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The Faravahar, the symbol in Zoroastrianism

The Faravahar is the major symbol associated with Zoroastrianism. It is believed that the Faravahar, a visual inspiration for believers, originated from the Iranian experience with the Egyptians because the pharaoh was viewed as divine. The symbol of Mazda, a bearded man on a winged disc, became one of the most powerful symbols to represent Persian culture.

Persian kings had portions of this symbol placed on their Sun Throne to represent the power and the glories of Persia. The Faravahar became a visual symbol for Mazda as the one uncreated god who guided the Iranian people in their pursuit of high moral virtue and good conduct. The symbol also represented fravashi, a feminine energy and the concept of a personal spirit; a soul which exists in death, life, and even in the unborn. The soul goes into the material world to fight the battle of good versus evil. After death, the soul returns to fravashi and collects the experiences to help the next generation in their fight between good and evil. After the Islamic Iranian revolution of 1979, any symbol related to the old Sun throne was banned because it represented ancient times and the newly overthrown monarchy. However, Faravahar-related symbols were not banned or removed and continue to be powerful cultural symbols for the Iranian people.