Author Description

The first of four volumes in which Boyce (Iranian studies, U. of London) traces the history of the religion down to the end of the Parthian period. Here she deals with the pagan background of the Persians, the life of Zoroaster and the founding of the faith around 1000 BC, its essential beliefs and observances, and the prehistoric period of the faith, drawing mainly from the Avesta, the foundation text. First published in 1975, and previous corrected in 1989; as in that correction, updated references and corrections are signaled by asterices in the text Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.