An Etymological Study of Mythical Lakes in Iranian Bundahišn

Abstract

One of the myth-making phenomena is lake, which has often a counterpart in reality. Regarding the possible limits of mythological lakes of Iranian Bundahišn, sometimes their place can be found in natural geography. Iranian Bundahišn, as one of the great works of Middle Persian (Pahlavi) language, contains a large number of mythological geography names. This paper focuses on the mythical lakes of Iranian Bundahišn. Some of the mythical lakes are nominally comparable to the present lakes, but are geographically located in different places. Yet, in the present research attempt is made to match the mythical lakes of Iranian Bundahišn with natural lakes. Furthermore, they are studied in the light of etymological and mythological principles. The study indicates that mythical lakes are often both located in south and along the "Frāxkard Sea" and sometimes they correspond with the natural geography, according to the existing mythological points and current characteristics of the lakes.