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Indo-Parthian stone palette, illustrating a fire worship, possibly of a Zoroastrian nature.

Agni the Hindu deity of fire, has a very prominent place among Rigvedic deities.

Worship or deification of fire (also pyrodulia, pyrolatry or pyrolatria) is known from various religions. Fire has been an important part of human culture since the Lower Paleolithic. The earliest known traces of controlled fire were found at Gesher Benot Ya‘aqov, Israel and dated to an age of 790,000 years, and religious or animist notions connected to fire must be assumed to reach back to such early pre-Homo sapiens times. Image File history File links Question_book-new. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 599 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1411 × 1412 pixel, file size: 768 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Fire alter worship. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 599 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1411 × 1412 pixel, file size: 768 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Fire alter worship. ... Coin of Gondophares (20-50 AD), first king of the Indo-Parthians kingdom. ... Indo-Greek stone palette representing an Hellenistic Nereid goddess riding a Ketos sea-monster, 2nd century BCE, Sirkap. ... Zoroastrianism was adapted from an earlier, polytheistic faith by Zarathushtra (Zoroaster) in Persia very roughly around 1000 BC (although, in the absence of written records, some scholars estimates are as late as 600 BC). ... Image File history File links Agni_god_of_fire. ... Image File history File links Agni_god_of_fire. ... Chinese (Wu Xing) Japanese (Godai) Earth (地) | Water (æ°´) | Fire (火) | Air / Wind (風) | Void / Sky / Heaven (空) Hinduism (Tattva) and Buddhism (MahābhÅ«ta) Vayu / Pavan — Air / Wind Agni / Tejas — Fire Akasha — Aether Prithvi / Bhumi — Earth Ap / Jala — Water Bön New Zealand Agni is a Hindu and Vedic deity. ... This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ... The Rig Veda ऋग्वेद (Sanskrit ṛc praise + veda knowledge) is the earliest of the four Hindu religious scriptures known as the Vedas. ... For other uses, see Fire (disambiguation). ... Species Homo sapiens See text for extinct species. ... The Lower Paleolithic (or Lower Palaeolithic) is the earliest subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age. ... Homo sapiens (Latin: wise man) is the scientific name for the human species. ...

Oriental fire worship

Although the term "fire-worshippers" is primarily associated with Zoroastrians, the idea that Zoroastrians worship fire is originally from anti-Zoroastrian polemic. Instead, fire — even in a Fire temple (the Zoroastrian terms are more prosaic and simple mean "house of fire") — is considered to be an agent of purity and as a symbol of righteousness and truth. In the present-day this is explained to be because fire burns ever-upwards and can't itself be polluted. Nonetheless, Sadeh and Chaharshanbe Suri are both fire-related festivals celebrated throughout Greater Iran and date back to when Zoroastrianism was still the predominant religion of the region. Zoroastrianism is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings ascribed to the prophet Zoroaster (Zarathustra, Zartosht). ... A Zoroastrian Fire Temple is a place of worship for Zoroastrians. ... Sadeh is an ancient Iranian tradition celebrated 50 days before nowrouz. ... Chaharshanbe Suri (in Persian: چهارشنبه‌سوری) is the national Persian Festival of Fire. ... After Islamic Conquest  Modern SSR = Soviet Socialist Republic Afghanistan  Azerbaijan  Bahrain  Iran  Iraq  Tajikistan  Uzbekistan  This box:      Greater Iran (in Persian: Irān-e Bozorg, or Irān-zamÄ«n; the Encyclopedia Iranica uses the term Iranian Cultural Continent[1]) is a term for the Iranian plateau in addition to...

In Vedic religion, fire is a central element in the Yajna ceremony, with Agni "fire" playing the role as mediator between the worshipper and the other gods. Related concepts are the Agnihotra ritual, the invocation of the healing properties of fire; the Agnicayana ritual, which is the building of a fire altar to Agni; and Agnistoma, which is one of the seven Somayajnas. In Hinduism which is really Sanatana Dharma, Agni or Fire is considered the tongue of the Supreme Lord Narayana, hence all the sacrifices done even to any demigod ultimately is a sacrifice to the Supreme Lord Narayana. This article discusses the historical religious practices in the Vedic time period; see Dharmic religions for details of contemporary religious practices. ... In Hinduism, Yajna (Devanagari यज्ञ IAST ; also anglicized as Yagna or Yagya) is a ritual of sacrifice (Monier-Williams gives the meanings worship, prayer, praise; offering, oblation, sacrifice) more commonly practised during Vedic times. ... Chinese (Wu Xing) Japanese (Godai) Earth (地) | Water (水) | Fire (火) | Air / Wind (風) | Void / Sky / Heaven (空) Hinduism (Tattva) and Buddhism (Mahābhūta) Vayu / Pavan — Air / Wind Agni / Tejas — Fire Akasha — Aether Prithvi / Bhumi — Earth Ap / Jala — Water Bön New Zealand Agni is a Hindu and Vedic deity. ... Agnihotra (अग्निहोत्र) is a Vedic yajna (ritual or sacrifice), performed at dawn and dusk. ... The Atiratra Agnicayana or piling of the altar of Agni is an ancient ritual of Vedic religion. ... The Agnistoma or fire sacrifice is a ritual of Vedic religion. ... In Hinduism, Yajna (यज्ञ IAST , also anglicized as Yagna or Yagya) is a Vedic ritual of sacrifice (Monier-Williams gives the meanings worship, prayer, praise; offering, oblation, sacrifice), performed to please the Devas, or sometimes to the Supreme Spirit Brahman. ...

