State Research Institute of Restoration. Krupnik I.L

ZOROASTRISM - a re-ligion that arose in northeastern Iran in the environment of in-doi-ran-sko-go on-se-le-niya and race-pro-country-nyon-naya in antiquity and Middle-no-ve-ko-vie on the territory of modern Iran, Af-ga-ni-sta-na, Central Asia and Azer-bai-ja-na.

Its main concept is yav-la-et-sya kar-di-nal-noe pro-ti-in-to-be-le-fi-gu-ry top-hov-no-go-go-gesture wa Ahu-ra-maz-dy and pan-theo-on the ancient In-do-Iranian deities, as well as the dua-listian pro-ty-in-setting of the Light lo-go and Dark-no-go began the world-building, for-fic-si-ro-van-noe at the level of the Younger Ave-sta.

The name "Zoroastrianism" pro-is-ho-dit from the name of the pro-ro-ka Za-ra-tush-tra, on the basis of lead someone-ro-go for-ro-dil-sya Zoroastrianism. The traditional date of the emergence of Zoroastrianism - VII-VI centuries BC. e., one-on-one linguistic analysis of the first degree in terms of the spiritual meaning of the ancient part of the Avesta - Gat - in-call-la-et yes-ti-ro-vat epo-hu deya-tel-no-sti Za-ra-tush-try XII-X centuries BC e. The modern zo-roa-st-riy-sky tra-di-tion, following the le-to-number-le-tion according to the ka-len-da-ryu "fas-li", counts on-cha -scrap of the race of pro-country-non-niya of Zoroastrianism year of acceptance of tsa-rem (ka-vi) Vish-tas-sing teachings from sa-mo-go Za-ra-tush-try (tra- di-chi-on-but around 1737 BC).

The sacred canon of Zoroastrianism Avesta, which is the main source for its study, a multi-layered memorial and about -ti-in-re-chi-vy. After-research-after-before-va-niya you-reveal the connection of the text-hundred Ave-sta with the co-performers in the con-tek-ste ri-tua-la cul-to-you -mi dei-st-via-mi, next-to-va-tel-but, Ave-stu not-about-ho-di-mo ras-smat-ri-vat, taking into account her practice-ti-che- skoy and gen-ro-howl sp-tsi-fi-ki, and not only as a literary monument or a historical source. Not so-sche-st-vu-et of the same opinion and from-no-si-tel-but the meaning of Gat and Younger Ave-sta for the study of Zoroastrianism . One-no-is-sled-to-va-te-whether before-la-ga-yut is-key-to-the next from the circle of source-point-no-kov, others - opi-ra -yut-sya on the data of both parts of the zo-roa-st-riy-ko-go ka-no-na and consider Zoroastrianism com-pro-miss-som me-zh-du mo -but-theistic cult of the upper god Gat and the ancient Iranian pagan language in-li-those-from-mom of the Younger Avesta. Not only Ga-you and the Younger Ave-sta on-ho-dyat-sya in op-po-zi-tion to each other, but a lot of theo-re-ti-che -skih, mi-ro-voz-zren-che-sky and mi-fo-logic pro-ti-vo-pos-tav-le-niy has inside every hour -tey, what for-work-nya-et re-con-st-ruc-tion of is-to-rii and ancient-she-kul-howl-practice-ti-ki of Zoroastrianism.

One of the main pro-ty-in-re-chess is the representation of the supreme god. In Ga-tah, one-but-the-same-st-vo - Ahu-ra-maz-da (literally - vla-da-ka of wisdom-ro-sti; God the Creator; Peh-le-viy-for -ma - Or-Mazd). Ahu-ra-maz-yes is-la-et-sya the only-st-vein-creator and su-sche-st-vu-et outside the du-al-noy op-po-zi-tion Spent-ta - May-new (holiness, creative-che-na-cha-lo, si-la do-b-ra) and An-gro-May-new (peh-le-viy-skaja form - Ah -ri-man; filth-on, raz-ru-shi-tel-noe on-cha-lo, si-la of evil). On the contrary, in the Younger Ave-sta An-gro-May-new, it is a direct co-per-no-one with Ahu-ra-maz-da. The con-cep-tion of sacrifice-in-at-but-she-niya is the same time-whether-cha-et-sya in Ga-tah and the Younger Ave-sta. In the first case, from-yes-et-sya to-those-those-bloodless sacrifices-in-with-no-she-no-pits - voz-liya-ni-em sacred -no-go-na-pit-ka hao-we (So-ma), in the second - with-no-she-ni-yam of sacrificial animals. In Gatah, nothing is said about the cult of ancestors, which is not possible in the early stages of the development of religious consciousness nia; there is no indication of eth-nos, ple-me-on, place and time of action.

Pro-po-after all, Za-ra-tush-try ad-re-so-va-on a separate person-lo-ve-ku. His re-che-niya but you-ra-wife mis-Sio-Ner-sky kha-rak-ter, that it’s not-thought-whether-mo in ro-do-p-le-men-nom about -sche-st-ve with not-at-kos-but-veins-ny-mi eth-no-cul-tour-ny-mi gra-ni-tsa-mi. So-der-zha-ni-em Gat is yav-la-et-sya the idea-logia of the priest-che-st-va, and the Younger Ave-sta is the ideology of the military nobility, in-clo-nyayu-shche-sya one-no-mu of the most-my-chi-tae-my ancient Iranian gods - Mit-re. The pro-ti-in-standing of the Gathas and the Younger Ave-sta is the pro-ti-in-standing of the priest-che-st-va with the in-ying nobility for power in the community -st-ve. Possibly, not-bla-go-pleasant-nye-so-qi-al-but-po-ly-tic-stoya-tel-st-was serve as an impetus to you-stu-p-le-niyu zo-roa-st-riy-go-zhre-che-st-va, and his in-fight with the military nobility could- lo became a pre-syl-coy to the design of a pseudo-before-epi-gra-fa - re-che-ny, with-pi-sy-vae-mykh Za-ra-tush-tre.

