The Parsi Zoroastrian Association of Singapore

The Winged Figure: The History of the Farohar

Courtesy "Spenta," The Zarathushtrian Assembly Bulletin

The winged figure, now popularly called “Fravahr/Faravahar/Farohar (Avesta Fravashi/Fravarti),” has become so popular among Iranians, particularly Iranian Zoroastrians and Parsis, that it has virtually become a symbol of “Zoroastrianism” and the “Ancient Iranian Glory.” Its gold and silver pendants adore male and female chests.

The figure appears first on the Achaemenian bas-reliefs. But we know that it is an “achaemenianization” of a much older and quite evolved Near East figure of the sun disk. The earliest form is the Egyptian eagle, symbolizing god Osiris. We have then its Assyrian and Babylonian forms in which the eagle’s head is replaced by a human torso. Yet it continues to represent the Sun god.

Since the Achaemenian figure protectively hovers above a royal personage and in spite of the fact that the Achaemenian bas-relief does not specify who the winged figure is, many scholars, mostly Western, in the past believed it to be a representing or communicating motif for Ahura Mazda. Some still do. But there are some who argue that since Zoroastrian scriptures, tradition, and practice as well as historical evidence prove that God did not have an icon representation, the figure should signify something else.

Whatever the significance, as soon as the Acheamenian art was well introduced in Zoroastrian circles of India during the early 20^th century, or even a little earlier, imitation of certain motifs, particularly the winged figure, became very popular and showed up on institutional architecture. Then came two well-written articles by Dr. J.M. Unvala (1925 and 1930), which strengthened an earlier idea that the figure stood for “Fravahr,” the Guardian Spirit. It suited the public taste and since then this popular motif has become a common sight on Zoroastrian institutions and publications as well as tiepins, brooches, pendants, and other ornaments. It is slowly becoming a decorative, though not very religious, motif, just as the Cross is in certain liberal circles.

Since the last forty or more years, an interpretation made by a Zoroastrian, to this day unknown to me, speaks about the meanings of the different parts of the figure in such a way as if these have been described by the Achaemenians on their bas-reliefs or in one of the religious scriptures of Zoroastrianism. The torso, the position of the hands, the ring held by one hand, the layers of the two wings, the mid-waist circle, the two legs of the original eagle, and the lower part of the shirt, originally the tail of the bird, symbolize different principles of the Good Religion. 

It was Dr. Eruch J.S. Taraporewala, noted for his scholarly translation and commentary of the Gathas, who wrote that it represents “khvarenah,” the Royal Iranian Glory (1928). Ms. Parivash Jamzadeh, then a student of the California University, Berkeley, joined in with much better arguments that it represents the Royal Glory of the Achaemenians (“ The Winged Ring with Human Bust in Achaemenid Art as a Dynastic Symbol,” Iranica Antiqua, vol. XVII, 1982, pp 91). Earlier, we have Dr. A. Shapur Shahbazi, famous Iranian archeologist and scholar (An Achaemenid Symbol 1: A Farewell to “Fravahr” and Ahuramazda (1974), and An Achaemenid Symbol II: Farnah [God Given Fortune] Symbolized, 1980).

Now Prof Mary Boyce, the well-known Zoroastrianologist (A History of Zoroastrianism, Vol III, Leiden, 1991), and others agree with the idea that it represents “khvarenah.” The essays show that the face and the crown of each the figure resembles exactly the Achaemenian King above whose head it hovers. It only belongs to that particular person and no other king. It is not the same figure that is repeated for every figure. It has its other variations in forms of the torso, wings and the tail, which would put away the interpretations being made of the different parts of the figure based on one popular form.

It may be added that the earliest clue is supplied by the Avesta, which says that the “Kavaya Khvarenah,” the legendary Kayanian Glory “flies” in the form of an eagle from a falling king or hero to a rising king or hero. (Yasht 19.35-38) The eagle, with its soaring flights, supplied the Iranians with a soaring fantasy just as it did and does to others, including the Americans.

Let us add to this the frequent references in Persian literature, folklore, and bedside stories that speak of the “farr-e homây,” the Glory of the Auspicious Bird, shown in miniature paintings as a long-tailed aquiline bird.  It hovers over the heads of kings and to-be kings.

The final and very important point: While Khvarenah or farna is neuter, Fravashi or Fravarti is feminine in gender in Avesta and Old Persian. The figure is, no doubt, masculine. A neuter object, especially when belonging to a male, would obviously be represented in masculine. Did the Achaemenians make the blunder in portraying a beautiful lady as a bearded man, or modern interpretation of it is badly and sadly erring?

It is, therefore, very safe to consider the Achaemenian winged figure as the Royal Glory (Persian farr, Old Persian farna. Middle Persian khvareh, and Avestan khvarenah) and not fravahr or farohar, the so-called guardian spirit.  Let us call it Farr, the Royal Glory and join Ferdowsi, the master epic poet of Persian and recite:

Homây-e sepehri be-gostard parr

Hami bar sarash dâsht sâyeh ze Farr.

The celestial “Homây” spread its wings

Casting the shadow of Glory over his (king’s) head.

(Shahnameh)

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Last modified: 12/29/04