Jamshid

Persian painting, depicting Jamshid being sawn in half before Zahhak

Jamshid ([dʒæmˈʃiːd]) (Persian: جمشید, Jamshēd; Middle- and New Persian: جم, Jam), also known as Yima (Avestan: 𐬫𐬌𐬨𐬀 Yima; Persian/Pashto: یما Yama), is the fourth Shah of the mythological Pishdadian dynasty of Iran according to Shahnameh.

In Persian mythology and folklore, Jamshid is described as the fourth and greatest king of the epigraphically unattested Pishdadian Dynasty (before the Kayanian dynasty). This role is already alluded to in Zoroastrian scripture (e.g. Yasht 19, Vendidad 2), where the figure appears as Yima xšaēta (Avestan: 𐬫𐬌𐬨𐬀 𐬑𐬱𐬀𐬉𐬙𐬀) "radiant Yima", from which the name 'Jamshid' is derived.

Both Jam and Jamshid remain common Iranian and Zoroastrian male names that are also popular in surrounding areas of Iran such as Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Edward FitzGerald transliterated the name as Jamshyd. In the eastern regions of Greater Iran, and by the Zoroastrians of the Indian subcontinent it is rendered as Jamshed based on the Classical Persian pronunciation.


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