The ideals of the Gat are not a desire for richness and military victories, but demon-death as these justified concept. Ga-you do not have the key ideas of Zoroastrianism, but namely: from-re-che-nie from In-to-Iranian language cults, personifying natural elements; appearance of the ab-st-act-system-te-we of Ame-sha-Spent-ta (“immortal saints”) as 7 hypostasis manifestations -ny or your-re-ny one-no-go-go-st-va Ahu-ra-maz-dy; dock-three-well, you-bo-ra me-zh-du good-rum and evil, once-de-lyon-us-mi in the earthly world (era Wi-za-rishn). For the first time in the ancient In-do-Euro-Pei-sky world, it is indicated that the personal deeds of a person-lo-ve-ka affect the struggle -bu do-b-ra with evil, i.e. thoughts-whether, words-va and de-la in-di-vi-duu-ma ob-words-whether-va-yut co-standing about- shche-st-va and kos-mo-sa. Greater significance is attached to the mind-but-the-same-niu of ma-te-ri-al-goods, including the development of cattle and land -le-de-lyu, increase-li-che-niu in that-st-va.

The main role in the ri-tu-al-noy practice-ti-ke from-in-di-las fire-nu as a symbol-in-lu and a sign of the presence of the highest norm and idea -la - Art-you. Thus, against the background of the indicated ethno-cultural features of the so-qi-al-noe-content of Zoroastrianism op-re-de-la -there is two-way: as a pro-ti-in-standing-of the settled cattle-vodka Iranian tribes of their co-che-you co-se-dyam or as a pro-ti-in - standing by one’s own Iranian ro-do-you-w-dyam, in-chi-ta-te-lyam Mit-ra (this point of view seems to be more justified but-van-noy).

As the state religion of Iran, Zoroastrianism was formalized under Sa-sa-ni-dah, then would it be for-pi-sa-ny in Middle Persian ( peh-le-vi-sky) the language of many Zo-roa-st-ry-sky literary memo-ni-ki (for example, "Den-kart", "Zats-pram", "Ar-da Vi- times Na-mag"), co-di-fi-ci-ro-van cor-pus of the Ave-sta. After the races-pro-country-non-niya in Ira-ne is-la-ma, part of the zo-roa-st-riy-go-priest-che-st-va with their pri-ver-women- tsa-mi pe-re-se-li-lissed to Northern India, where they live in tom-ki (par-sy) to this day, part of them remained in sa- my Ira-ne, where after-to-va-te-whether Zoroastrianism from-wes under on-name-no-va-ni-em geb-ry.

The progress of Soviet Iranian studies found a worthy reflection in the collection dedicated to the 2500th anniversary of Iranian statehood.

The collection opens with a problematic article by Academician B. G. Gafurov “To the 2500th Anniversary of the Iranian State”. It examines the processes of complication of socio-economic relations and the formation of the most important political institutions within the Achaemenid state. It is noteworthy that the spread of writing and coinage in the Middle East from the upper reaches of the Indus to Central Asia occurred precisely as a result of state events undertaken by the Achaemenids.

The general provisions outlined in the work of B. G. Gafurov are developed and detailed by M. A. Dandamaev (“Achaemenid state and its significance in the history of the ancient East”). He focuses on a flexible external and domestic politics Achaemenids, streamlining their land relations, limiting the economic power of temples.

The same general historical part of the collection should include the work of B. Ya. Stavisky “Central Asia and Achaemenid Iran”. An interesting attempt by B. J. Stavisky to trace the fate of the Achaemenid cultural heritage in Hellenistic and Early Medieval Central Asia (pp. 160-161), although he has far from exhausted the possibilities for developing this topic.

The historical section is completed by the article by G. A. Koshelenko “Royal power and its justification in early Parthia”. The subject of research here was the ideological basis of early Arshakid legitimism. It singles out three leading factors: the Hellenistic tradition of consecrating power by the right of conquest, then the pan-Iranian theory of divine investiture, and, finally, the closely related religious ideas of the Zoroastrian circle (pp. 214-216). Obviously, a similar set of Sasanian views, if not entirely, then in its most significant aspects, had its source not in the Achaemenid, but in the early Parthian era (p. 216). As regards the theory of divine investiture, one would seem to consider its possible connection with survivals tribal system and initiation rites, thus clarifying the qualitative modification of this concept in the new historical environment.

Archaeological topics are widely represented in the collection. This is eloquent evidence of the scope of archaeological work in Central Asia and Transcaucasia, in the territories adjacent to Iran. Articles by O. Berdyev, M. N. Pogrebova, I. Aliyev, M. E. Masson, E. Atagarryev document complex interactions material cultures ancient Iran, Transcaucasia and Central Asia in a vast chronological range - from the VI millennium BC. e. to the pre-Mongolian period.

Particular attention in the archaeological section deserves the article by V. I. Sarianidi “Burials of Gissar III. New materials and observations”. An analysis of the traces of fire in the burial structures of the Hissar III culture allowed the author to doubt the traditional interpretation of the destruction of these monuments as a consequence of military expansion from outside (pp. 170 and 178). Having outlined the connection between funeral rituals and the cult of fire with fire, V. I. Sarianidi prefers to carefully interpret the latter as an undesirable accident. The intentional burning of burial structures is quite well known, however, from later monuments. There is reason to think that this rite is due to the ideas of Eurasian shamanism about the fiery renewal of the universe, a microreplica of which was a funerary structure.

Sufficiently fully reflected in the collection of art history. V. G. Lukonin (“The Art of Ancient Iran, the main stages”) undertook almost the first time in domestic literature experience of the total characteristics of the ancient Iranian artistic culture from Marlik, late Sialk and Hasanlu to the Sasanian era. The author successfully shows the continuity and differences between the late Parthian and early Sasanian traditions (pp. 116-117). Perhaps, Bishapur was considered somewhat one-sidedly - only on the materials of known mosaics. But also the carved pieces of Bishapur
deserves attention, since it clearly anticipates the early Islamic ornamental compositions developed in the decor of the Umayyad "paradises", and even the mosques of Cairo.

The article by G. A. Pugachenkova “Architecture of Central Asia and Iran in Historical Relations” has the same generalizing character. The chronological interval covered by the study is even wider - from the Achaemenids to the mature Middle Ages. It should be noted that the desire to figuratively highlight the characteristic sometimes fails the author. So, on p. 238, G. A. Pugachenkova categorically states that architecture “does not know either export or import,” and on pages 239-240 she describes the borrowing of the ancient order by Central Asian architecture. Some other provisions are also vulnerable. The early medieval origin of the chortak (p. 242) can at least be disputed, since its original prototype is attested in the Parthian sanctuary Mansur-Depe II-I centuries. BC e. The Byzantine origin of the domed octogons of Central Asia is also doubtful (p. 242). Even A. Saladen associated round, square and polygonal tower-shaped mausoleums of Islam with the Zoroastrian tradition.

