The ancient religion of the Iranian people, due to its antiquity and ancient history, had various gods and demons, and also multiple mythological beliefs, all of which, after the advent of Zarathushtra, became one religion. But still retained its metaphysical and mythological nature. With the changing of the religion, the originality and roots of these myths were gradually forgotten. Following the clash and influence of new cultures, they were transformed and emerged with new beliefs full of cultural and social superstitions and fantasies. This state created distortion of the myths and growth of superstitions in the culture of the people of Iran.
As to how the ominousness of the number 13 started its existence in the belief of the people, it should be clarified that the belief in the ominousness of this number does not have an Iranian root. The ominousness of the number 13 has been an old issue in other ancient culture, and these cultures however holy and lucky the number 7 is considered to be, instead, 13 is considered as ominous.
The Jewish Torah reports that a comet struck the Earth on the 13th of Farvardin (the 13th day of the Egyptian New Year), shining in the Earth’s atmosphere, causing volcanoes and earthquakes, destroying palaces, and killing many people. It is also said that the arrest of Jesus Christ on the thirteenth day of the month adds to this misfortune. And Christians also believe that in the last meal of Jesus (the Last Supper), 13 people were at the table, so they consider this number to be unlucky, so much so that 13 people never eat together at the same table.
The history of Greece also suffers from the ominousness of No. 13 and as it is mentioned in their history Alexander the Great’s father placed his statue in the temple where there were 12 other Greek gods. And, after a short time the ominousness of the number 13 brought death upon him by his enemies.
Such beliefs penetrated into the world of those times and spread with amazing speed. People took to this belief and are afraid of this number up to this day.
To find the origin and background of Sizdahbedar, which is a symbolic celebration, one should refer to Iranian myths which have been influenced and formed based on Mesopotamian astronomy, according to Dr Mehrdad bahar’s views. According to these myths, the universe’s life is predicted to be 12,000 years. After this period the Earth will shut down. With the passage of these 12,000 years and the advent of Saoshyant (the promised savior in Zoroastrianism), the human beings whose duty is to fight the devil finally achieve victory and continue their eternal life in heaven thirteenth millennium. Thus, in the Iranian calendar, the first twelve days of Farvardin, the “celebration of the birth of human beings,” is an allegory of 12,000 years of life to fight the devil and finally achieve victory and continue their eternal life in heaven, on the 13th millennium. For this reason, the 13th day is a symbol of human life in heaven, and therefore it is more blessed than being an unlucky number.
Another appropriate justification is determined by referring to the ancient Iranian calendar because the ancient Iranians not only did not consider the 13th of Farvardin to be unlucky but also attributed it to the god of rain (Tishter / Tir) and thanked him for his presence in nature and asked for rain and blessings. As Prof. Fravashi has mentioned, 13th of Nowruz was a special day for praying for rain for the newly sprouting fields, in ancient times, and explains that: And on the day that belonged to the star of rain, that is, on the thirteenth day of Farvardin, they went to the plains and deserts and near springs and streams, and when the drought demon “apush” was defeated in half a day, they roasted sheep, and this was a sacrifice for the angel of rain “Tishtar” or “Tir”, to irrigate the newly sprouting fields. Therefore, eating and feasting on the 13th day, in the fields and plains is a sign of the roasted sheep that was sacrificed, as stated in the Avesta. Also throwing the freshly grown green of the Nowruz table into running water, is a symbol of giving gifts to the deity of water, Anahita, and the deity of rain, Tir. In this way the seeds that have sprouted with the help of Anahita, will be returned to her, and the green that the deity “Tir” has gown will be returned to him, so that the New Year will be blessed with rain and fertile plains.
What is clear is that the Iranians, unlike the Europeans, did not consider the thirteen to be ominous, and the thirteenth day of the month was a special day for them. For this reason, we conclude here that such superstition has arisen from cultural exchanges between Iran and Europe and the desire for westernization that has unfortunately permeated the lives of most Iranians, and this belief has no Iranian basis at all.
