– Articles on Iranian Religions –
World Religions & Philosophies – Iranian Religions
Table of Contents
Overview
Numerous religious movements have originated in the greater Iranian regions. These religions are defined among those that speak the various Iranian languages and are attributed to the local cultures.
Many of these religious movements are unique in many ways, as some have attributed influence from both the Eastern Dharmic and Abrahamic beliefs over the centuries, as well as an accumulation of their own unique beliefs.
History
The earliest Iranians are believed to have originated from Proto-Indo-Europeans in the Sintashta culture at an estimated age of 2000 b.c.
The Proto-Indo-Iranian Religion is the historic context for the earliest religious references of this region. Predating the Vedic or Indo-Aryan people, the Proto-Indo-Iranian beliefs are theorized to be an offshoot of an older Indo-European religion due to similarities in deities and practices.
These archaic religions of the Middle East and religions of ancient Iran echo their influences and practices into many of the Iranian religions, including Zoroastrianism, and others have a reference to the Vedic religions.
References
- Mallory, J.P. (1989), In Search of the Indo-Europeans: Language, Archaeology, and Myth, London: Thames & Hudson.
- Surhone, Lambert M.; Tennoe, Mariam T.; Henssonow, Susan F. (2010) “Proto-Indo Religion”
- Encyclopedia Britannica – Ancient Zoroastrian Religion