As if in contrast to the two previous works of a wide profile, E. E. Kuzmina (“Cylindrical seal from the Merv oasis with a single combat scene”) preferred a scrupulous study of a miniature stone-cutting art product.

The extensive historiography of Soviet Iranian studies is significantly supplemented by the works of I. M. Oransky and I. P. Petrushevsky. More in essence than in form, they are adjoined by the article by I. V. Pyankov “The Formation of the Achaemenid Empire According to Ancient Sources” with a review of the writings of Charon, Hellanic, Herodotus, Ctesias, Dinon, Diodorus, Pompey’s Trogus, Nicholas of Damascus, Xenophon.

A prominent place in the collection is given to linguistic studies, among which are the articles of I. M. Dyakonov (“Eastern Iran before Cyrus”), E. A. Grantovsky (“On the spread of Iranian tribes in Iran”) and V. I. Abaev (“ From Iranian onomastics). If I. M. Dyakonov convincingly substantiated the dating and localization of the Avesta and, moreover, outlined the prehistory of the East Iranian tribes in the 2nd millennium BC. z., then E. A. Grantovsky once again 5 cited strong evidence in favor of the Transcaucasian migration of Western Iranians.

The actual Iranian affiliation of the personal names of the Achaemenids is substantiated in the article by V. I. Abaev, and the very important Scythian-Avestan onomastic isogloss Spitama (pp. 271-275) is restored there. M. N. Bogolyubov (“Prayer to Ahura Mazda in Old Iranian among the Aramaic inscriptions from Arebsun”) interpreted the first of the Aramaic records of the ancient Iranian prayer text that have come down to us (p. 282). Since the author is inclined to consider it an Avestan fragment, it would be better to argue the attribution more carefully or stipulate an extended interpretation of the epithet "Avestan".

Iranian philology is presented in the collection of articles by A. N. Boldyrev “Reflection of ancient cultural traditions in classical literature Iran". On the mass of examples, the author traces the old Iranian heritage in the subject, genre specifics, the style of New Persian literature. It is not without interest to calculate the correlative frequency of the onomasticon of the New Persian divans (pp. 256-257), from which it is clear that Hafiz, Khakani and Unsuri had a clear and, apparently, not accidental predilection for the image of the legendary Jemshid. A statistical analysis of the regularities in the work of these and other poets promises to reveal the features and causes of their cultural and historical orientation, which cannot be caught by traditional methods.

It would be wrong to say that the collection fully reflects the state of Soviet Iranian studies. Nevertheless, the content of the book under review gives an idea of ​​the trends in the development of this direction in our country. The problems of socio-economic and political history are thoroughly developed, and the simple traditions of linguistic research are continued. The progress of archeology is obvious. Less impressive is literary criticism, as, indeed, the history of art. The study of the philosophical and religious thought of ancient and partly medieval Iran, its rich mythology, and, finally, social and ethnic psychology is lagging behind to the greatest extent. It is to be hoped that future research social structure and the content of the spiritual culture of ancient Iran will take their rightful place in Russian Iranian studies.

249 Ibidem. - P. 304.

250 Ibidem. - P. 305.

251 Ibidem. - P. 303.

252 Kuznetsov A.V. Sheksna - Veles River. - Vologda: Publishing House of the Museum of the Diplomatic Corps, 1999. - P. 27.

253 Kuznetsov A.V. Legends, legends were the Totemsky district. - Vologda: Publishing House of the Museum of the Diplomatic Corps, 2005. - S. 31–36.

254 Makarov N. A., Zakharov S. D., Buzhilova A. P. Medieval Settlement on the White Lake. M.: Languages ​​of Russian culture, 2001. - S. 332.

255 Ibid.

256 Max Dashu. The Old Goddess. 2000. - http://www.suppressedhistories.net/secrethistory/oldgoddess.html.

257,777 incantations and incantations of the Russian people. / Comp. A. Alexandrov. - M.: Lokid, 1997. - S. 191 (No. 285, 286, 287).

258 Meletinsky E.M. Norns // Myths of the peoples of the world. Encyclopedia. - T. 2. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1988. - S. 226.

259 Losev A.F. Moira // Ibid. - S. 169.

260 Lelekov L.A. The Mystery of Mount Maura // Monuments of the Fatherland. - Issue. 30 (#3–4, 1993). Northern Thebaid. - S. 191.

261 Chronographic story about Slovenia and Ruse and the city of Slovensk // PSRL. - T. 33. - L.: Nauka, 1977. - S. 139–141.

262 It seems that only Pyotr Zolin spoke about the possible connection of the Sloven and Rus clans with the Paleo-European cultures of the Danube (Vinchanskaya, Karanovskaya, Terteriyskaya) among historians: Zolin P.M. Genealogy of languages ​​from the Paleolithic. The difficult path of Slovene and Rus. - http: //www.trinitas.ru/rus/doc/0211/007a/02110001.htm.

263 Chronographic story… - P.142.

264 Makarov N. A., Zakharov S. D., Buzhilova A. P. Medieval settlement on the White Lake. - M.: Languages ​​of Russian culture, 2001. - S. 97.

265 Sidorov V.V. Local variants of the Lyalovo culture // Questions of archeology, history, culture and nature of the Upper Poochie. - Kaluga, 1998. - S. 12–14.

266 Lelekov L. A. The mystery of Mount Maura ... - S. 188–191.

267 Gimbutas M. Civilization of the Great Goddess: The World of Ancient Europe. - M.: ROSSPEN, 2006. - S. 351.

268 Ibid. - S. 350.

269 ​​My translation (E.L.), summarizing the existing discrepancies as far as possible, according to the translations of various versions of the original text into European languages. For the religion of the Yezidis in general, see: Omarkhali, Khanna. Yezidism. From the depths of millennia. - St. Petersburg: Publishing house of St. Petersburg State University, 2005.

