THE IMAGE OF SNAKE IN ELAM AND JIROFT SITES IN SOUTHWEST AND SOUTHEAST OF IRAN AND ITS COMPARISON WITH ZOROASTRIANISM

<p>Snake, the renowned slither, is a creature that has appeared in various shapes in myths across numerous cultures and nations. This creature comprises a great number of designs in Iran, as well. It seems that the image of the snake contains a special meaning, which has been used as a symbol and shares ties to people’s beliefs and the religion. Thus, the researcher’s attention has been turned to how the image of the snake has been used in the remaining artifacts from Elam and its neighboring regions, such as Jiroft, and its general differences to the Zoroatrian culture. In this paper, taking on a comparative descriptive approach, the repetition of the image of this creature in different designs is examined, a separate division is presented for each region (Elamite and Jiroft) and the mythological meanings and concepts related to each design are explained. In the end, the image of the snake in Zoroastrianism is briefly explained. The snake's image in Elam reveals more than anything, its connection with God, water, fertility, and the other world. In Jiroft, the image of interwoven snakes, coiled snakes, and even snakes fighting other animals are seen. Afterwards, with the influence of the Zoroastrian culture in Iran, this creature finds a new and completely different role to the point where it is introduced as a devilish creature.</p>