Ardvī

The term "Ardvī" refers to a prominent figure in ancient Iranian religion, specifically within the Avesta. Her full name is Ardvī Sūrā Anāhitā, meaning "the damp, strong, untainted." This name is believed to combine two originally separate deities: Ardvī Sūrā, the Iranian name for a heavenly river goddess, and Anāhitā, a goddess of uncertain origin.

Anāhitā's cult was popularized by Artaxerxes II and spread throughout the Persian empire. She was associated with royalty, war, and fertility, and in Greece, she was identified with Athena and Artemis. Her descriptions in the Yashts, particularly regarding her attire, suggest the influence of Mesopotamian models, possibly from the goddess Ishtar, as Iranians did not traditionally create images of deities. Anāhitā was also an important goddess for fertility and was intimately connected with kingship in post-Achaemenian Iran.12