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Ancient Persia is a land shrouded in mystery and mythology, filled with fantastical tales
of grotesque giants, sly fiends and ruthless beasts that many believed once roamed the
land of modern-day Iran.
We’re digging deep into ancient Persian texts to catalog the top ten creatures from
Persian mythology, monsters that can be so truly terrifying that you’ll be glad that
they don’t actually exist.
10.
Huma Many tales describe the Huma as a phoenix-like
bird, a self-consuming avian that sets itself ablaze and rises from the ashes every few
hundred years.
According to the Sufi fables, the Huma spends its entire life in flight, flying so high
that it’s impossible to spot with the naked eye.
For those that brought their binoculars, though, Persians believed a glimpse of this compassionate
creature granted a lifetime of joy and happiness; but, if a person was to kill the Huma, they
would die in forty days.
Today, the Huma can famously be seen in the IranAir logo, which is thought by some to
be one of the best in the aviation industry.
9.
Hadhayosh This terrifying beast resembles a giant ox,
has skin made of polished brass and a mane made of flames.
Created by a meticulous god of the forge, the Hadhayosh is said to have the ability
to grant eternal life, the divine right to rule, and the full attention of the gods.
This creature is slightly more talented than the modern day ox and has four legendary weapons
in its arsenal, including a powerful charge, horns that are able to injure the toughest
of foe, the ability to generate enough heat for a victim to be burned to ash in just one
touch, and a unique stench that weaker adversaries find impossible to stomach.
8.
Manticore Roughly translated to "man-eater", this crafty
creature is said to have the body of a lion with the head of a human, and its three rows
of sharp teeth and venomous barbed tail make this monster a fearsome one.
Hiding its lion-like body, the Manticore uses its human head to lure its prey and may shoot
venomous spines to either paralyze or kill its victims.
Once dead, the Manticore will devour its prey whole - leaving behind no clothing, bones,
or possession of any kind.
7.
Simurgh There are various portrayals of this mythical
animal, but it’s commonly described as a gigantic bird with the head of a dog and the
claws of a lion.
Said to have lived long enough to see the world’s destruction three times, the Simurgh
is incredibly wise, having accumulated a wealth of knowledge from every age.
Today, this mythical creature can be found on the Crystal Simorgh, which is the highest
accolade awarded at the Fajr International Film Festival.
6.
Azhdaha In Persian literature, this mythical creature
is depicted as a huge snake or lizard with wings, capable of living in the air, in the
sea, and on land.
The Azhdaha has a terrifying appearance, with lots of jagged teeth and giant eyes that look
like tanks of blood.
It’s as big as a mountain and has powerful horns the size of trees.
Eating the heart of an Azhdaha is said to bring bravery and courage, but unfortunately,
this monster can’t be hurt by water, fire, or any weapon, so how you’re going to obtain
that heart is anyone’s guess.
5.
Fulad-zereh This evil, horned demon started out as the
chief general to the fairy king, Malek Khazen.
He possessed both magical and physical powers and, upon the king’s death, overthrew the
rightful heir by turning him to stone.
His mother was a witch and had cast a spell to ensure that he could only be slain by a
sword named Shamshir-e Zomorrodnegar.
Fulad-zereh, which can be translated to ‘possessing steel armour,’ had a penchant for beautiful
women and roamed the land capturing ladies that took his fancy.
Perhaps he should’ve been less distracted by the fairer sex, though, as both Fulad-zereh
and his mother were eventually killed and burned by the heroic Amīr Arsalān.
4.
Karkadann The Persian language uses the word Karkadann
for both unicorn and rhinoceros, so there is some confusion as to how this mythical
creature should be illustrated.
Either way, this horned beast uses its sword-like horn to impale enemies and is seen as a ruthless
predator.
But, like all of us, the Karkadann has its own weaknesses - namely, the ringdove bird.
Legend has it that the ringdove perches on the Karkadann’s tusk and charms it by singing
a song.
This song relaxes the Karkadann, making it docile and harmless.
3.
Al There are various representations of this
horrifying creature, but in Persian literature, the Al is a bony old woman with sagging breasts,
a clay nose, and a red face.
Known as the demon of childbirth, she is said to harm or kill unborn babies and their mothers.
An Al carries a basket with her, seeking out those “with child” to remove the unborn
child’s liver or lung.
It’s a brutal end to an otherwise joyous scenario, so if you’re ‘with child’,
beware any old hags knocking at your door.
2.
Peri In a classic tale of good and evil, early
Persian literature describes Peris as benevolent creatures, constantly at battle with evil
Divs.
The fairy-like winged creatures were captured by these despicable Divs and trapped in iron
cages at the tops of trees.
However, some literature portrays the Peris as being far less angelic.
These winged creatures were blamed for natural disasters and events such as comets and crop
failures and were forbidden from entering heaven because of this.
According to some sources, these suspect spirits were made to do penance to be allowed entry
to paradise.
1.
Roc This legendary bird of prey is said to spend
most of its life soaring high above land, only coming to rest on the mythological Mount
Qaf.
It is also said to be big and powerful enough to carry away animals as big as elephants.
In reality, however, the creature that the Roc is believed to be based on is around two
times as large as the common bald eagle, which isn’t quite as impressive.
Our mythological feathered friend is as famous in Persian literature as it is in Arabic fairy
tales and western accounts of natural history.
The famous Venetian traveler Marco Polo even spoke of seeing Rocs over Madagascar and off
the East coast of Africa.