The role of water in Iranian folklore

This study examines the role of water in a range of beliefs and observances among Iranian communities belonging to two religions, Zoroastrianism and Islam. The work seeks to show that many of the traditional observances connected with water that are found in Islamic communities in Iran have no obvious connection with an Islamic worldview based upon the official teachings of that religion, and probably continued to be observed from pre-Islamic times onwards. The work also seeks to show how customs that appear in a number of places such as rain ceremonies contribute to a sense of „Iranian“ identity that is determined by the cultural history of Iran as much as by the community's religion.