Nowruz
The Iranian New Year festival at the spring equinox, an ancient celebration with pre-Islamic roots observed across the Iranian cultural sphere.
Read in context →At a glance
- Timing
- Spring equinox (~21 March)
- UNESCO inscription
- Intangible Heritage, 2009
- Central symbol
- Haft-Sin table
Detail
Nowruz is the Iranian New Year festival and one of the oldest continuously observed celebrations in the world, beginning at the moment of the spring equinox (around 20–21 March) and marking the rebirth of nature. Its roots reach back to ancient Iran and Zoroastrian tradition, and the Shahnameh attributes its origin to the legendary king Jamshid. Nowruz customs include spring cleaning, setting the Haft-Sin table, family visits, Chaharshanbe Suri (the fire festival on the eve of the new year), and Sizdah Bedar on the thirteenth day. Nowruz is celebrated not only in Iran but across Afghanistan, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Kurdistan, and beyond, and was inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009. It is a trans-religious symbol of Iranian cultural identity shared by many peoples.
Related entities
Sources
- UNESCO — 'Nowruz' (Intangible Cultural Heritage)
- Encyclopaedia Iranica — 'Nowruz'
- Ferdowsi, 'Shahnameh'