PERSIAN MYTHOLOGY. 20" 
summer, and think the bull represents the earth, and the blade the first rays 
of spring. Others again assert that this representation is by no means of 
Persian origin, because, say they, bloody sacrifices were never offered by 
them. But this is not true, for before Zoroaster’s reformation, and even a 
short time after his appearance, such sacrifices were brought, as will be 
seen in jigs. 1 and 2, which are copies of pictures representing two sacrificial 
processions, in which horses, oxen, lambs, and dromedaries are led to the 
altar. 
_ A feature peculiar to Parseeism was the adoration of the sun (jig. 6), and 
that of fire (jig. 5), as the symbol of the animating principle which was in 
reality nothing but Ormuzd himself clothed in his divine power. J/g. 13 
represents the celebration of the Darun, a ceremony performed at least 
once a month in commemoration of Hom, the giver of the law. The priest, 
after having said the prescribed number of prayers, now stands before the 
altar ready to partake before the devoutly kneeling assembly of the conse- 
erated bread, a kind of unleavened cake, and of the juice of the Hom, a 
beverage somewhat similar to the Amrita of the Indians. 
The priests of Parseeism belonged to the Magi, who formed a caste by 
themselves, the members of which never intermarried with other than the 
children of Magi. ‘They were divided into different classes, to each of 
which was assigned its own occupation. Pl. 7, jig. 8 a-e, represents five 
of these, with the implements indicating their pursuits, viz. a, Iconologists, 
or sacred scribes (Chartumim); 6, Magicians (Asphin); c, Astrologers 
(Mechasphim) ; d, Soothsayers (Gasrin); and e, Gasdim, a class whose 
occupation remains still unknown. 
The priests were also divided into three classes: the Novices (Herbeds), 
teachers (Mobeds), and the perfect teachers or masters (Desdur Mobeds). 
They were distinguished by sacred vestments, consisting of the Sadere, a 
tunic with short sleeves and coming only down as far as the knee and girded 
with the Costd or sacred belt, which was to indicate that the priest was 
always ready to contest against Ahriman; in addition to these they wore 
the Penom, a mask which was to prevent them from sullying the sacred 
flame by their breath. The most prominent person in jig. 4 is that of a 
Median high priest. The face is somewhat disfigured, but the beard is 
ample and carefully arranged, while profuse locks cover head and. neck. 
The dress consists of long and flowing garments coming down to his feet 
and supplied with apparently wide and hanging sleeves. In his right hand 
he holds a staff tipped with a broken ornament probably intended to repre- 
sent an apple, in his left a lotus. One of his attendants holds a parasol over 
his head while another with a flybrush in one hand endeavors to keep the 
flies from his master, and in the other carries something resembling a hand- 
kerchief. Above is seen the already described Feruer. The human figures 
in figs. 7 and 8 have a very strong resemblance to this high-priest. They 
‘are of a colossal height and are generally called the priest-kings. Both are 
of a noble and imposing carriage and are dressed in long and flowing 
garments without sleeves. A rather low diadem encircles the thick and 
curly locks, and the long and pointed beard is curled in a way peculiar to 
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