Ancient Iranians, following the teachings of Prophet Zoroaster, believed that happiness was a manifestation of divinity and that they should drive away grief on special occasions.

Zoroastrians prized nature, progress, logic and prosperity highly. These ancient people believed that lying, feeling envy and waging war disrupted the balance of the world and therefore eschewed such practices, valuing more the virtuous human traits of love respect and solidarity.

History of Noruz

Dr. Fereydoon Joneydi

The origins of the emergence of the Noruz are disputed. Various hypotheses that have been put forward that include a celebration of natural weather cycles and a national festival and a religious rite.

But recently, a new theory has emerged. After extensive archeological research, a prominent Iranian professor has claimed that “the Noruz Festival emerged 8,000 years ago.”

Dr. Fereydoon Joneydi, founder of the Neishabur Cultural Foundation, in an exclusive interview with the Tehran Times said, “I take a different approach towards Noruz. My opinion stems from the dramatic events that have taken place on earth in ancient times and takes into account the emergence of global warming and cooling, as well as earthquakes and the reactivation of the volcano, Mount Damavand.”

Joneydi used techniques including carbon-dating samples of ancient Iranian pottery, and cross-referencing their inscriptions with ancient Iranian texts to conclude that the festival is an impressive 7500-8000 years old. This date is significantly earlier that those cited by some European academics.

As the festival marks the spring equinox, Joneydi also infers that these ancient Iranians must have possessed sophisticated time keeping devices.

“Undoubtedly, our forefathers had some kind of a device for time measurement whose function was similar to a present day watch or a clock,” he explained.

“The Noruz festival is a celebration of mathematics and astronomy – the solar calendar – by Iranians and since our ancestors embraced Noruz and used beautiful flowers, Sabzeh (green sprouts) and sweets, we also deserve to celebrate this special occasion.”

 

 Noruz, a rich cultural heritage

Noruz or “new day” celebrations are deeply rooted in Iran’s ancient civilization, which is as old as the history of Persia. Today, after the lapse of thousands of years, people from all walks of life celebrate it as the greatest national holiday, in lands stretching from Turkey to India.

The occasion symbolizes an everlasting tradition of a great nation. Throughout history, foreign powers have invaded our homeland, ruled for short or long periods of time, and mixed their culture with the powerful Iranian civilization. But as soon as they were defeated, their short-lived effects faded leaving only disconnected fragments. Noruz, a symbol of cultural resistance withstanding the socio-political effects of foreign dominance, has always carried an everlasting message of peace and prosperity for Iranians, enabling them to preserve their original identity in the face of foreign onslaughts. 

Noruz demonstrates the determination of Iranians to keep alive their traditions and their strength in expelling invaders. The invaders realized that Iranians would lead free and independent lives in their motherland and will always safeguard their sacred and ancient national culture.

 Cultural understanding

As man enters the second decade of the 21st century, he could do worse than to embrace cultural global movements like Noruz; perhaps one day even the arms race will be replaced by these movements. 

Iran’s spirit is engendered with the spiritual, cultural and national values inherited from centuries of hard work. The most outstanding feature of these values is found in Iran’s national history, literature, Ferdowsi’s masterpiece poetical composition the Shahnameh; the poems of Hafez and Sadi; the couplets of Nezami; the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam; classical Iranian music; the intricate design of the azure tiles in historical monuments; and finally Noruz. 

According to lexicographer Mirza Ali Akbar Dehkhoda, ancient Iranians celebrated a feast called Farvardegan (Farvardyan) that lasted 10 days. Farvardegan was performed at the end of the year as a mourning ceremony, rather than a celebration for ushering in Spring.

In ancient times the feast started on the first day of Farvardin (March 21), but it is unclear for how long it lasted; in the royal courts, the festivities continued for one month. 

According to archives, the festival was observed until the fifth of Farvardin, and then special celebrations followed until the end of the month. Undoubtedly, the Noruz celebrations are an ancient Iranian custom, but details of it prior to the Achaemenid-era are unknown. There is no mention of it in Avesta, the holy book of Zoroastrians. 

Iran was the cradle of civilization for thousands of years and regarded as one of the most powerful countries in the world. As time elapsed, the Persian Empire slowly disintegrated under the pressure of invasion.

Many ancient customs have faded away, leaving only traces in the cultural and archeological record.

 For example, it was not until the 19th century that the ancient Persian language was reconstructed by foreign Iranologists and linguists, and yet more work is still required.

 

 Noruz in Persian literature

At its core, Noruz celebrates the rebirth of nature; a reawakening that symbolizes the triumph of good over evil, light over dark. Persian poems alluding to the festival have been composed and were later performed as songs by great singers: from the legendary Barbad from the reign of Sassanid King Khosrow Parviz to prominent contemporary artists.

Noruz is testimony to Iran’s rich civilization, national characteristics and history. The Murawij-uz-Zahab says that during the reign of Jamshid, a legendary king of Persia, a typhoon lasting three years struck the land. At the beginning of spring, the typhoon gradually subsided. As people emerged from their cave dwellings, they celebrated a great feast called “Noruz” during the wake of storm.

Ferdowsi, in his masterpiece the Shahnameh; Omar Khayyam, in his book Noruznameh; and Raihan Biruni, along with many other scholars and poets have attributed the origins of Noruz festival to the Iranian king Jamshid. 

 Take Ferdowsi’s verse:

On Jamshid as the people jewels streamed

They cried upon him that New Year beamed

On Farvardin Hormuz in this bright New Year

Bodies were freed from pain all hearts from fear

New Year new king the world thus rendered bright

He sat resplendent on the throne in light 

 

Noruz, symbol of social justice

Spring, Farvardin, and Noruz are arguably symbolic of the efforts to reestablish social justice for Iranians, who have always been leaders in the struggle for human rights, as demonstrated by our ancient civilizations. 

One of the reasons Iranians enthusiastically embraced Islam was that they were seeking social justice and the great Iranian Empire could not ignore the splendid slogans such as “brotherhood and equality”, under the banner of Islam. 

Many researchers, both Eastern and Western, have embarked on extensive surveys of the festival and Iranians’ advocacy of social justice. 

During the first two centuries of Islam in Persia, the festivities were not observed in earnest due to sociopolitical changes unfolding. Gradually, greedy Omayyad caliphs, intending to boost their income through gifts, revived the custom. Nonetheless, Iranians have always been enthusiastic about preserving this custom, especially when they were under foreign domination.

According to the historian George Zeidan, Persians would pay 5,000 to 10,000 silver coins for permission to celebrate Noruz during the reign of the Omayyads. Iranians made strenuous efforts to celebrate the occasion even though they had to pay a high price. 

Omayyad rulers greedy for wealth and power sought to strengthen their hegemony, using Islam as a shield to protect their interests.

The festival was so glorious and sacred that even the most ruthless rulers used to grant general amnesty to captives and prisoners. The dignity of Noruz is captured by Ahura Mazda: “On the day of Farvardin, even the infernal-dwellers return to this world to visit their families.”

Celebrated Persian poet, Hakim Omar Khayyam, said that “whoever jubilates and enjoys the occasion will spend the whole year in joy.”