270 Piotrovsky M.B. Anka // Mythological dictionary. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1991. - S. 47.

271 Plots: "Ivan the Bear's Ear", "Ivan Tsarevich and the Bogatyr Sineglazka" // Tales and Songs of the Belozersky Territory. Collection of B. and Yu. Sokolovs. Book. 1. - St. Petersburg: Troyanov's Path, 1999. - S. 464–465, 569–570; "Ivan Tsarevich in Underworld» // Northern Tales. Collection of N. E. Onchukov. Book. 1. - St. Petersburg: Troyanov's Path, 1998. - S. 101–102. Similar motifs - in the well-known "Tale of rejuvenating apples and living water.

272 Northern tales. Collection of N. E. Onchukov. Book. 1. - S. 60.

273 Songs collected by P. N. Rybnikov. T. III. - M., 1910. - S. 224–225.

274 See: Bertels A.E. Artistic image in the art of Iran in the 9th–15th centuries. - M.: Publishing company "Eastern Literature" RAS, 1997; Vasiliev M.A. Paganism of the Eastern Slavs on the eve of the baptism of Rus'. - M.: Indrik, 1999. - (Chapter 2. Deity Semargl. - S. 97–200).

275 Translation of the Avestan and Middle Persian primary sources about the bird Saena (Senmurv-Simurg) - in the book: Bertels A.E. Decree. op. - S. 165–169. See also: Vasiliev M.A. Decree. op. - S. 134–138.

276 Bertels A.E. Decree. op. - S. 193.

277 Ibid. - S. 282.

278 Ibid. - S. 214, 217.

279 Ibid. - S. 127.

280 Sagalaev A. M. The bird that gives life (from the Turkic-Ugric mythological parallels). - In the book: Worldview of the Finno-Ugric peoples. - Novosibirsk: Nauka, 1990. - S. 28.

281 Vasiliev M.A. Decree. op. - S. 183–184.

282 Russian translation, in which only the masculine speaking female, quoted from the publication: Sevruk D. Devotees to the Angel Peacock // Oriental collection. - Autumn 2007. - S. 18–19.

283 Shukurov Sh. M. Image of the Temple: Imago Templi. - M.: Progress-Tradition, 2002; Pavlov N. L. Altar. Mortar. Temple. Archaic universe in the architecture of the Indo-Europeans. - M.: OLMA-PRESS, 2001.

284 Kutsenkov P. A. Scattering and convergence. - In the book: The Temple of the Earth and Heaven / Compiled and author of the preface Sh. M. Shukurov. - M.: Progress-Tradition, 2004. - S. 52.

285 Greenberg J. H., Ruhlen M. An Amerind Etymological Dictionary. - Stanford University, 2007. - P. 298.

286 Illich-Svitych V.M. Experience of comparison of Nostratic languages. - Issue. 1. - M.: URSS, 2003. - S. 14.

287 Pavlov N.L. Decree. op. - S. 98.

288 Tractatus Aristotelis Alchymistae ad Alexandrum Magnum, De Lapide Philosophico // Theatrum Chemicum. - Vol. V. - Strassburg, 1622. - P. 885.

289 Guenon R. Symbols of sacred science. - M.: Belovodie, 1997. - S. 249.

290 Vaneyan S.S. Temple and Grail in the Western Middle Ages // Earthly and Heavenly Temple. - M.: Progress-Tradition, 2004. - S. 233.

291 Barber R. Holy Grail. In the power of the sacred secret. - M.: Eksmo, 2006. - S. 327.

292 Russian conspiracies. - M.: Press, 1993. - S. 112.

293 Comenius Ya. A. Works. - M.: Nauka, 1997. - S. 13–127.

294 See, for example: Torchinov E. A. Comments in the book: Ge Hong. Baopu Tzu. - St. Petersburg, 1999. - S. 339.

295 Ershov L. V. “The Game of St. Peter”, or the Riddle of the Labyrinth // Science and Religion, 2001, No. 6. - P. 24–28.

296 See Archaic Rock Inscriptions for a detailed description of major monuments where these marks are found. An Account of the Cup and Ring Markings on the Sculptured Stones of the Old and New Worlds. - London: A. Reader, 1891.

298 See, for example: Lazarev E.S. On the issue of polar symbolism in the Latin alchemical tradition // Russia and Gnosis. Materials of the VII scientific conference. - M.: Rudomino, 2002. - S. 40–54.

299 The Latin text of the treatise and its German translation are published in Jung C. G. Mysterium Coniunctionis. . - Walter-Verlag, 1990. - S. 27-129. A complete Russian translation (not published) is being prepared for publication by the author of these lines.

300 "Hermetis Trismegisti Tractatus Aureus De Lapidis Physici Secreto (...) a quodam Anonymo scholiis illustratus". - Theatrum Chemicum. - Vol. IV, 1659. - P. 609–610. What is being quoted here is not the Hermetic text itself, which has come down to us in Latin translation, and published along with the text of the scholia to it, the author of which, according to modern researchers (for example, R. Prinke), is Israel Arve (Garvet, Israel Harvet), a French alchemist of the 16th century, a follower of Paracelsus.

301 Dante Alighieri. The Divine Comedy(Ray 33:124–145). - Translation by M. L. Lozinsky ( Literary monuments). - M.: Nauka, 1968. - S. 463–464.

302 Lozinsky M. L. Notes. - In the book: Dante Alighieri. Cit. op. - S. 618.

303 Valli, Luigi. Il linguaggio segreto di Dante e dei "Fedeli d'Amore" (1928–1930).

304 Korben A. Light Man in Iranian Sufism / Fragments. Translation by Yuri Stefanov // Magic Mountain. - M.: RIC "Pilgrim", 2002. - S. 215.

305 Ibid. - S. 217.

306 Corbin H. History of Islamic Philosophy. - L.: Kegan Paul International, 1993. - P. 209.

307 Korben A. Experience of green light in Sufi mysticism [Excerpt from the book "The Man of Light in Iranian Sufism"] Translation by Yuri Stefanov // Empire of the Spirit, 2009, No. 4. - P. 34.

In December 1969, the Italian Association for the History of Religions (Società italiana di storia delle religioni) held a scientific conference "Problems and Methods of the History of Religions: 1959-1969", dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the death of the famous Italian religious scholar R. Pettazzoni. It was attended by prominent researchers, now recognized as masters of religious studies of the last century, including G. Widengren, K.Yu. Bleeker, W. Bianchi and others, who made presentations on both methodological problems related to the issues of comparative historical and phenomenological methods of studying religion, and specific historical issues of studying various religions.

