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Document Details : Title: The Significance of AV. čiϑra, OP. čiça, MP. čihr, and NP. čehr, for the Iranian Cosmogony of Light Author(s): SOUDAVAR, A. Journal: Iranica Antiqua Volume: 41 Date: 2006 Pages: 151-186 DOI: 10.2143/IA.41.0.2004766 Abstract : In trying to explain the relevancy of the ubiquitous Sāsānian “ke čihr az yazadān” idiom in Iranian kingship theories, and to refute the claim of divine status for Sasanian kings, I had previously relied on the “common” knowledge that in Middle Persian, čihr had two sets of meanings (1 — face and appearance, 2 — seed and origin), and the choice of the second set for čihr, over the first, was dictated by Greek translations. While my suggestion there — that the legend rather implied that the king’s radiance (in power and glory) reflected those of the gods — has already raised many eyebrows, further research on the etymology of the word cihrand the evolution of its meaning over time, now prompts me to espouse an even more radical position, and to question the very validity of this second set of meaning, not only in Middle Persian, but also in Avestic, Old Persian and New Persian. It is most unfortunate that in all of these, in addition to the well-founded meaning of “appearance/brilliance,” other meanings such as seed, origin, and nature, have been gradually adopted with rather dire consequences for our comprehension of historical documents — textual as well as visual. |
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