A Research on Zoroastrian Dakhmagozari Rituals Based on Architectural Structure Study of the Zoroastrian Dakhmas

According to the Zoroastrian religious teachings, and in order to prevent the contamination of the four sacred elements of water, soil, wind and fire, dead bodies should be put in an open area and on the top of mountains, should be consumed by carnivorous animals, and their bones should be buried in a specific place named Astodan (Ostekhandan). This method, which has been the most common burial tradition of Zoroastrians in the Islamic period, was carried out in the circular hypaethral structures built up on the top of mountains. These structures are called “Dakhma” and the mentioned ritual is called “Dakhmagozari.” Despite the research done on “Dakhmagozari” ritual and the “Zoroastrian Dakhma,” important questions about the historical background of this tradition and the history of the burial structures associated with it, and the evolution of the architectural features of the Zoroastrian Dakhma throughout the various historical periods still remain unanswered. So, the present research ties to answer these ambiguities by doing field studies and interpreting and analyzing the findings of these studies with a “historical approach.” According to the results obtained by referring to historical sources and archaeological evidence, the tradition of giving dead bodies to carnivorous animals, which has been a common burial tradition in Moqan since Achamenian periods, and using circular Dakhma, common throughout the Parthian-Sassanid period, have been popular among Iranian Zoroastrians. Following the mentioned trend during the Islamic period, the Dakhmagozari ritual and using circular Dakhmas have continued to exist up to the present time by going through changes in the way of performing the ceremonies and in the architectural components of the related burial structures.