Readers of the journal "Religious Studies" are invited to translate the report "Problems and Perspectives of Studies in Persian Religion", written by Gerardo Gnoli, the current president of the Italian Association for the History of Religions. In 1969, Nyoli was still a rather young scholar, who, nevertheless, had already managed to make himself known with two fundamental monographs devoted to the analysis of Judeo-Persian inscriptions found in the mountains of Afghanistan, as well as the history of Sistan, one of the ancient East Iranian cultural and political centers. The report of the Italian religious scholar is significant and significant not only for the late 60s of the last century, but in a certain sense retains its relevance to this day. In general, then and now the general situation in the field of research into the pre-Islamic religious situation of Ancient and early medieval Iran can be characterized by a very fair judgment of L.A. Lelekova: “both firmly established truths, and not yet proven, but consecrated by frequent repetition, the postulates are too few to bear the burden of a general interpretation. They are clearly outweighed by controversial issues.”

The focus of Gnoli's attention is precisely the problem of postulates, that is, those provisions of the history of religions concerning "Mazdeism" and "Zoroastrianism", which remained for a long time cornerstones Iranian studies. This includes, first of all, the question of the figure of the prophet Zarathushtra and the relationship of the teachings of the Gathas attributed to him to the religious environment in the context of which it supposedly originated and developed. G. Gnoli's arguments and conclusions are not unambiguous and convincing in everything. However, the merit of the Italian religious scholar lies in the fact that he briefly and succinctly drew a line under a number of previous studies and was able, if not to discard once and for all very dubious provisions, then at least to identify the weaknesses of traditional interpretations and outline possible ways for the further development of religious knowledge. in this subject field. It seems to us that for the Russian-speaking research environment, the work of G. Gnoli continues to retain its relevance and is of particular importance.

To substantiate the last thesis, it seems necessary to give a brief general review state of the art knowledge about the history of religions of pre-Islamic Iran in Russian-speaking science. If we construct some ideal situation, we can say that the normal state of a certain field of knowledge within one language segment of a particular science should be characterized by the presence of a base of translated primary sources, fundamental research in this subject field, the presence of a research school or schools, inclusion in the world context , which is possible, on the one hand, as knowledge and handling of data from foreign-language studies, and on the other, as a representative presentation of the main results in other languages. From the point of view of such a construction, it can be stated that the current state is far from ideal.

A quick overview of encyclopedic, reference and teaching aids published in Russian over the past decades, which in essence represent a kind of propaedeutics for the reader to determine his scientific interests and a source of factual material for representatives of other specialties and problem fields, finds that in cases where we are talking about "Zorastrianism", they often reproduce, without due criticism, highly controversial statements, which are thus "sanctified by frequent repetition." It seems to us that this is connected, first of all, with a very modest number of special studies by Russian-speaking scientists devoted directly to the phenomenon of "Zoroastrianism" by global standards. The latter, in turn, in our opinion, is explained by the insufficient introduction into circulation of primary sources - the fundamental Avestan and Pahlavi texts. Until now, there is no complete translation of the Avesta into Russian. Only recently, Academician I.M. Steblin-Kamensky published the first complete translation of the Gathas. Pahlavi sources by the works of O.M. Chunakova are introduced, but extremely slowly, and whole line the most important medieval texts, such as "Denkart", "Great Bundahishn", "Selected Zatsparam", etc., remain inaccessible in Russian. An imaginary critic might argue that all the basic primary sources are available in European languages, not to mention that deep study of the material is possible only in the original language, so the issue of the availability of Russian translations is more a matter of the prestige of Russian scholarship than a fundamental obstacle. With all the fairness of such an objection, it should be noted, on the one hand, that a number of European translations are seriously outdated. On the other hand, the availability of translated primary sources is a powerful incentive for the development scientific research and strictly speaking, the boom of Western European Iranian studies (in the religious aspect) would not have been possible without the pioneer A.G. Anquetil-Duperron, who gave the Europeans the Avesta, and unprecedented even by today's standards, translations of Middle Persian religious and philosophical treatises made by E.V. West in late XIX century, which were included in five volumes in the compendium "The Sacred Books of the East".

It would be wrong, however, to present the situation with Russian-language monographs exclusively in a negative light. The Russian history of the religions of pre-Islamic Iran had a triumphant origin in the pre-revolutionary period, associated with the names of G.A. Ezova, K.A. Kossovich, K.G. Zaleman, A.L. Pogodina, E.M. Dillon, K.A. Inostrantsev and many others, rapid development in the first half of the 20th century, due, among other things, to numerous archaeological and ethnographic expeditions to Central Asia. The names of V.V. Bartold, E.A. Bertels, S.P. Tolstova, M.M. Dyakonov and other researchers, when referring to whose works we can see them as generalists who combined interests in history, archeology, linguistics and philology, ethnology and ethnography, religious studies, etc. However, since the middle of the 20th century, the issues of the study of Iranian religions have been completely transferred to historians and (especially today) linguists, which could not but affect the angle of view of problems, and the form and content of theoretical generalizations. In fact, in the Russian-language historiography of the study of "Zoroastrianism" in the 20th century, it is almost impossible to find religious studies focused directly on this religious phenomenon, and not on its historical aspects or philological analysis of its texts. A certain “resuscitation” of religious studies interest in the problem could be expected after the posthumously published in 1991 monograph by L.A. Lelekov "Avesta in modern science", however, this did not happen, also because, due to the meager circulation, this edition turned into a bibliographic rarity, barely leaving the walls of the printing house.

