From Oral Tales to Written Epics: The Roots of Persian Literature

Long before ink met paper in the courts of Shiraz and Herat, the land we now know as Iran thrummed with storytellers—wandering minstrels, priestly reciters, and village elders—passing down myths, histories, and wisdom by word of mouth. These oral traditions formed the living bedrock upon which the great written epics and lyric masterpieces of Persian literature would later be built. Join us as we journey from campfires to courtly halls, tracing how ancient tales became immortal verse.

1. The Whispered Words: Persia’s Oral Heritage

A. Tribal Legends and Mythic Memory

• Pre‑Islamic Tribes: Iran’s many tribes—from the Medes and Persians to the Parthians and Sakas—wove their collective memories into stories of heroic chieftains, divine kings, and cosmic battles.

• Proto‑Zoroastrian Lore: Priest‑poets recited hymns and moral parables in the early Avestan tongue, transmitting teachings about the eternal struggle of Good (asha) versus Evil (druj).

B. The Minstrel’s Role

• Gōsān and Paygān: Professional bards (later known as gōsān in Parthian times) traveled from village to village, earning their keep by thrilling audiences with tales of Rostam, Yazdegerd, and supernatural wonders.

• Living Archive: With few written records, these storytellers functioned as human libraries, memorizing thousands of lines of verse and adapting them to local tastes and current events.

2. From Parchment to Paper: Early Written Forms

A. The Avestan and Pahlavi Manuscripts

• Codification of the Avesta: Beginning in the Sassanid era (3rd – 7th centuries CE), Zoroastrian priests began writing down the sacred hymns they had long recited—preserving a millennia‑old oral canon.

• Middle …