Aredvi Sura Anahita - Immaculate Lady of the Waters

in #goddess2 years ago (edited)

4th century Sasanian silver bowl with high-relief decoration showing deity Anahita sitting on a lion and holding sun in her right hand.
Above image source: cais-soas.com

Goddess of water. Also known as Ahurani (She who belongs to Ahura) or Anahita (Nahid in modern Persian). Anahita (meaning unstained, clean and innocent).

Source: Wayback Machine at fouman.com

Anahita Goddess Water - Wayback Machine at http://fouman.com/history/Iran_Gallery_Arts_Photographs_English.htm

In Zoroastrian texts from the post-conquest epoch (651 CE onwards), the divinity is referred to as "Anahid the Lady," "Ardwisur the Lady," and "Ardwisur the Lady of the waters."

So her name represented and was used to refer to the world river, perhaps similar to Nut.

According to Herman Lommel, the proper name of the divinity in Indo-Iranian times was Sarasvatī, which also means "she who possesses waters." In Sanskrit, the name आर्द्रावी शूरा अनाहिता (Ārdrāvī Śūrā Anāhitā) means "of the waters, mighty, and immaculate."

Sūra and anāhīta mean mighty and pure. One of the symbols of goddess is the Lotus flower.

Source: Wikipedia

Source: worldhistory.org

High-relief of Anahita, Khosro 2, Ahura Mazda - Philippe Chavin, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Anahita Vessel, 300-500 AD, Sasanian, Iran, silver and gilt - Cleveland Museum of Art - Daderot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Anahita, the Zoroastrian goddess of water and fertility, was one of the last of the ancient tradition of Near Eastern nude mother goddesses. - The Cleveland Museum of Art.

Anahita? - https://www.cais-soas.com/CAIS/Mythology/simorgh_story.htm

Bronze head from a cult statue of Anahita, shown in the guise of Aphrodite. Item #384321001 - The Trustees of the British Museum (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

Two major temples are known, the temples of Anahita at Kangavar and Istakhr, Iran.

Temple of Anahita at Kangavar by Eugène Flandin - Eugène Flandin, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Temple of Anahita, Kangavar - Majid Taghipour, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Temple of Anahita, Kangavar - Majid Taghipour, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Anahita temple, Bishapur - Majid Taghipour, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Evidence of geopolymer masonry? Geopolymer techniques that utilize both water and fire.

Polygonal Masonry at the Temple of Anahita - vohuman.org via Wayback Machine

Scène de harem ou scène de culte devant la reine ou la déesse Anahita. AO 22359. - © 1997 RMN-Grand Palais (musée du Louvre) / Hervé Lewandowski

Coin of the Iranian goddess Anahita, minted during the reign of Khosrow 2 - Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. http://www.cngcoins.com, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Gold coin of Khosrow II with Anahita on reverse - Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. http://www.cngcoins.com, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Silver coin. Bust of Anahita to front, with rayed flames ascending to a point. Item #967591001. - The Trustees of the British Museum (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

Notice the familiar "top of the Ankh" shape of the flame behind her head from prior posts.

Modern representations:

Anahita Goddess Water Tehran Carpet - Wayback Machine http://fouman.com/history/Iran_Gallery_Arts_Photographs_English.htm

The above was reproduced by Farshchian and be see here: Farshchian Gallery.

Fouman Anahita Square Statue - Achaemenes, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Some really great music inspired by Anahita can be heard in Ariana Vafadari's release entitled Anahita.