Of course, the lack of special monographs by domestic authors could be compensated from the outside, through translations of numerous and very interesting studies of "Zoroastrianism" by foreign religious scholars. However, here, surprisingly, we find a serious gap. By and large, the number of translated studies Western authors can be counted on the fingers of one hand. If we discard translated encyclopedias, reference books and survey works on the history of religions (for example, the famous work of M. Eliade "History of Faith and Religious Ideas"), the bottom line will be only four monographs known to us, devoted directly to "Zoroastrianism". This is, firstly, a kind of bestseller by M. Boyce “Zoroastrians. Beliefs and Customs”, which has gone through several reprints in Russian since 1988; then the lesser-known collection of 2002 "The Catechism of Zoroastrianism", from which, according to the criterion of scientific rigor, only the translation of D.V. Waterhouse "Zoroastrianism"; the nearly unnoticed translation of Jala Pavri's The Zoroastrian Doctrine of the Afterlife; and, finally, an almost clandestine translation of a small work by R.Ch. Zener "The Teachings of Magicians", carried out in 1992 by the forces of Russian neo-Zoroastrians, followers of the school of Avestan astrology P.P. Globes. Obviously, four monographs are a drop in the ocean, and the lack of translations into Russian of the fundamental studies of a whole galaxy of Western religious scholars devoted to "Zoroastrianism" is one of the main factors hindering the development of Russian-language studies in this area and preventing the normal entry of domestic works into the world context. . In connection with the demonstrated shortage of translations, the problems associated with the monograph by M. Boyce deserve a special designation. Unfortunately, the publication of this work in Russian became fatal in a certain sense. On the one hand, the easy, understandable, popular and elegantly written monograph of the British researcher generated a huge interest in the phenomenon of "Zoroastrianism", primarily in the philistine environment. On the other hand, a characteristic feature of this edition is the dogmatic style of presentation, including when it comes to very ambiguous and highly debatable issues. To understand the ideological background, undoubtedly associated with the subjective sympathies of the author, which determined the style of presenting the material, it is enough to refer to the very first phrase of the introduction: indirectly, more influence than any other faith." By and large, the problem is not so much in a single work of a single researcher, but in the fact that nothing more followed the release of this translation, thanks to which, to this day, “Zoroastrians. Beliefs and Customs” remains the most famous, popular and cited translation work, which defines for many Russian-speaking specialists a specific vision of the problem field, which is very far from the debatable character that Gerardo Gnoli emphasizes and substantiates.

In the situation described, any new translation articles or monographs on "Zoroastrianism", especially when it comes to material that allows a new, deeper insight into the content and methodological problems of studying this religious tradition. The report of the Italian religious scholar, which in its content and main accents is very close to the well-known article by L.A. Lelekov Zoroastrianism. Phenomenon and Problems”, in our opinion, will be of interest to everyone involved in the history of religions, and can and should contribute to expanding the horizons of understanding the subject field.

Gnoli Gh. Le iscrizioni giudeo-persiane del Gur (Afghanistan). Roma, 1964; Id. Ricerche storiche sul Sistan antico. Rome, 1967.

Lelekov L.A. Avesta in modern science. M., 1992. S. 25-26.

The number of monographs published in recent years is countless. Of noteworthy works, it should be noted: Khismatulin A.A., Kryukova V.Yu. Death and the funeral rite in Islam and Zoroastrianism. SPb., 1997; Meitarchyan M.B. Funeral rites Zoroastrians. M., 2001; Pahlavi dictionary of Zoroastrian terms, mythical characters and mythological symbols/ O.M. Chunakova. M., 2004; Kryukova V.Yu. Zoroastrianism. SPb., 2005. In the context of the historical and philosophical problems of Iranian religions, M.N. Wolf (Early Greek Philosophy and Ancient Iran. St. Petersburg, 2007) and E.V. Abdullaev (Ideas of Plato between Hellas and Sogdiana: essays on the early history of Platonism in the Middle East. St. Petersburg, 2007)

Gathas of Zarathushtra / Translation from Avestan, introductory article, comments and appendices by I.M. Steblin-Kamensky. SPb., 2009.

Catechism of Zoroastrianism. Ancient religion of magicians. Collection. M., 2002.

Pavri D.D.K. Zoroastrian doctrine of the afterlife. Since own death and Chinvat Bridge. M., 2004.

Zener R.Ch. The teachings of magicians. M., 1992.

Boyce M. Zoroastrians. Beliefs and customs. SPb., 1994. S. 11.

Lelekov L.A. Zoroastrianism: phenomenon and problems // Local and syncretic cults. M., 1991. S. 12-49.

Krupnik I.L. G. Nyoli and the study of "Zoroastrianism" (foreword by the translator) // Religious studies. 2010: #3-4. - S. 85-88.

M., State Research
Research Institute of Restoration of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Russian
Federations, 1992

This work is a publication of the manuscript of a doctoral dissertation representing
is a historiographical review of the long-term study of the Avesta and Zoroastrianism by foreign
and domestic Iranians.

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Foreword
Introduction
Chapter I. General historiography and bibliography of the problem
Chapter II. Historiographic chronicle of the development of the science of the Avesta in the XIX-XX centuries.
Chapter III. Avesta and Zoroastrianism: basic concepts and problems
o 1. Phenomenon of Zoroastrianism
o 2. Image of Zoroaster
Chapter IV. The main issues of cultural and historical interpretations of the Avesta
o 1. Indo-Iranian Studies and Avesta
o 2. Time and place of origin of the Avesta
o 3. Zoroastrian burial rites
o 4. The cult of fire and the problem of its relationship with Zoroastrianism
o 5. The Importance of External Sources for the Study of the Avesta
o 6. Mazda and Ahura
o 7. Deity of Time in the Avesta and external sources
o 8. Dualism in the Avesta
o 9. Doctrine of Creation in Avesta
o 10. Legendary chronology in the Avesta
o 11. Legend of the Keyyanids
o 12. Reform of Zoroaster
o 13. Social orientation of Zoroaster's doctrine
Chapter V. Methodological Aspects of Cultural-Historical Reconstructions Based on
Avesta data
Conclusion
Bibliography

