Avestan is an ancient Iranian language, best known as the sacred language of the Zoroastrian religion. It is best known as the language of the Avesta, the sacred scriptures of Zoroastrianism, which consist of hymns, prayers, and religious texts attributed to the prophet Zoroaster (Zarathustra). The language was used for liturgical purposes and is similar to Old Persian, but distinct.
Historical background
Avestan belongs to the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family. It is divided into two main phases: Old Avestan and Modern Avestan. Old Avestan, believed to date from around 1200-1000 BC, was used in the Gathas, the oldest hymns of Zoroaster. Younger Avestan, which developed later, was used for other parts of the Avesta. Both stages show similarities to Vedic Sanskrit, suggesting that Avestan and Sanskrit share a common ancestor, Proto-Indo-Iranian.
The Avestan texts were transmitted orally for centuries before they were written down. This occurred much later, possibly during the Sassanian period (224-651 CE), when the Zoroastrian priesthood worked to preserve the religious texts. By this time, Avestan was no longer a spoken language, having been replaced by Middle Persian (Pahlavi).
Writing System
The Avestan script is an alphabet developed specifically for writing the language. It is a phonetic script of 53 characters, designed to accurately represent the sounds of the language. This alphabet was developed long after the spoken language had died out and was used exclusively for religious texts. The writing system was an innovation of the Sassanian period, based on a modified version of the Pahlavi script, but with more symbols to account for the specific sounds of Avestan.
Avestan Alphabet
Here is the Avestan alphabet, divided into vowels and consonants:
Vowels: 𐬀 𐬁 𐬂 𐬃 𐬄 𐬅 𐬆 𐬇 𐬈 𐬉 𐬊 𐬋 𐬌 𐬍
Consonants: 𐬎 𐬏 𐬐 𐬑 𐬒 𐬓 𐬔 𐬕 𐬖 𐬗 𐬘 𐬙 𐬚 𐬛 𐬜 𐬝 𐬞 𐬟 𐬠 𐬡 𐬢 𐬣 𐬤 𐬥 𐬦 𐬧 𐬨 𐬩 𐬪 𐬫 𐬬 𐬭 𐬮 𐬯 𐬰 𐬱 𐬲 𐬳 𐬴 𐬵
Each letter represents a specific sound, with vowels and consonants clearly differentiated to maintain phonetic accuracy. The script was written from left to right, and its complexity reflects the richness of the Avestan phonological system.
Linguistic Features
Avestan is a highly inflected language with a complex system of noun declensions and verb conjugations. It distinguishes three genders (masculine, feminine, and neuter) and has an elaborate system of tenses, moods, and aspects. Its sound system includes a variety of vowels and consonants, many of which have parallels in Sanskrit.
Significance
Although Avestan has long since ceased to be a spoken language, its religious significance in Zoroastrianism ensures that it is still studied by scholars and priests today. The Avesta, written in Avestan, remains a central religious text for Zoroastrians, and the language continues to be recited in religious ceremonies. In addition, Avestan provides invaluable insights into the history and culture of ancient Iran, as well as the development of the Indo-Iranian languages.
In sum, Avestan is a vital link in understanding the early linguistic, religious, and cultural heritage of the Iranian people.