A study in sacrificial rituals attributed to Ahriman and Demons in Iranian religious texts (Avesta and Pahlavi texts)

Being more than a component of rituals and rites, sacrifice in ancient religions, represented the ideology and theology of one society. As a bridge between the world of gods and mundane macrocosm and its people, sacrifice has always played a fundamental role in the myths and religious beliefs of various cultures. Among numerous Avesta and Pahlavi texts which illustrate the circumstances of rites of sacrifice, there are a few hymns in condemnation of those who are called liars, daēwa-worshippers and jadu- dīns. These hymns unintentionally, represented the deeds of nonconformists, who were not approved by Zoroastrian tradition. However, due to years of political sovereignty of the Zoroastrian religion in Iran, the remaining ancient texts are reflecting only one ideology aspect which was approved by the clerics of reigning class. In this article we are trying to analyze the rituals which despite being accused of relating to Ahreman and demons, unfold the traces of prior religions or censored beliefs and creeds of Iran’s history. To do so, related parts of Avesta and Pahlavi text are selected, and are analyzed and interpreted in a linguistic approach, sometimes in the absence of any written evidence some kind of sacrifice is studied by the means of historian’s writings. However, essence and background of many of these rites still remains unknown.