Posted on 09/30/2005 1:09:46 PM PDT by F14 Pilot
Tehran, 28 September 2005 (CHN) -- Archaeological excavations in Gohar Tepe, in Mazandaran province in Iran, has led to the discovery of the remains of the statues of some cows which were most probably used in religious ceremonies.
The discovery of these sculptures indicates that the people of the region worshiped cows 3000 years ago.
Mazandaran is one of the most ancient provinces in Iran. Archaeological excavations indicate that the province has been inhabited by human beings since 400,000 years ago until the present time, and that around 5000 years ago, urbanization flourished in the area. Gohar Tepe is a proof to this claim.
"Some cow statues have been discovered in the archaeological excavations of Gohar Tepe, one of which is left almost intact. These sculptures which are in shape of rhytons were being used in religious ceremonies," says Ali Mahforouzi, head of the excavation team of Gohar Tepe, Mazandaran, who is undertaking the forth season of excavations in the historical site.
According to Mahforouzi, the discovered rhytons are broken but the one that is left intact and is bigger than the rest reveals artistic mastery. Rhytons were mostly used in religious places, but the ones discovered in Gohar Tepe of Mazandaran were found inside a dustbin in part of an ancient structure.
Discovery of cultural evidence such as clay pieces around the structure indicates that the rhytons belong to the Iron Age (the first millennium BC), but more studies are still needed to determine their exact period.
Mahforouzi believes that rhytons reflect the beliefs of the ancient people of the region. These statues are evidence that the people of the region worshiped oxen and humped cows 3000 years ago. "Even today we can see some kind of respect towards the animals in the region," added Mahforouzi, referring to kinds of cows being regarded as symbols of hard work and fertility.
The biggest intact rhyton discovered is about 30 cm long, 12 cm high and 15 cm wide. Archaeologists consider it as a unique discovery in Mazandaran province, and believe that with the discovery of the main worship place, more rhytons and statues could be found.
The archaeological excavations in Gohar Tepe continues for 2 months, and the team of archeologists are to determine forms of urban life 5000 years ago, remains of which are evident in Gohar Tepe.
Its 50,000 years.
Hhhhheeeeeyyyyy, don't you worship a good STEAK???
I should know this, but who is that? I keep seeing her picture.
India???
Huh. Any relation to the golden calf that got Moses all PO'd?
Yeah, yeah, thats it.
Not all that surprising. This must be a remnant of not just a pre-Islamic but a pre-Zoroastrian Iranian religion.
These were a branch of those Aryans that conquered India, a cattle herding culture who had quite an appreciation for the spiritual value of cows - and they are still holy to Hindus.
And there are plenty of indications that Hindu-style beliefs were a great deal more widespread pre-Islam, some even saying that the old pre-Islamic Arabian religion was akin to it.
Not unlikely.
"Gohar Tepe, in Mazandaran province in Iran"
Where the hell is that in Iran??
3,000 years ago the people in Iran were monotheists - Zoroastrians. This is a fact that the current IslamoNazis in Tehran would like to bury. They want everyone to believe that before Islam and its Moon God came to Iran, the people there were pagans.
Far from it. Zoroastrians were the first true monotheists, antedating the Hebrews, and many Jewish and Christian beliefs are rooted in Zoroastrian theology.
The fact the Tehranian Ayatollahs still haven't exterminated the last Zoroastrians in Iran lends credence to my supposion that this is a piece of political propaganda.
Knock knock
Who's there?
Interrupting cow.
Interrupting cow w--
Mooooooooooooooo.
The online encyclopedias list "holy cow" as a Rizzuto catch phrase. I even remember him saying it on a commercial for the Money Store.
That should be Phil Rizzuto.
"According to Mahforouzi, the discovered rhytons are broken but the one that is left intact and is bigger than the rest reveals artistic mastery. Rhytons were mostly used in religious places, but the ones discovered in Gohar Tepe of Mazandaran were found inside a dustbin in part of an ancient structure. "
Sounds like dialog from "Ghostbusters".
There was a pre-Zoroastrian religion there, and its thought to be akin to the Vedic (later Hindu) religion of the Indian branch of the Aryans.
Zoroaster proclaimed a religious revelation, much like Muhammed.
The timing is right, Zoroaster is said to have lived anywhere from @ 600-1000 BC. These statues would have predated Zoroaster.
Actually, Harry Carey was using Holy Cow in the 50's & 60's when Rizzuto was still playing for the dreaded Yankees against my Cardinals.
| Zoroaster |
(z r´ s´´t r) , c.628 B.C.–c.551 B.C., religious teacher and prophet of ancient Persia, founder of Zoroastrianism.
|
| Moses |
(m´z s) , Hebrew lawgiver, probably b. Egypt. The prototype of the prophets, he led his people in the 13th cent. B.C. out of bondage in Egypt to the edge of Canaan."Zoroastrians were the first true monotheists, antedating the Hebrews." Better check your dates. |
Really? I remember listening to Harry Caray on WGN radio when I speant summers at my grandparents, and I know for a fact that he said "Holy cow." Because I used to bug the living heck out of my grandparents by screaming "HOLY COW!" all summer long.
I know zilch about baseball, and I've never heard of Phil Rizzuto. They probably both used it.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/zoroastr.htm
"Historians and religious scholars generally date his life sometime between 1500 and 1000 BCE on the basis of his style of writing."
http://www.avesta.org/zfaq.html
"A commonly given date is the seventh century B.C.E. I think Boyce has convincingly shown the seventh century date to be an error. Humbach also discounts the basis of this calculation in his Gathas 1991 (pg 30). Boyce has wavered on an actual date: between 1400 and 1000 BC "(1975), between 1700 and 1500 (1979), around 1400 BC (1988), between 1500 BC & 1200 BC "with the latter more likely" (1992).
Trying to date Moses is difficult. The customary Pharoah referred to as the Pharoah of the Exodus was Ramesses the Great, but for various reasons, this individual has been challenged as the Pharoah of the Exodus. He lived for a long time and had many sons and the tomb of his offspring has recently been recovered.
The Old Testament itself, based merely on the writing, postdates the Avesta and writings of Zoroaster.
There are two traditions in the Old Testament, the Elohist and the Yahweyist. Different writers composed the Old Testament and some referred to God as Yahewh, a singular, and others referred to God as Elohim, a plural noun. Based on the Old Testament itself, there were numerous incidents where the Israelites slid backwards into polytheism and worshipped many gods.
Only after the Babylonian Captivity did ideas like Messianism, a life after death, angels, a resurrection of the dead and a last judgement creep into Jewish theology. These were all Zoroastrian teachings and the Israelites exiled in Babylon may have been exposed to these concepts there.
I think your dates are incorrect.
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