THE MYSTERIOUS DRINK OF THE SURKHON OASIS: THE TRANSFORMATION OF HAOMA

Abstract

This article analyzes the emergence of the haoma ceremony in the religious and ideological life of the peoples of the Bronze Age Sapalli culture in the Surkhan oasis. Based on archaeological material sources, it examines the ceremony's elevation from a simple ritual to a cult of socio-political significance. Furthermore, the transformational processes in the religious views of the Surkhan oasis are detailed, drawing upon the “Avesta” the sacred book of Zoroastrianism.