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Which evidence helps historians reconstruct pre-Zoroastrian Iranian religion?

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religious sites of ancient Indo-Iranian peoples — ancient Iranian religion Significant religious sites and sites containing religious artifacts of ancient Indo-Iranian peoples, including those of peoples of adjacent areas and modern Zoroastrians.

Because pre-Zoroastrian Iranian religion was oral and lacks direct contemporary documentation, historians reconstruct it through a combination of indirect evidence and comparative analysis.123

Comparative Analysis

The most vital tool for reconstruction is the comparative study of ancient Iranian and Indo-Aryan cultures, as they share common ancestors and linguistic roots. The Rigveda—the earliest religious text of the Indo-Aryan speakers—is indispensable for this purpose. By identifying common elements between the Avesta and the Vedas, scholars can infer shared religious features, such as:231
* Pantheon: A shared belief in deities like Mithra (Vedic Mitra) and the classification of gods into daivas and ahuras.23
* Rituals: The practice of sacrifice involving fire and the sacred drink known as haoma in Iran and soma in India.23
* Terminology: Shared religious vocabulary, such as the zautar (Vedic hotar) as the principal officiant.3

Textual and Material Sources

Avestan Texts: While the Avesta is a Zoroastrian scripture, the Yashts contain verses dedicated to deities that predate Zoroastrianism, providing a window into earlier beliefs.1
Foreign Records: External accounts, such as the list of Indo-Iranian gods found in a 14th-century BCE treaty between the Hittites and the Mitanni, offer rare, dated evidence of these deities.2
Material Remains: Archaeological evidence, particularly Achaemenian art and architecture, provides insight into the imperial use of religious symbols, though these sources are largely restricted to western Iran.1