The Sacred Aryan Forest in the

Avestan and Pahlavi Texts

Author: Ambartsumian, Arthur

Source: Iran and the Caucasus, Volume 13, Number 1, 2009 , pp. 125-130(6)

Abstract:

This article is dedicated to the interpretation of the Avestan razura- "forest, grove", its
Middle Persian derivation razūr, and the related place-name, the so called "White
Forest" (Avestan Spaēitita razura-, and Middle Persian Arus-razūr and Spēd-razūr).
The author investigates all passages in the Avestan and Middle Iranian texts, where the
lexeme is found. The Avestan razura- is attested predominantly in the Young Avestan
texts (Aban Yasht, Den Yasht, Zamyad Yasht) and in Videvdat, while as a component of
the place-name it may be found in Ram Yasht. In most cases, it is mentioned in
connection with war campaigns and important battles of the ancient Iranians with their
enemies. More detailed accounts on "White Forest" have been preserved in the Middle
Persian sources, such as Ayādgār ī Zarērān (the Pahlavi text of Parthian origin),
Bundahishn, and in the apocalyptic writing Zand ī Vohuman Yasn. The battle of king
Vishtasp with the Khyons is held near this "White Forest", Arusrazūr, which is also
mentioned in Zand ī Vohuman Yasn as Spēd-razūr. Evidently, this place had a great
importance for the ancient Iranians; Ilya Gershevitch called it, following Ram Yasht,
"the Pan-Iranian forest"; for Mary Boyce it was "the forest of All-Aryans".