Reza Moradi Ghiasabadi ( fa, رضا مرادی غیاث آبادی; born 1964) is an Iranian archaeoastronomer and post-colonial archaeological researcher. He is the author of

Irania Encyclopedia The ''Irania Encyclopedia'' (Persian: فرهنگنامه ایران Farhangnameh Iran) is a reference book for the culture and civilization of the Persian and Iranian Plateau.

Tetrapylon A tetrapylon ( el, τετράπυλον, "four gates"), plural ''tetrapyla'', known in Latin as a ''quadrifrons'' (literally "four fronts") is a type of ancient Roman monument of cubic shape, with a gate on each of the four sides, generally built ...

" and other books. Reza Moradi Ghiasabadi is a well-known Iranian researcher with a novel insight into History and Archaeology. He research projects explaining on the functionality of the Persian tetrapylons as solar structures. Some experts have confirmed this theory, and many shreds of evidence, validating it, has been found. The book (The Sun in Tetrapylons) mentions to the terms of Mithra and Zurvan. For non-Persian-speaking readers, these two terms are defined here. Zurvan (also: Zarvan) in the Avestan language (one of the old Iranian languages) means time. Afterwards, this term became a name for the great god who is the creator of the universe. Saturn was referenced as the embodiment of Zurvan. The Saturn's Greek name Cronus or Kronos is also associated with the time and its concept. Ghiasabadi believes that the original concept of

Mithra Mithra ( ae, ''Miθra'', peo, 𐎷𐎰𐎼 ''Miça'') commonly known as Mehr, is the Iranian deity of covenant, light, oath, justice and the sun. In addition to being the divinity of contracts, Mithra is also a judicial figure, an all-seeing ...

refers to the ecliptic pole,

Pole Star A pole star or polar star is a star, preferably bright, nearly aligned with the axis of a rotating astronomical body. Currently, Earth's pole stars are Polaris (Alpha Ursae Minoris), a bright magnitude-2 star aligned approximately with its ...

, and consequently to the eternal light; however, the eternal light became equivalent to the sun as the great god and the creator. Mithra was the great god of

Mithraism Mithraism, also known as the Mithraic mysteries or the Cult of Mithras, was a Roman mystery religion centered on the god Mithras. Although inspired by Iranian worship of the Zoroastrian divinity (''yazata'') Mithra, the Roman Mithras is linke ...

which was common in Persia and Roman about two thousand years ago. Beliefs and customs in Mithraism had crucial influences on Christianity such as using the red color, Cedrus, and star as sacred signs; celebrating

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...

which coincides with the winter solstice and the new year; and becoming the shape of the cross (which results from rotating constellations of

Ursa Major Ursa Major (; also known as the Great Bear) is a constellation in the northern sky, whose associated mythology likely dates back into prehistory. Its Latin name means "greater (or larger) bear," referring to and contrasting it with nearby Ursa ...

and

Ursa Minor Ursa Minor (Latin: 'Lesser Bear', contrasting with Ursa Major), also known as the Little Bear, is a constellation located in the far northern sky. As with the Great Bear, the tail of the Little Bear may also be seen as the handle of a ladle, h ...

known as the Chariot of Mithra) as the Cross of Jesus.The Sun in Tetrapylons
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References

External links

Persian Studies
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghiasabadi, Reza Moradi Archaeoastronomers Iranian Iranologists Postcolonial literature 1964 births Living people