be achieved after a few weeks of learning.

Who will you learn with?