Glossary
1377 Words
Glossary
abaaya: a cloak or mantle worn by women
abdug: a cold yogurt drink
Adaran: the second-highest class of sacred fires; must be tended by priests
adarga: plain round or oval shield, covered with leather or metal
Afrit: a member of the third rank of the djinni
alif: the first letter of the Parsine alphabet
Atluriya: citizen of the sunken city of Atluri; pl.: Atlurim
ba: the second letter of the Parsine alphabet
Badawi: (pl.) tribes of the desert nomads
Bahram: the holiest class of sacred fires; must be tended only by highly purified priests; the king of fires, overhung by a crown
baklava: pastry rolls filled with chopped almonds, flavored with cardamom, and drenched in honey after baking
bazaar: an open-air market of many individual stalls
burga: a stiff mask worn by women, often embroidered or embellished with coins and other decorations
cadi: a judge or civil magistrate
camekan: the outer room of the hammam, where clothes are taken off and piled neatly
caravanserai: an inn providing merchants and wayfarers with shelter, food, and storage facilities for their beasts and goods; fee is generally based on one’s ability to pay
chelo: a steamed rice preparation
cubit: a unit of length, approximately twenty inches or fifty centimeters
Dadgah: the third-highest class of sacred fire; may be tended by laymen
daeva: a demon, spawn of Rimahn, created to torment mankind and promote chaos
dahkma: a tower of silence, on which corpses are placed for vultures to eat the dead flesh
dhoti: a loincloth fashioned from a long narrow strip of cloth wound around the body, passed between the legs and tucked in at the waist behind
dinar: a gold coin of high value, equal to 1,000 dirhams; one dinar could buy a small village brewery
dirham: a silver coin of moderate value, equal to 100 fals; 1,000 dirhams equal one dinar; one dirham could buy a pony keg (150 glasses) of beer
diwan: a couch for reclining; also, an official audience or court held by a king or other ruler
djinn: a descendant of the illicit union of humans and daevas in the early ages of the world; mortal, but magically powerful and long-lived; pl.: djinni
druj: (s. & pl.) an evil creature who worships Rimahn and the lie; may have some magical abilities
durqa: a square, depressed area in the center of a qa’a, usually paved with marble and tile and containing a small fountain
emir: a nobleman ranked below a wazir
fal: a copper coin of low denomination; 100 fals equal one dirham; one fal could buy one glass of beer
fauwara: an ablutions fountain in the center of a sahn
fravashi: a person’s heavenly self, to be reunited with the soul after the great Rehabilitation at the end of time
ghee: clarified, browned butter
gnaa: a rectangular headcloth for women, usually worn over the top of the shayla
grimoire: a magician’s book of incantations, runes, and magical formulas
hammam: a public steam-bath house
haoma: the ephedra plant; grows on mountains; is ritually pounded and pressed to yield a fluid that is tasted during rituals, symbolizing man’s eventual gaining of immortality
hizam: a waistbelt to secure weapons to the body, hold money and other items
homunculus: a creature of clay made to resemble a human being and magically given life
hookah: a water pipe
hosh: the central courtyard of a house, off of which other rooms open
hummus: a mixture of ground chick peas, garlic, and spices
Jann: (s. & pl.) a member of the fifth and lowest rank of the djinni
Jinn: (s. & pl.) a member of the fourth rank of the djinni
kaftan: a long, floor-length overrobe with full-length sleeves
khandaq: a sewage sump, a pit for gathering the city population’s bodily wastes
khanjar: a curved bladed dagger, worn in a sheath in the hizam
kismet: unavoidable Fate
kohl: a powder of antimony, used as makeup to darken the eyelids
Kushti: (s. & pl.) a ritual rope or thread given to a child at investiture; its interwoven threads and tassels are highly symbolic; used during prayers
leewan: a paved platform about one -quarter of a cubit above central floor level, usually covered with mats or carpets
madrasa: a school, usually attached to a temple; teaches both secular and religious topics
maidan: a central square or plaza within a city
Marid: a member of the second rank of the djinni
milaaya: (s. & pl.) a colorful sheet worn by women as a mantle
milfa: a semitransparent black scarf drawn over the lower part of the face; worn in public by women
minaret: a tall, slender tower attached to a temple, where an everlasting flame burns in tribute to and as a symbol of Oromasd
minbar: a high, raised pulpit with a flight of steps, from which sermons are preached in a temple
musharabiya: a carved wooden grill of close latticework covering the street-facing windows of a house
nan-e lavash: a thin, dinnertime bread similar to flour tortillas, but crisper
niaal: (pl.) thonged sandals
parasang: a unit of length, approximately three miles or five kilometers
peri: a descendant of the union of humans and yazatas in the early ages of the world; mortal, but magically powerful and long-lived
pilau: a boiled rice dish, often with other spices and ingredients such as almonds, raisins, etc.
