Nowrooz-Yousef Abdinejad-50x70cm-oil on canvas

Haftsin ( fa, هفت‌سین) is an arrangement of seven symbolic items whose names start with the letter "س" (pronounced as "seen"), the 15th letter in the

Persian alphabet The Persian alphabet ( fa, الفبای فارسی, Alefbâye Fârsi) is a writing system that is a version of the Arabic script used for the Persian language spoken in Iran ( Western Persian) and Afghanistan (Dari Persian) since the 7th cent ...

; "haft" (هفت) is

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

for "seven". It is traditionally displayed at Nowruz, the

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

ian New Year, which is celebrated on the day of the

vernal equinox Spring equinox or vernal equinox or variations may refer to: * March equinox, the spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere * September equinox, the spring equinox in the Southern Hemisphere Other uses * Nowruz, Persian/Iranian new year which be ...

, marking the beginning of spring in the

Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined as being in the same celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the solar system as Earth's Nort ...

Items of Haft-seen

The following are the primary items of Haft-sin, whose

names begin with the letter ''sin'' in the

. # () –

wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...

barley Barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Globally 70% of barley pr ...

mung bean The mung bean (''Vigna radiata''), alternatively known as the green gram, maash ( fa, ماش٫ )٫ mūng (), monggo, or munggo (Philippines), is a plant species in the legume family.Brief Introduction of Mung Bean. Vigna Radiata Extract G ...

, or

lentil The lentil (''Lens culinaris'' or ''Lens esculenta'') is an edible legume. It is an annual plant known for its lens-shaped seeds. It is about tall, and the seeds grow in pods, usually with two seeds in each. As a food crop, the largest pro ...

sprouts grown in a dish. # () –

wheat germ Cereal germ or Wheat germ: The germ of a cereal is the reproductive part that germinates to grow into a plant; it is the embryo of the seed. Along with bran, germ is often a by-product of the milling that produces refined grain products. ...

sweet

pudding Pudding is a type of food. It can be either a dessert or a savoury (salty or spicy) dish served as part of the main meal. In the United States, ''pudding'' means a sweet, milk-based dessert similar in consistency to egg-based custards, ins ...

. # () –

Oleaster , signifying a plant like an olive, but less valuable (cf. poetaster), may be applied to: *Feral olive trees that have been allowed to run wild *''Olea oleaster'', the wild olive *Various species of ''Elaeagnus'', notably ''Elaeagnus angustifolia'', ...

# () –

vinegar Vinegar is an aqueous solution of acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains 5–8% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting simple sugars to et ...

. # () –

apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...

. # () –

garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Allium fistulosum, Welsh onion and Allium chinense, Chinese onion. It is native to South A ...

Coins (سکه ''sekke''), hyacinth (سنبل ''sombol''), and clock (ساعت ''suat'' also pronounced so-at) are sometimes included too. Other symbolic items that are typically used to accompany Haft-sin include a mirror, candles, painted eggs, goldfish, and traditional Persian confections. A "book of wisdom" is also commonly included, which might be the Quran, Avesta, the

Shahnameh The ''Shahnameh'' or ''Shahnama'' ( fa, شاهنامه, Šāhnāme, lit=The Book of Kings, ) is a long epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between c. 977 and 1010 CE and is the national epic of Greater Iran. Consisting of some 50,00 ...

, or

the Divān of Hafez ''The Divān'' of Hafez (Persian: دیوان حافظ) is a collection of poems written by the Iranian poet Hafez. Most of these poems are in Persian, but there are some macaronic language poems (in Persian and Arabic) and a completely Arabic gha ...

Symbolic Roots of Haft-seen

The Haft-Seen table represents nature. By tradition, Iranian families take great pains to create the most beautiful Haft-Seen table that they can, for not only does it embody values both traditional and spiritual, it is also appreciated by the visitors during Nowruz visiting exchanges as a reflection of the families' aesthetic sense and good taste. Items that start with Persian letter "س": *'' Sabzeh'' (): Sprouting /Grass: the symbol of rebirth and growth. *'' Samanu'' (): the symbol of power and strength. *'' Senjed'' (): the symbol of love. *'' Somāq'' (): Sumac: the symbol of sunrise. *'' Serkeh'' (): Vinegar: the symbol of patience. *'' Seeb'' (): Apple: the symbol of beauty. *''

Seer In the United States, the efficiency of air conditioners is often rated by the seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) which is defined by the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute, a trade association, in its 2008 standard AHRI ...

