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Le loup dans l’Iran ancien
Entre mythe, réalité et exégèse zoroastrienne
in Anthropology of the Middle East
Abstract
How did ancient Iranian religion represent the wolf? Between the mythological data, the realities of the agro-pastoral world, and the symbolism of exegetical tradition, Late Antique Zoroastrianism considered the wolf as primarily a species to kill. In reality, much more than the Canis lupus hides behind the word ‘wolf’ (Middle Persian gurg), including most nocturnal predators but also devastating illnesses, a monster whom the Savior will destroy at the end of time, and finally heretics who renounce or deform the Good Religion. However, this negative image is nuanced by the recognition of the strong ties between the she-wolf and wolf cubs, both in texts where the protective qualities of this large predator are evoked, and in iconography, namely magic seals, where one finds the image of the nourishing she-wolf, perhaps connected to perinatal magic.
Contributor Notes
Samra Azarnouche is Associate Professor at the École Pratique des Hautes Études in Paris (PSL Research University Paris) where she teaches the history of Zoroastrianism. Her research focuses on Late Antiquity, Sasanian culture and religion, Iranian mythology and Middle Persian literature. Among her publications are an edition of a text on Sasanian realia (Khosrow fils de Kawād et un page, 2013), and several articles on rituals, priestly institutions, technical vocabulary, and Zoroastrian myths. E-mail: samra.azarnouche@gmail.com