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Simurgh: Phoenix's Cousin....Lost in Obscurity
Manuscript of a Forgotten King

By Stephanie Small

The Simurgh, Truth's last flawless jewel, the light
In which you will be lost to mortal sight,
Dispersed to nothingness until once more
You find in Me the selves you were before.'"
-Mantiq al-Tayr, or the Parliament of Birds

The rebirth of popular fantasy has stimulated a resurrection of many mythological beings, renewing the moral and ethical value of those creatures. One creature that held a powerful mythological position that has since fallen into obscurity was the Persian bird the Simurgh. The creature is also called the Sna-Mr, Senmurv (S?nmurw and older S?nmuru), Sirng and Simorgh, but I will refer to it as the Simurgh for simplicity's sake for the rest of this investigation. The name is derived from Avestan m?r? Sa?n? which can be deciphered into "the bird Sana". This bird was most likely a raptor, such as an eagle, falcon or sparrowhawk, and the word looks related to the Sanskrit word yena, a elysian being. Sana is also believed to be a personal name derived from the bird name. The etymological origins of the Simurgh give a rather unique description of this powerful beast.

The physical appearance of this bird varies from region to region, yet some features remain unchanged throughout accounts. The most common description of this animal is as a bird with the tail of a peacock, dog's head, claws of a three-toed lion and four wings. Some accounts say the birds feathers were copper and others say the bird's feathers were comprised of thirty different colors. The creature often is said to have the head of a man or bird instead of a dog. It was rumored to be a very large bird that could carry an elephant or a camel. Some stories say the simurgh had thirty holes in its beak and blew air through the holes to attract prey with the enchanting music it produced. The features of the Simurgh symbolize the metaphysical and fundamental fertile nature of the bird that has contributed to many religions.

The mythology of the Simurgh is rich and varied, colored with regional stories and beliefs, but it all comes down to a general symbol of fertility and enlightenment. This long-lived bird was said to be over 1,700-2,000 years old and ancient enough to have seen the world destroyed three times. The touch of its wings was purported to cure illnesses and heal the wounded. The bird was an attendant to the Queen of Sheba, the wealthy queen of what many believe is located in present-day Ethiopia

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