The belief in humanoid beings inhabiting seas and lakes has been a persistent element in Iranian culture since ancient times. In classical texts—particularly in ‘ajā’ib-nāma (Wonder Books) and geographical works—they are described as human-like creatures referred to as "Ādam-e Ābi". Occasionally, they are depicted as half-human (male/female) and half-fish, reminiscent of the modern conception of mermaids. The origins of these aquatic humanoids trace back to Mesopotamian mythology, There, we encounter hybrid fish-human protective beings associated with the water deity, known by the names Apkallu and Kulullu/Kuliltu. Atargatis, the fertility goddess of the Aramaeans—who later spread into Mesopotamia and the Western world—was also represented in this form, according to historical accounts and archaeological evidence. In pre-Zoroastrian Iranian beliefs, the Pari (fairy) was a beautiful and beguiling fertility goddess. Under the new Zoroastrian orthodoxy, she was demonized and rejected, yet some of her benevolent attributes were transferred to Anahita, the goddess of waters. These traits also persisted in the collective Iranian imagination, resurfacing in fairy tales—such as the aquatic nature of fairies, their associations with marriage and fertility, beauty, love of music and joy, and their symbolic animal connections to fish and doves. These elements appear not only in Iranian fairy tales and classical literary texts but also share parallels with the goddess Atargatis.
Pourabrisham, E. (2025). The Imagery of the Ādam-e Ābi and Mermaid in Ancient Iranian Texts and Their Mythological Origins. Persian Language and Literature, (), -. doi: 10.22034/perlit.2025.68036.3819
MLA
Pourabrisham, E. . "The Imagery of the Ādam-e Ābi and Mermaid in Ancient Iranian Texts and Their Mythological Origins", Persian Language and Literature, , , 2025, -. doi: 10.22034/perlit.2025.68036.3819
HARVARD
Pourabrisham, E. (2025). 'The Imagery of the Ādam-e Ābi and Mermaid in Ancient Iranian Texts and Their Mythological Origins', Persian Language and Literature, (), pp. -. doi: 10.22034/perlit.2025.68036.3819
CHICAGO
E. Pourabrisham, "The Imagery of the Ādam-e Ābi and Mermaid in Ancient Iranian Texts and Their Mythological Origins," Persian Language and Literature, (2025): -, doi: 10.22034/perlit.2025.68036.3819
VANCOUVER
Pourabrisham, E. The Imagery of the Ādam-e Ābi and Mermaid in Ancient Iranian Texts and Their Mythological Origins. Persian Language and Literature, 2025; (): -. doi: 10.22034/perlit.2025.68036.3819
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