Was Old Zart or Zartyzh of the Nart Sagas Zarathushtra?

Discussion in 'Etymology, History of languages and Linguistics (EHL)' started by mojobadshah, Mar 6, 2013.

  1. mojobadshah Senior Member

    If anyone knows anything about the Mithraic Mysteries the cult is loosely rooted in Zoroastrianism. According to the Avesta, the Aryan Bible, Zarathushtra's seed was preserved in Lake Hamun (present day Helmand) by the angel Anahita near the Khawj-e-Khoda "Mountain of the Lord." It is from this lake that a virgin is prophesied to enter and be impregnated by Zarathushtra's seed and give birth to the Soayshant "savior." (Avesta) The Nart Saga's were influenced by Zoroastrianism. According to the Nart Saga's the shepherd Old Zart or Zartyzh was standing by a river where the mother goddess Setenaya was bathing. He shot out an arrow of his seed, missed Setenaya, and hit a rock. Setenaya took the rock home and from the rock was born the hero Sawseruquo. (Nart Sagas) The Nart Sagas were composed by the Ossettians, descendents of the the Sarmaitions. Sarmations were also known to have been enlisted as mercenaries in the Roman military. Mithraism was a Roman military religion. According to Mithraism Mithras was born from a rock. There are also notions that Mithras was associated with Anahita. (Cumont)

    Is the name Old Zart or Zartyzh akin to the name Zaratusht or Zarathushtra? And could the name Sawseruqo be related to the word Saoyshant?
  2. Treaty Senior Member

    I'm not sure why you have mentioned Mithraism. Sarmatians were (Eastern) Iranic people, therefore, for being familiar with Zoroasterian concepts they hadn't probably needed to use Roman versions. In addition, modern day Ossetia is almost within the extent of the ancient (Zoroasterian) Sassanid empire. (Alan people settled in Caucasus near the end of Sassanid era).

    I mean there are several other possibilities than Mithraism. Anyway, it is highly possible that they have borrowed it from Zoroasterianism or a common ancestral belief of both Mithra-worship and Zoroasterian religion.
  3. mojobadshah Senior Member

    Yes, its recently come to my knowledge that the Sarmations were influenced by Zoroastrianism. What I meant, however, is that it seems plausible that the story of Mithra's birth from a rock developed out of the Sarmation birth story of Sosruko (brought to the Roman Empire by Sarmation mercenaries) which in turn appears to have developed out of Zoroastrianism.

    But I could really use some linguistic expertise on the following question: Could the names Old Zart and Sosruko (also known as Soslan) from the Nart Sagas be corruptions of Zarathushtra and the Saoyshant, respectively?
    Last edited: Jul 6, 2013

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