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The history of Iran's culture is marked by the influence of ancient civilizations such as the Elamites and Persians, as well as the Achaemenid and Sassanian empires. [10]The Arab conquest in the 7th century introduced Islamic traditions, which merged with pre-Islamic customs.
The ancient Iranian prophet, Zoroaster, reformed the early beliefs of ancient Iranians, the reconstructed Ancient Iranian religion, into a form of henotheism/monotheism. [1] The Gathas , hymns of Zoroaster's Avesta , introduced monotheistic ideas to Persia , while through the Yashts and Yasna , mentions are made to polytheism and earlier creeds.
Ancient Iranian religion or Iranian paganism was a set of ancient beliefs and practices of the Iranian peoples before the rise of Zoroastrianism. The religion closest to it was the historical Vedic religion that was practiced in India .
Zoroastrianism shaped Iranian culture and history, while scholars differ on whether it significantly influenced ancient Western philosophy and the Abrahamic religions, [5] [6] or gradually reconciled with other religions and traditions, such as Christianity and Islam.
Religion in Iran has been shaped by multiple religions and sects over the course of the country's history. Zoroastrianism was the main followed religion during the Achaemenid Empire (550-330 BC), Parthian Empire (247 BC-224 AD), and Sasanian Empire (224-651 AD). Another Iranian religion known as Manichaeanism was present in Iran during this period.
The "three Persian religions" include: Zoroastrianism (xiān-jiào 祆教); The Christian Church of the East (jǐng-jiào 景教); Manichaeism (míng-jiào 明教); Zoroastrianism was first introduced to China during the early Northern and Southern dynasties period, while Christianity and Manichaeism were both introduced to the Central Plains during the Tang dynasty.
One of the earliest civilizations on the Iranian plateau was the Jiroft culture in southeastern Iran in the province of Kerman. It is one of the most artefact-rich archaeological sites in the Middle East. Archaeological excavations in Jiroft led to the discovery of several objects belonging to the 4th millennium BC. [44]
Carpet weaving is an essential part of the Persian culture, [124] and Persian rugs are said to be one of the most detailed hand-made works of art. Achaemenid rug and carpet artistry is well recognized. Xenophon describes the carpet production in the city of Sardis, stating that the locals take pride in their carpet production.