Ilya Gershevich was one of the world’s most well-known scientists of Oriental studies. Books that Gershevich wrote in this field re considered important sources for knowing the Avesta.
During the first days of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, many Russians migrated to other countries to escape the consequences. Ilya Gershevich’s parents were among the families that left russia and took refuge in Switzerland. Ilya was born there, in the city of Zurich, in 1914. He was of Russian descent. Gershevich learned the basics in Switzerland until he went to Italy in 1933 and studied at the University of Rome. A few years later, he continued his studies in London, and when he reached the position of professor in 1948, he became an assistant professor at Cambridge University. It is said that he was the first professor in Iranology, in that university.
Gershevich’s extensive knowledge made him a member of the British Academy, and soon after, he was admitted to the Russian Academy. There, Gershevich presented his scientific writings about the ancient history of Iran and Avesta science. At this time, Gershevich had achieved such a reputation among Orientalist professors that the University of Bern, Switzerland, gave him an honorary doctorate in recognition of Gershevich’s many efforts in Iranian studies. This event took place in 1971 and was considered an honor for Gershevich. At the time of his retirement, he was engaged in research and investigation for several years in the Department of Advanced Studies at Princeton University in the United States.
Gershevich was one of the lovers of the native languages of Iran. He conducted long-term research about the Balochi dialect of Rudbar Bashagard in Balochistan, Iran, and published the results of his study by writing a scientific article. That article was published in the celebratory journal of Walter Henning, a German orientalist (deceased in 1967). Gershevich went to Iran to learn about this native dialect. At that time (more or less in the 1940s), it was challenging to pass through the hills of Baluchistan. Therefore, Gershevich rode on Jemaz (slender-bodied camels), traveled all over Beshagard and got familiar with the native language of the people of that area, and took notes of his findings.
Gershevich gained the professor’s seat in comparative linguistics of the Avestan, sogdian, assi (a language from the Indo-European language family), and Elamite languages, and turned into one of the most outstanding professors. In addition, he did extensive research about the Zoroastrian religion and started fundamental research about the history of the Medes and Achaemenids.
Gershevich’s books are written in a very specialized and difficult language, to the extent that only experts and professors can understand many of the words. One of his works, translated into Persian, is the book “The teachings and the religion of Zarathushtra”, which contains three discourses on ancient studies. This book was translated into Farsi by Javad Danesh Ara and Manizheh Azkayi in 2016. His other book is called “Literature of Ancient Iran,” published by Farvahar Publishing House. This book consists of three essays by Gershevich and Mary Boyce, and Yadullah Mansouri translated it into Farsi. In his writings, Gershevich has examined all the surviving Avesta and ancient Persian literary works with a deep and broad perspective.
It is worth mentioning that Gershevich came to the conclusion that the first two lines of a Sogdian manuscript, kept in the British museum, are translations of the prayer “Ashem vohu”, into the Sogdian language. This discovery has gained great value in linguistics.
Ilya Gershevich passed away in April 2001.
