Duzd-sar-nizad nask

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The Duzd-sar-nizad nask was one of the legal nasks (volumes) of the Sasanian Avesta, describing matters of Zoroastrian jurisprudence. [1] No parts of it are known to have survived but later descriptions demonstrate it covered diverse topics such as rules during war, [2] or animal rights. [3]

Contents

Sources

The nask itself is no longer extant but references are found in later Zoroastrian writings. First, the 8th book of the Denkard provides in chapters 8.21-27 an overview over seven of its sections. [4] In addition, the Rivayats, a series of exchanges from the 15th - 17th century, give a short description of the content of the Duzd-sar-nizad nask. [5]

Structure and content

The Sasanian Avesta was organized into 21 nasks, i.e., volumes, which were grouped into 3 divisions; Gathic, ritual, and legal nasks. [6] Within this scheme, the Duzd-sar-nizad nask belonged to the legal nasks. [7] Edward William West estimates, that it consisted of ca. 28,000 words of Avestan text accompanied by ca. 251,500 words of commentary in Pahlavi. [8] According to the Denkard, the Duzd-sar-nizad consisted of 18 chapters although only seven are described in detail. According to the Rivayats, however, it consisted of 65 chapters. [9]

Topics

The legal topics discussed in the Duzd-sar-nizad derived from the pre-Sasanian time, [10] but some of its harsher elements may have been mitigated during the Sasanian period. [11] Like the other legal nasks, the Duzd-sar-nizad covered a wide range of judicial topics. [12] The first section, described in Denkard 8.21, covered topics involving thieves and robbers. [13] The second section, described in Denkard 8.22, covered family law (Amēxtag). [14] The third section is described in Denkard 8.23. It was known as the "Shepherd's dog code" (Pasušhōrwestān) and covered the rights and duties of shepherd's dogs. [15] The fourth section was described in Denkard 8.24. It was called the "draft-animal code" (Stōrestān) and covered penalties for harming draft animals and cattle. [16] The fifth section was described in Denkard 8.25. It was called the "Value code" (Arzestān) and covered the value of different kind of properties. [17] The sixth section was described in Denkard 8.26. It was called the "Warrior code" (Artēštārestān) and covered a wide range of topics concerning the rules during armend conflicts. [18] Finally, the last section was described in Denkard 8.27. It was called the "Miscellany" (Amēxtag) and consequently covered a diverse range of topics like guarding fire, grooming horses, wearing garments or forms of ownership. [19]

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Shaki 1993a, chap. Duzd-sar-nizad nask.
  2. ↑ Azarnouche 2022, pp. 331-384.
  3. ↑ Macuch 2003, pp. 179-180.
  4. ↑ Gignoux 1994.
  5. ↑ Dhabhar 1932.
  6. ↑ Kellens 1987, "The Sasanian collection of the Avesta and its commentary (zand) is described in chap. 8 of the Dēnkard; it was probably composed of three books of seven chapters [...]".
  7. ↑ West 1892, chap. Introduction.
  8. ↑ Shaki 1993a, "Duzd-sar-nizad Nask (18 chaps.; 65 in the Persian Rivāyats; Dēnkard, ed. Madan, II, p. 721; West, p. 74)".
  9. ↑ Shaki 1993b, "The ancient pre-Sasanian penal code has been preserved in the [...] the nask of Duzd-sar-nizad".
  10. ↑ Shaki 1993b, "There is ample evidence for a gradual mitigation or modification of the ancient harsh civil and penal code during the Sasanian period.".
  11. ↑ de Menasce 1983, p. 1176: "The Duzd-sar vijat (?) deals with different forms of theft, with everything touching on guard and sheep dogs, with cattle, and with the military".
  12. ↑ West 1892, pp. 74-77.
  13. ↑ West 1892, pp. 77-81.
  14. ↑ West 1892, pp. 61-84.
  15. ↑ West 1892, pp. 84-86.
  16. ↑ West 1892, p. 86.
  17. ↑ West 1892, pp. 86-90.
  18. ↑ West 1892, pp. 90-92.

Bibliography

  • Azarnouche, Samra (2022). "Sasanian Warriors in Context: Historical and Religious Commentary on a Middle Persian Chapter on Artēštārān (Dēnkard VIII.26)". Revue internationale d'Histoire Militaire Ancienne. Presses universitaires de Franche-Comté.
  • Dhabhar, Bahmanji Nusserwanji (1932). The Persian Rivayats of Hormazyar Framarz and Others. Their Version with Introduction and Notes. Bombay: K. R. Cama Oriental Institute.
  • Gignoux, Philippe (1994). "DĒNKARD". Encyclopædia Iranica. Vol. VII. New York: Routledge and Kegan Paul. pp. 284–289.
  • Kellens, Jean (1987). "AVESTA i. Survey of the history and contents of the book". Encyclopædia Iranica. Vol. III. New York: Routledge and Kegan Paul. pp. 35–44.
  • Macuch, Maria (2003). "On the Treatment of Animals in Zoroastrian Law". In van Tongerloo, Aloïs (ed.). Iranica Selecta: Studies in honour of Professor Wojciech Skalmowski on the occasion of his seventieth birthday. Silk Road Studies. Brepols.
  • de Menasce, Jean (1983). "Zoroastrian Pahlavi Writings". In Yarshater, Ehsan (ed.). The Cambridge History of Iran. Vol. 3(2). Cambridge University Press. ISBN   978-0-521-24693-4.
  • Shaki, Mansour (1993a). "DĀD NASK". Encyclopædia Iranica. Vol. VI. New York: Routledge and Kegan Paul. pp. 546–549.
  • Shaki, Mansour (1993b). "DĀD (1)". Encyclopædia Iranica. Vol. VI. New York: Routledge and Kegan Paul. pp. 544–545.
  • Shapira, Dan (1998). Studies in Zoroastrian Exegesis - Zand (PhD thesis). Jerusalem.
  • West, Edward William (1892). Müller, Friedrich Max (ed.). Pahlavi Texts IV: Contents of the Nasks. The Sacred Books of the East. Vol. 37. Oxford university press. ISBN   1-139-41083-0.
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