ANAHITA, FIRST IRANIAN GODDESS OF PRODUCTIVITY AND VALUES

Jul 21, 2005
Manouchehr Saadat Noury - Persian Journal

[...] One of the famous myths in Iranian culture is considered to be the Myth of ANAHITA who is also known as the first Iranian Goddess [...].

[...] a powerful sacred group, the Magi [...] , dominated the Median Dynasty or Medes (728-550 BC) and Achaemenid Dynasty or Persian Empire (550-330 BC). [...] During the Classical era (555 BC to AD 300), some Magi remained in Iran, and some migrated westward, settling in Greece, and then in Rome, Italy.

The Magi were responsible for chanting accounts of the origin and descent of the gods [...] {including a} major deit{y} [...] ANAHITA, the goddess of productivity and values [...].

[...] In Modern Persian, it is called as Nahid (spelled also as Naheed), which is the name of planet Venus. In Greek culture, it is called as Anahitis. [...].
[...]
Anahita is usually portrayed as a virgin, dressed in a golden cloak, and wearing a diamond tiara (sometimes also carrying a water pitcher). [...] .

[...] Anahita was widely worshiped in various parts of Armenia, Asia Minor and the West. Armenians called out to Anahita as the "Great Lady Anahita, Nation Glory and Life-Giver, Mother of Sobriety, and Benefactor of Humanity."
[...]

Note: Above are excerpts from the article. The full article appears here. Clarifications and comments by me are contained in {}. Deletions are marked by [...]. The bold emphasis is mine.