qa’a: principal room of a house, where guests are entertained
rahat lakhoum: an expensive confection of lichi nuts, kumquat rind, and hashish
rimahniya: (pl.) fanatical cult of assassins who worship Rimahn and welcome chaos
riwaq: a covered arcade with pillars dividing it into open sections surrounding on three sides an open area (sahn) in the center of a temple
rukh: a gigantic, magical, flesh-eating bird
saaya: a jacket with gold embroidery, worn by men
Sadre: a white shirt given to children at their investiture, which they are supposed to wear always next to their skin; putting it on symbolizes donning the Good Religion
sahn: an open courtyard in the center of a temple where the faithful gather to pray and hear sermons
saif: a sheathed short sword worn in the hizam at the waist
salaam: a word of greeting, meaning both “hello” and “peace”; also, a deferential bow of greeting or respect
sari: a full-length dress wrapped around the body
satrap: a provincial governor
Shaitan: a member of the first, and most powerful, rank of the djinni
sharbat-e porteghal: an iced drink of orange and mint
sharshaf: an oversized shawl worn when a woman leaves her mother’s home for her future husband’s; also worn at prayer
shaykh: the leader of a tribe, profession, or other group; usually elected for his age and wisdom
shayla: a rectangular, tasseled headcloth worn by women as part of a two -piece headgear; the tassels at the top dangle on either side of the face
shish kebob: a dish of beef or lamb and vegetables, cooked on a skewer over an open flame
sicakluk: the inner room of the hammam; the steam room
sidaireeya: a high-collared, open-front, waist-length jacket with elbow-length sleeves, worn by women over the Sadre; often highly decorated
simurgh: the magical bird who perches in the Tree of Knowledge
sirwaal: (pl.) long baggy trousers, gathered at the ankles, with a sash to draw in the waist; worn by men and women
sofreh: a cover placed over a carpet or over the ground while eating to give stability to the plates and protect the carpet; usually one of stiffer, waterproof leather is covered by another of cloth
soguluk: the middle room of the hammam where bodies are washed and massaged
taraha: a rectangular, black gauze scarf with beaded, embroidered, braided, or tasseled ends; worn over the head by women
thawb: a full-length, long-sleeved garment similar to the kaftan but fuller cut; also a capacious overdress worn by women
turban: a fine cloth worn wound around a man’s head
wadi: a ravine formed by runoff rainwater
wali: a superintendant
wazir: a royal minister and political adviser
yasht: a special hymn composed to a yazata
yatu: an evil magician
zarabil: (pl.) cloth slippers, often embroidered
zibun: an ankle -length outer garment opening down the front; closes right over left at the waist, forming a waist-deep open vee in front; slits upward along each side from the hemline and slits at underarm seams from the edge of the short sleeve to the shoulder seam, to allow the decorated robes underneath to show through
ziyada: an outer courtyard surrounding a temple on three sides
The Parsine Pantheon
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