Remote Villagers Speak in Sassanid Language
Remote Villagers Speak in Sassanid Language After 2,000 Years
(click above for article with pictures)
Following the recognition of 903 Sassanid words in the language of Maymand residents, experts have concluded the language of these people has barely changed since 2,000 years ago, mainly because of the isolation of their helmet after the Arab invasion in the seventh century.
Experts working with the renovation project of the village have managed to recognize and categorize these words after conversing with the secluded people. “Some of these words are purely Persian and free of Arabic influences,” said Farhnaz Firozehchian, linguist in charge of the word recognition plan, citing such examples as “Fal” for “Dastmal” (handkerchief) and “Pa-Cheragh” for a special lantern burning animal fat.
Maymand is a village in Kerman Province, south of Iran and its inhabitants live in cave-like houses dug into mountains.
Courtesy : K F Keravala
Beautiful article and very very informative. Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2013 08:26:19 +0000 To: pervinmerchant@hotmail.com
Pervin,
I agree with you, about this well written and rare article which came to my attention in my email.
The article is very scholarly presented. I was practising medicine in Iran from 1972 to 1979, and have been to remote and historical places like Damghan, Semnan and Shahrud, but had never known of these ancient Iranians living as troglodytes in such arduous conditions as depicted.
My one question is this, ” are they practising Mithraism, Zoroastrianism or Islam? because if so, how can they still converse in a remote language like Avesta or middle Pahlavi? It is an interesting thought.
Somebody please enlighten me further, and I would be very grateful.
kind regards,
Homi H Shekhdar
I was most impressed by your article and photographs of these troglodytes living near Kerman. My question is “what religion were they following, Mithraism, Zoroastrianism or have they been converted to Islam? Me, being a Zoroastrian, I am deeply interested in this topic.I have been to Iran from 1972 to 1979 practising medicine, and I have been to sites like Damghan, Semnan and Shahrud but I never heard of these remnants of ancient Iranians, probably lost in the mist of history. Please enlighten me, for which I would be most grateful. Kind regards, Yours sincerely, Homi H Shekhdar
On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 8:26 AM, Parsis, Iranis, Zarathushtis – ALL Under