Torre del silencio, Yazd.


Los zoroastros creen que el fuego, agua y tierra fueron creaciones sagradas de Ahuramazda (Dios) y, por tanto, no deben ser contaminados por la creación de Ahriman (Demonio). Tan pronto como la vida, creación de Ahuramazda, concluía, la muerte (Demonio) tomaba posesión del cuerpo, contaminándolo. Cualquier contacto con el fuego, agua y tierra contaminaría a esos elementos sagrados. Por esto, el zoroastrismo prohíbe la inhumación, cremación o sumergimiento en agua. El cuerpo se pone en una roca, cerro o en el desierto. Expuesto al sol, la carne es removida por animales de carroña. Una vez reducido a huesos -que se consideran puros, éstos se colocan en osarios. Las Torres del Silencio era el lugar para depositar los cadáveres mientras se purificaban.



Tower of Silence, Yazd.

The Zoroastrians believe that fire, water and earth were the holy creations of Ahuramazda and must not, therefore, be polluted by any creation of Ahriman (Evil). As soon as life, creation of Ahuramazda, left a person, the Death-demon, a creation of Ahriman, defiled the body and any action which brought it into contact with the fire, water and earth resulted in the defilement of these holly creations. It was on this account that the Zoroastrian religion forbade inhumation or cremation of the corpse, or the casting of it into water; instead, it enjoined exposure. The corpse was placed in a rock, hilltop or in a remote area of the desert. Thus exposed under the sun, the flesh was removed by birds or animals of prey and the bones were cleansed. The purified remains were then placed in ossuaries. The Towers of Silence were the place to put the bodies while there were purified.