Friday, March 13, 2009

It's Almost Spring

Counting down for the new year!

Nowrooz (meaning 'New Day') marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the Iranian year. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox (the start of spring in the northern hemisphere), which occurs on March 20 this year.

The term Nowrooz first appeared in Persian records in the second century AD, but it was also an important day during the time of the Achaemenids (c. 648-330 BC), where kings from different nations under the Persian empire used to bring gifts to the emperorof Persia on Nowrooz.

2 comments:

Dina said...

Spring is in the air, and first day of spring sounds like a perfect time to begin a new year.

I heard about the Persian pottery and wanted to post about it for you and Sara (but with guests here I didn't have time to do a serious post). Now I see you are 'way ahead of me! Meead, can you read that writing?! Is the translation they published in the papers correct?
I wish I had found the piece of poetic pottery!

Anonymous said...

OK, I posted the Persian news. Have a look.