'' (): Garlic: the symbol of health and medicine. Other items that start with Persian letter "س" that are sometimes included: *'' Sonbol'' (): Hyacinth: the symbol of spring's arrival. *'' Sekkeh'' (): Coin: the symbol of wealth and prosperity. *'' Saat'' (): Clock: the symbol of time. Items that don't start with "س" but, nonetheless, are invariably included: *'' Tokhm-e Morg Rangi'' (): Eggs: the symbol of fertility. *'' Ayina'' (): Mirror: the symbol of self-reflection. *'' Shem'a'' (): Candle: the symbol of enlightenment. *'' Maahi-ye Qırmız'' (): Goldfish: the symbol of progress. *'' Ketaab'' (): Book: the symbol of wisdom.

Afghan Haft Mewa

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

, people prepare ''Haft Mēwa'' ( fa, هفت‌میوه) (literally translates as ''Seven Fruits'') in addition to or instead of ''Haft Seen'' which is common in Iran. Haft Mewa is like a fruit salad made from seven different dried fruits, served in their own syrup. The seven dried fruits are:

raisin A raisin is a dried grape. Raisins are produced in many regions of the world and may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking, and brewing. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, the word ''raisin'' is reserved for the d ...

s, ''Senjed'' (the dried fruit of the

oleaster , signifying a plant like an olive, but less valuable (cf. poetaster), may be applied to: *Feral olive trees that have been allowed to run wild *''Olea oleaster'', the wild olive *Various species of ''Elaeagnus'', notably ''Elaeagnus angustifolia'', ...

tree),

pistachio The pistachio (, ''Pistacia vera''), a member of the cashew family, is a small tree originating from Central Asia and the Middle East. The tree produces seeds that are widely consumed as food. ''Pistacia vera'' is often confused with other sp ...

s, hazelnuts,

prunes A prune is a dried plum, most commonly from the European plum (''Prunus domestica''). Not all plum species or varieties can be dried into prunes. A prune is the firm-fleshed fruit (plum) of ''Prunus domestica'' varieties that have a high solu ...

(dried

apricot An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus ''Prunus''. Usually, an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are also ...

s), walnuts and either

almond The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus ...

s or another species of

plum A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes. History Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found i ...

fruit.

Gallery

Sabzeh for norouz.jpg,

Wheatgrass Wheatgrass is the freshly sprouted first leaves of the common wheat plant (''Triticum aestivum''), used as a food, drink, or dietary supplement. Wheatgrass is served freeze dried or fresh, and so it differs from wheat malt, which is convecti ...

, one of the items of Haft-sin. Samanoo-Samanou-Persian-sweet-paste-for-Nowruz-Haft-Sin-Tablet.jpg, A bowl of samanu, one of the items of Haft-sin. اجزاء سفره هفت سین - عید نوروز (4).jpg, Goldfish, one of the items of Haft-sin. White house haft seen.jpg, A Haft-sin table at the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...

. HaftSeen2.JPG, A Haft-sin table at a hotel in Bijar,

Kurdistan Kurdistan ( ku, کوردستان ,Kurdistan ; lit. "land of the Kurds") or Greater Kurdistan is a roughly defined geo-cultural territory in Western Asia wherein the Kurds form a prominent majority population and the Kurdish culture, Kurdish la ...

. Haft Seen in Iran.jpg, A Haft-sin table at

Sharif University of Technology Sharif University of Technology (SUT; fa, دانشگاه صنعتی شریف) is a public research university in Tehran, Iran. It is widely considered as the nation's most prestigious and leading institution for science, technology, engineering, ...

. HaftSin-Iran.jpg, A Haft-sin table. Persian New Year celebration — Haft-Sin.jpg, A Haft-sin table. Noruz1387.jpg, A Haft-sin table. Iranian_New_Year_Haft_Sin.jpg, A Haft-sin table. Haft Seen 1394.jpg, A Haft-sin table. File:Haft Mewa Afg.jpg, Haft Mewa Haft Seen 1390.jpg, A Haft-sin table. Haft Seen 1393_01.jpg, A Haft-sin table. Haft Seen 1392_1.jpg, A Haft-sin table. File:هفت میوه.jpg, Haft Mewa

References

External links

* {{Nowruz Haft-sin Ceremonial food and drink Persian words and phrases Goldfish in culture

Items of Haft-seen

Symbolic Roots of Haft-seen

Afghan Haft Mewa

Gallery

See also

References

External links