Iran

by Stefan Härtel

"On the nature of the earth, it says in revelation, that there are thirty and three kinds of land. On the day when Tistar produced the rain, when its seas arose therefrom, the whole place, half taken up by water, was converted into seven portions; this portion, as much as one-half, is the middle and six portions are around..."

- "Bundahism", the creation of the world



The Indo-Iranian tribes, also known as the Arians, wandered into the Iranian plaeteau around 1700 BC. Here, they met with ancient tribes such as the Elamites, the Babylonians and the Kassites. The Indo-Iranians migrated in several groups, of which the most important ones where the Medes, the Bactrians, the Saca, the Persians and the Sogdians. Though they began settling around 1700 BC, it took some tribes nearly 1000 years to advance into organized cultures, the Medes became the first important Iranian civilization around 800 BC. The Iranians where a member of the Indo-European family, which occupied the territory from today's Portugal to the Indus and from Denmark to Palestine. Other important members where the Celts, Indians, Turks and Sea Peoples. The territory north of the Caspian and Black seas where occupied by Horse nomads, of which the Iranians originated, most importantly Scythians and Kimmerians. These tribes began a short series of conquests around 750 BC.