Foreword
Presenting to the reader a book whose author is no longer with us is not an easy task, because such
the preface will almost certainly be met with skepticism. Whatever it contains
remark will not without reason be regarded as not too appropriate in this situation, but
any praise can be perceived as dictated not so much by real
the merits of the work, how many the circumstances under which it appears before
reader. It is also significant that the published study is devoted to purely special
problems and is unlikely to fall into the hands of a completely unprepared, random person;
therefore, there is no need to explain the meaning of the questions raised in the book, their place
in the history of world culture. In view of all that has been said, it seems correct
confine this preface to just a few words about the book itself and about its author.
The relationship between the intellectual and spiritual aspirations of man, on the one hand,
and his professional activity, on the other hand, can be formed in different ways. There are people,
for whom the work they are engaged in is the main meaning of life, it is entirely
consumes their mind and soul. Others, on the contrary, work all their lives in some particular area.
and even achieving significant success and a prominent position in it, they constantly dream of
completely different activity. Sometimes these aspirations remain an unfulfilled dream;
sometimes such people still manage to devote crumbs of free time to their favorite pastime,
and then it gets a partly funny, partly insulting and derogatory name -
hobby.
The fate of Leonid Arkadyevich Lelekov (1934 - 1988) does not fit into any of
listed options. Its short and not too easy working life perhaps
serve as an example of the happiest of possible options for human self-realization:
he had two favorite things, to both he gave his mind, his time, his soul to a different extent.
And although his service for decades was associated with only one of these cases - with
theory and history of the restoration of artistic monuments, the second favorite thing is
study of the history and culture of the ancient Indo-European peoples, primarily
Iranian studies, was by no means a side occupation for him, a way to fill his leisure,
light hobby. It was literally his second specialty.
In this field, L. A. Lelekov has done a lot. There is neither possibility nor need
to list here the researches published by him on the mentioned problems. Circle it
interests in this area was unusually wide and varied. But to topics, especially his
fascinated, should first of all be attributed to the history of the religion of the ancient Iranians, in
particular Zoroastrianism. Research in this area has been summarized in
offered to the reader's attention book. The angle of consideration of the problem chosen in it -
historiographic - is also quite natural: without refusing the proclaimed above
intentions to avoid in this preface any assessments, let alone recommendations,
I can, however, not note that L. A. Lelekov’s knowledge of domestic and foreign
literature on the outlined issues was truly unprecedented. For everyone who
no matter who turned to him for advice or information, he could serve as a pilot in the boundless and not
all too well known in our country is the sea of ​​this literature. To some extent, the role
sailing directions in this sea can be played by his published work.
However, it would be unfair to evaluate this work as a dispassionate guide to
avestological literature. The paradoxical mind of L. A. Lelekov was addicted to
non-trivial hypotheses, which he was looking for - sometimes unconsciously - in the works of others
scientists, he largely preferred them in his own research. This
trait could not but affect the attitude of colleagues to his work on Iranian studies - often
extremely critical, sometimes bordering on outright rejection. However, as these
disputes go further and further into the past, you clearly understand what an important thing the one who
constantly drew our attention to such non-trivial concepts, to
hypotheses breaking out from the general series, what life-giving impulses were for
audience published by L. A. Lelekov reviews of foreign literature and his original
research. All this is so often lacking in scientific life.

And one more circumstance should be stopped before the reader turns to the text.
this work: the published manuscript was created not as a book, but as a doctoral dissertation.
Of course, this circumstance could not change its content radically. But those
who is familiar with the practice of defending dissertations that existed in our country long years, A
in many ways still alive today, they themselves can easily determine the features of the book, due to this
feature of its origin. Here, too, the strictly limited scope, which forced the author
exclude from the text many detailed passages: and the purely canonical structure of the introductory
sections; and - what to hide! - a certain self-censorship in relation to the most controversial
judgments and hypotheses. Probably, if this work was addressed not to the special council, but to readers
book, the author would have written it somewhat differently.
But L. A. Lelekov was not destined to rework the manuscript in this vein. finished like
dissertation several years ago, this manuscript was accepted for defense at the same time. By
circumstances beyond the control of the author - in connection with the reorganization of the council - protection
was postponed. Then, finally, her term was appointed, but she never took place. Author,
who managed to do so much, did not manage to get what they were looking for, as they say in official reviews,
degree...
Let at least in such a form, which does not quite correspond to the plans of L. A. Lelekov himself
this manuscript will reach the reader.
Doctor
D. S. Raevsky

historical

Introduction
The Avesta has been and remains one of the key documents for studying the historical past.
peoples of the USSR and the foreign East. Accordingly, historiographic and
source study aspects of modern avestology over time become more and more
more essential for science, for methodologically complex cultural and historical
reconstructions designed to certify long-past historical reality.
The relevance of considering these aspects is also clear from the fact that almost all key
questions of interpretation of the Avesta as a source are still hotly debated.
The lack of awareness in the historiography of the problem has more than once led to the fact that in
newest publications resurrected old hypotheses as discoveries of the current period
or, conversely, the sound arguments put forward by the scientists of the second
half of XIX - first half of XX century.
Another important reason for addressing this topic was the continuous increase
the significance of the information of the Avesta is proportional to the expansion of large-scale archaeological
research in the territories Soviet republics Central Asia, and also partly in
Afghanistan and Central Asia. Soviet archaeologists have discovered in this region a colossal
a fund of remarkable monuments, revealed the features of what happened here once
historical events that require in-depth analysis using Avesta data.
The new qualitative state of modern Central Asian archeology should
correspond methodically to new and more informative approaches to the historical-philological criticism of the Avesta; from which the task of deploying the necessary
this historiographic panorama.
Specific in complexity and debatable problems of studying and cultural-historical
interpretations
Avesta
already
for a long time
found
V
Iranian studies
special
historiographic and source study status. Without their permission, modern
Oriental studies will not be able to approach the desired understanding of the material and spiritual
cultures of the ancient inhabitants of Iran and Central Asia, their beliefs, beliefs, views on
the world and the structure of society.
Soviet science has repeatedly addressed these problems and has devoted many bright pages to them.
However, the most fundamental generalization of the facts known to science in Russian
Iranian studies took place relatively long ago, more than two decades ago, in
the first volume of "History of the Tajik people". For the elapsed time, the number of facts
increased, a lot of different theories and hypotheses appeared in foreign publications, while
which have not yet found a thorough critical analysis by domestic Iranian scholars.
Of course, in one work, moreover, limited not only by the capabilities of the author, but also by her
volume, a complete and equally representative account of all the accomplishments of world Avestology in
anyway, it will be unrealistic. Therefore, it is necessary to select and characterize
from a historiographical point of view. The most significant or least known, but
noteworthy works on the problem under consideration. Assess the scope and
the complexity of such a task can be to some extent summaries J. Duchene-Guillemin
, J. Kellena , X.-P. Schmidt and ours, but
the small volumes of all these publications do not allow one to seriously delve into the subject with its
complex and sometimes contradictory.
Separately, it should be emphasized the extreme importance of the Avesta data for attribution
abundant archaeological materials in the habitats of the Iranian-speaking peoples of antiquity.
Contributing to the interpretation of many still mysterious phenomena of an ideological nature,
such materials themselves need
correlation with archaic
texts,
V
source support. Almost every researcher of Central Asian antiquities
pre-Arab time had a reason to refer to the information of the Avesta and partly Pahlavi
books, and for some works such information has become fundamental, for example, when
Yu. A. Rapoport's study of the beliefs and funeral rites of ancient Khorezm, B. Ya.
Stavisky - Sogd, B. A. Litvinsky - Bactria.

