When Was Central Asia Zoroastrian?

Abstract

The Iranian peoples of Greater Iran are often collectively characterized as having been "Zoroastrian" in pre-Islamic times. In order to avoid the pitfalls inherent in such a blanket generalization, the author proposes that pre-Islamic Central Asian religion be considered as an ever-changing mix of local and non-local religious beliefs and practices, drawn largely but not exclusively from an Iranian pool of myths, deities, symbols and rituals. Show more