The Zoroastrian Law to Expel the Demons
Widewdad 10-15: Critical Edition, Translation and Glossary of the Avestan and Pahlavi Texts
by Miguel Angel Andres Toledo
The text Widewdad is one of the most important sources for the study of the Zoroastrianism of the ancient Iranian and the Middle Iranian periods. The Pahlavi version is of particular interest: firstly, it is the oldest Middle Persian translation of an Avestan text, and thus of major importance for the linguistic reconstruction of Middle Persian; secondly, the annotations approach complex theological, ritual, and legal questions that examine numerous insufficiently studied areas of the Sassanid society.
The text Widewdad – “Law Serving to Keep the Demons Away” – is one of the longest and most important sources for the study of the Zoroastrianism of the ancient Iranian and the Middle Iranian periods. The ancient Iranian text, written in Avestan, was in the Sassanid era (3rd-7th centuries) translated into Middle Persian (Pahlavi) and provided with glosses and extensive commentaries. The Pahlavi version, called zand, is of particular interest for two reasons: firstly, it is the oldest Middle Persian translation of an Avestan text, and thus of major importance for the linguistic reconstruction of Middle Persian; secondly, the annotations approach complex theological, ritual, and legal questions that examine numerous insufficiently studied areas of the Sassanid society. Despite its outstanding importance, this primary source has, due to the high degree of difficulty of the subject matter, until recently attracted hardly any attention.
- By (author) Miguel Angel Andres-Toledo
Other Titles in this Series
Die Entwicklung der Ergativkonstruktion im Alt- und Mitteliranischen
Eine korpusbasierte Untersuchung zu Kasus, Kongruenz und Satzbau
Volume 21
Penitential Sections of the Xorde Avesta (patits)
Critical Edition with Commentary and Glossary
Volume 22
Ancient and Middle Iranian Studies
Proceedings of the 6th European Conference of Iranian Studies, held in Vienna, 18-22 September 2007
Volume 19
Die Sprache der Bilder
Eine Studie zur ikonographischen Exegese der anthropomorphen Gotterbilder im Zoroastrismus
Volume 27
Holy Wealth
Accounting for This World and The Next in Religious Belief and Practice: Festschrift for John R. Hinnells
Volume 24
Zur lichten Heimat
Studien zu Manichaismus, Iranistik und Zentralasienkunde im Gedenken an Werner Sundermann. Herausgegeben von einem Team 'Turfanforschung'
Volume 25
Zoroastrian Hermeneutics in Late Antiquity
Commentary on the 'Sudgar Nask' of 'Denkard' Book 9
Volume 32
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