Another of the many reasons that prompts a closer look at the typology
Avestan arch, serves as a prominent place of the latter in the general fund of cultural values
of the ancient East and of all mankind, Europe's long-standing interest in mysterious sayings
Zoroaster. This interest arose already among the students of Plato and Aristotle, sounded in
introduction to the "Younger Edda" and found its culmination in the well-known work of F.
Nietzsche, i.e. periodically flared up for two and a half millennia.
The purely scientific expression of this interest in foreign Europe took the form
an inexhaustible avalanche of publications, moreover, in a dozen languages, very diverse, sometimes
mutually exclusive, but for the most part quite interesting and deep in
development. A significant part of them, especially those with a historical and philological bias, do not
attracted the increased attention of our Orientalists, since they are more
were interested in the linguistic aspects of studying the language of the Avesta or its
source study potential for broad reconstructions of the socio-political
pictures of ancient Iranian society. The genre nature of the text, its figurative and expressive
means, and even more so the ideological context in the domestic Iranian studies of the meaning
relatively little was given, although E. E. Bertels and I. S. Braginsky did
a number of valuable observations in this regard.
Meanwhile, it is precisely in this direction that foreign Orientalism has hardly concentrated
not the main efforts and received many interesting, although not indisputable, of course, results.
Therefore, it seems appropriate to characterize this aspect as far as possible.
development of modern avestology, identify and consider the most typical for it
trends and methods. Of course, taking into account and even more so the analysis of several thousand monographic
and article publications exceeds the capabilities of one person, which the author is fully aware of
this work, especially in the absence of proper precedents, but the need
domestic avestology undoubtedly justify such an idea.
Such a goal setting requires the rejection of the traditional chronological and
descriptive presentation of the problem, because, firstly, such would entail
is a multiple excess of the volume of work, secondly, overloading it with particulars and
details. In the age-old question of whether or not to sacrifice the distinguishability of individual
trees, in order to cover the whole forest with a glance, you have to choose the first. Unacceptable
looks like a construction according to the principle of Personalia, since it involuntarily entails
hierarchical ranking of scientific names and directions, for which there are no grounds today.
The thematic grouping of material has its drawbacks. Therefore, in order to
display the historiography of the phenomenon under study both in general and in some of the most
essential details, it makes sense to introduce two levels of presentation. On the first of them
it is supposed to show interpretations of the main fundamental problems by modern science,
such as the phenomena of the Avesta and Zoroastrianism in general, or the historicity of the image of Zoroaster. On
the second level, in a separate chapter, specific issues of historical and
historiographic nature, which are of the greatest interest to the domestic and
world archaeological science with its desire to enter certain information without fail
Avesta in the real stratigraphy of the Bronze Age or Early Iron Age in the territories
Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia. We will talk about the Indo-Iranian background in the Avesta, about
funeral rites of Zoroastrianism and its other cult features, about the authenticity
Zoroaster's reforms. In the historiographical panorama of the study of the Avesta and Zoroastrianism, especially
an important place has always been occupied by evidence from external sources - Assyrian,
Old Testament, ancient Greek, etc. Without taking them into account, it is absolutely impossible to clarify the nature
reflections of the true historical reality by the Avestan code. Just them
Our opportunities are far from being used to the full extent and require more serious
attention, why it is necessary to give them a significant place in a special section of the study.
In support of what has been said, it is enough to cite a brilliant, but unjustifiably forgotten
R. Eisler's observation of Anaximander's cosmology, as it turned out, is quite identical
cosmology of the Avesta in a systemic sense and in specific particulars, due to which
the coincidence of this similarity is excluded. From other Greek cosmologies
Anaximander's doctrine differed sharply. This largest discovery was made in 1910,
which did not prevent the most prominent Iranianists of our day from developing the hypotheses they excluded,

As can be seen from the works of I. Gershevich in 1959 and 1964. It's exactly the same so far
was not taken into account in any reconstructions by domestic Iranianists. Meanwhile from
Anaximander's cosmology clearly shows that what seems to us a late scholastic
Zoroastrian picture of the world with theologically motivated arrangement of heavenly
luminaries, in which, contrary to the observed reality, the stars are closer to the earth,
rather than the moon and the sun, existed at the latest in the 7th century. BC. echoes of the same
the Young Avestan ideas of Pherekides, a younger contemporary of Anaximander,
rule out the chance of parallelism and force us to state for Western Iranian
territories, the systemic organization of the cosmological doctrine of the Young Avestan type already in
7th century BC. There are no formal prohibitions on its quite possible ageing. In general
features with the fact of the obvious presence of some Zoroastrian beliefs in the Media of the first
half of the 6th century BC. was considered I. M. Dyakonov, and fully took into account the early Greek
data of M. Boyes in his generalizing monographs of 1975 and 1979. .
In other words, the importance of external sources for the study and for the historiography of the Avesta
colossal, cannot be overestimated and deserves a separate independent
research.
Avestology is still considered an arena for the struggle of ideas and arguments, although it is not always the same
convincing. Today there are not only winners, but even the rules of the discussion,
therefore, any view of the underlying data, their relative and absolute value,
deployment priority will inevitably remain somewhat subjective. Costs
compare well-known monographs by U. Bianchi, R. Zener, J.
Duchenne-Guillemina, M. Mole, M. Boyce, finally J. Nyoli, like everyone else
what is said will acquire tangible materiality. All these interpretations, as well as methods
their thematic presentation, are not just far from one another, they are incompatible both in general and
and in particular.
Indeed, there are no number of controversial issues and they can be interpreted in any desired way.
manner. To demonstrate the extreme complexity of the situation, it would not be superfluous to involve
a group of topical and intractable problems of sociological orientation
the teachings of Zoroaster. Under what socio-political conditions could its
a sermon demanding the individual to obey an eschatologically tinged
religious ethics? The very posing of the question presupposes that the object of the sermon, the bearer
individual consciousness, stood out from the primitive communal collective, for which
repeatedly mentioned in the works of A. Meie, V. Henning, I. Gershevich and others.
almost everyone agrees, but specific answers to the specified