Zurvanism: The Religion in Prince of Persia

Zurvanism: The Religion Revolving Around Time

Time flows like a river, moving forward, never to be held or slowed down. No matter how much we might wish to, we cannot freeze time in place. It marches on, day by day and year by year. 

 

Ancient Persians understood the importance of time and its management

In the following article, we will focus on a particular religious system originating in Ancient Persia, which, much like the well-known game Prince of Persia, revolves around the importance of time.

So what we can say about its nature and origins?

The Ancient Persians' obsession with time

Ancient Persians were obsessed with time. Actually, from what they left behind, it seems that their worldview was fixated on the concepts of time as well as fire. Without overestimation, we can say that these two were the most important concepts in ancient Persian religious thoughts. The ancient Persians believed in a pantheon of gods, many of whom were associated with natural phenomena like the sun, moon, and stars. In the Persian language, "Zurvan" means "eternity" and Zurvan came to be slowly regarded as the god of infinite time and space, representing these concepts as both an abstract idea and a concrete reality. He was often depicted as a cosmic dragon who existed before the creation of the universe and represented the delicate balance of opposites within the universe

Zurvan was often depicted as two faced

The god of time has two sons: Ahura Mazda, the god of light, and Angra Mainyu, the god of darkness. These two beings were the sons of the god of time, who decided to grant one of his sons dominion over the universe, but he did not know which one to choose. To determine which son was worthy, Zurvan decided to wait for 1,000 years  and let the fate decide. During this time, both sons prayed for Zurvan's favor. At the end of the 1,000 years, Ahura Mazda appeared coincidentally first, and Zurvan granted him dominion over the universe. 

Angra Mainyu, feeling betrayed, rebelled against his father and brother and became the source of evil. Zurvan remained the ultimate arbiter of this cosmic struggle, although he personally was beyond good and evil and not favored one side over the other. He was an indiferent god of time and this may explains while Zurvanism later died out in favour of more personal religions. The indiferennce was further emphasized by the belief in predestination. The Zurvanites believed that everything that happens in the universe is predetermined and that human beings have no free will. This means that every action and event in the universe is only a result of the predetermined fate.

The importance of Fate

The concept of fate played a central role in the lives of all beings.The Fate was believed to be determined by the actions of the god of time, because he controlled the passage of time. They also believed in the concept of "zurvani," which referred to the idea that the fate of an individual was predetermined from birth. This meant that a person's destiny was already set in motion before they were even born, and their actions throughout life would simply play out the predetermined path.

Moreover, thay believed in the cyclical nature of history, which means that it repeats itself in a predictable pattern.

Zurvanites believed in the cyclical nature of time and history

There is limited information avalaible, concerning outward manifestations of this religion. Its temples are not preserved. Archeology revealed to us some interesting aspects, but not much. The most information we have are therefore coming from texts of Islamic provenience, that tells us about practices of Zurvanism, but often from very antagonistic viewpont. 

However, based on the few surviving texts and archaeological evidence, we can provide some insights into the rituals and practices of Zurvanism. Like other ancient Persian religions, Zurvanism placed great importance on the worship of fire, which was seen as a symbol of purity. Fire altars were built in temples and other sacred spaces, and offerings of incense and other substances were made to the flames. Zurvanism may have practiced animal sacrifice, as evidence suggests that bulls, sheep, and other animals were offered in certain ceremonies. However, it is unclear how widespread or common this practice was.

Many of the surviving texts associated with Zurvanism contain prayers and hymns, which were likely recited by priests and worshippers during ceremonies. Zurvanites placed great importance on the study of the stars and planets, and have incorporated elements of astrology and astronomy into its religious practices. Astronomical calculations were used to determine the auspicious times for certain rituals and ceremonies, or for predicting future significant events.

It is even highly probable that the three wise men from the East, mentioned in the Bible, who visited baby Jesus during the reign of Herod, were actually Zurvanites. 

The Decline of Zurvanism

Zurvanism declined rapidly in popularity over time even in Persia, it original homeland and was swiftly replace by Islam. One reason for its decline was the fact that Zurvanism was a complex and esoteric religion with an impersonal distant God that was difficult for the average person to graps and understand. Its teachings and rituals were only accessible to a small group of priests and initiates, which limited its appeal and growth. Another factor in the decline of Zurvanism was the rise of Islam in the region. As Islam spread across Persia, many people converted to the new religion, which led to the decline and eventual extinction of Zurvanism. By the 10th century CE, Zurvanism had all but disappeared, with its followers either converting to Islam or assimilating into other religions.

By the 10th century, Zurvanism became an extinct religion

While the worship of Zurvan declined over time, the concept of time and eternity remained an important aspect of Zoroastrianism and other Persian religions. The idea of a dualistic struggle between good and evil also continued to influence later religious traditions, including the Abrahamic religions. Today, very little is known about the beliefs and practices of Zurvanism, as few written records of the religion have survived. Most of what we know about Zurvanism comes from mentions in other ancient texts and inscriptions not written by followers of this religion. The idea of time as an primordial power shaping the universe still exists and was reinvogated in modern times for example by very popural Prince of Persia gaming franchise, which share the same preocupation with the time and its passage as Zurvanites.