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creating is cutting: a conceptual metaphor in Avestan and Pahlavi texts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2025

Mohamad Bayani Open the ORCID record for Mohamad Bayani [Opens in a new window]
Mohamad Bayani*
Affiliation:
Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
*
Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

This paper investigates the development of the creation theme in Zoroastrian sources through the lens of the conceptual metaphor “creation is cutting”. It analyses three terms: Avestan taš- and ϑβǝrǝs-, and Middle Persian brēhēnīdan. Each term is examined in non-metaphorical, non-creational metaphorical, and creational metaphorical contexts. This analysis, coupled with a comparison of their semantic nuances and metaphorical mappings, suggests a creation myth with two phases: in the first phase, Ahura Mazda alone hews the undifferentiated forms of both the spiritual and material creation from an imaginary primary material, followed by the sculpting of the spiritual creation, resulting in adding details to the form. Subsequently, Ahura Mazda, in collaboration with the Beneficial Immortals/high-ranked divinities, imparts specific bodily and facial details to the material creation, enabling procreation. The Pahlavi sources elaborate on this theme, portraying Ahura Mazda as the sole agent in the initial hewing, while high-ranking divinities mitigate the harm inflicted by Ahriman on the created prototypes, facilitating their procreation throughout the world.

Keywords

CreatingCuttingAhura MazdaConceptual metaphorHewingSculpting
Type
Article
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Bulletin of SOAS , First View , pp. 1 - 23
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of SOAS University of London

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Footnotes

1

I would like to express my utmost gratitude and appreciation to Professor Bruce Lincoln for his invaluable contribution to this article. Without his diligent efforts in thoroughly reading and providing insightful comments, as well as his expert supervision, this paper would not have attained its current refined form. Any errors or shortcomings present within this work are solely attributable to my own efforts.

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