Archaeologically, the earliest evidence for Indo-Iranian fire worship is found at the transition from the Sintashta-Petrovka to the Fedorovo culture around 1500 BC, together with first evidence of cremation. While cremation became ubiquitous in Hinduism, it came to be disavowed in Zoroastrianism. Map of the approximate maximal extent of the Andronovo culture. ... The crematorium at Haycombe Cemetery, Bath, England. ...

Fire is also an element of theophany in the Hebrew Bible (Burning bush, Pillar of Fire). Additionally, the Biblical Hebrew language is sometimes referred to as "the flame alphabet" because many devout Jews believe that the Torah is the literal word of God written in fire (for example Aish HaTorah). The Holy Spirit in Christianity is described as "tongues of flame." Look up theophany in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about the term Hebrew Bible. For the Jewish scriptures see Tanakh. ... Burning bush at St. ... A Pillar of Fire was one of the manifestations of the God of the Israelites (for Nontrinitarians, Yahweh; for Trinitarians, God in the Person of the Holy Spirit) in the Old Testament. ... This article describes the Biblical dialects of Hebrew. ... Template:Jews and Jewdaism Template:The Holy Book Named TorRah The Torah () is the most valuable Holy Doctrine within Judaism,(and for muslims) revered as the first relenting Word of Ulllah, traditionally thought to have been revealed to Blessed Moosah, An Apostle of Ulllah. ... Aish HaTorah Center opposite the Western Wall in Jerusalem Aish HaTorah (Fire of the Torah) is an Orthodox Jewish outreach organization and yeshiva. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      In mainstream... Topics in Christianity Preaching Prayer Ecumenism Relation to other religions Movements Music Liturgy Calendar Symbols Art Criticism Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ...

Occidental fire worship

Fire-worship in Graeco-Roman tradition had two separate forms: fire of the hearth and fire of the forge. Hearth worship was maintained in Rome by the Vestal Virgins, who served the goddess Vesta, protector of the home, who had a sacred flame as the symbol of her presence in the city (cf. Sacred fire of Vesta). The Greek equivalent of the goddess was Hestia, whose worship is less well attested. The fire of the forge was associated with the Greek god Hephaestus and the Roman equivalent Vulcan. These two seem to have served both as craft-guild patrons and as protectors against accidental fires in cities. Also associated with fire is the titanic god Prometheus, who stole fire for humans from the gods. Most forms of worship in Graeco-Roman religion involved either cooking or burning completely an animal on a fire made on an altar in front of a temple (see Hecatomb). In common historic and modern usage, a hearth (Har-th) is a brick- or stone-lined fireplace or oven used for cooking and/or heating. ... For the process of shaping metal by localized compressive forces, see Forging. ... A vestal Virgin, engraving by Sir Frederick Leighton, ca 1890: Leightons artistic sense has won over his passion for historical accuracy in showing the veil over the Vestals head at sacrifices, the suffibulum, as translucent, instead of fine white wool In Ancient Rome, the Vestal Virgins were the... Vesta was the virgin goddess of the hearth, home, and family in Roman mythology. ... The Sacred fire of Vesta, the Roman goddess of the hearth and goddess of fire, was an eternal flame which burned within the Temple of Vesta on the Roman Forum. ... In Greek mythology, virginal Hestia,(Roman name, Vesta) daughter of Cronus and Rhea, (ancient Greek ) is the goddess of the hearth, of the right ordering of domesticity and the family, who received the first offering at every sacrifice in the household. ... Hephaestus (pronounced or ; Greek Hēphaistos) was a Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan; he was the god of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals and metallurgy, and fire. ... The Forge of Vulcan by Diego Velasquez, (1630). ... This article is about the race of Titans in Greek mythology. ... Prometheus Brings Fire to Mankind, by Heinrich Füger, (1817). ... Look up Altar in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Temple of Hephaestus, an Doric Greek temple in Athens with the original entrance facing east, 449 BC (western face depicted) For other uses, see Temple (disambiguation). ... In Ancient Greece, a Hecatomb was the sacrifice to the gods of 100 cattle (hecaton = one hundred). ...

Celtic mythology had Belenus, whose name, "shining one", associated him with fire. In Slavic mythology, Svarog, meaning "bright and clear", was the spirit of fire. The nature and functions of these ancient gods can be deduced from their names, the location of their inscriptions, their iconography, the Roman gods they are equated with, and similar figures from later bodies of Celtic mythology. ... In Celtic mythology, Belenus (also Belinus, Belenos, Belinos, Belinu, Bellinus, Belus, Bel) was a deity worshipped in Gaul, Britain and Celtic areas of Italy and Austria. ... Slavic mythology and Slavic religion evolved over more than 3,000 years. ... In Slavic mythology, Svarog (Polish: Swaróg, Cyrillic: Сварог, Sorbian: Schwayxtix) is the Slavic Sun God and spirit of fire; his name means bright and clear. ...

See also

• Sun worship
• Immolation
• Cremation
• Lightning, thunder god

A solar deity is a deity who represents the Sun. ... Immolation means a sacrificial killing by burning, such as: Animal sacrifice Human sacrifice Sati is a Hindu funeral custom involving immolation. ... The crematorium at Haycombe Cemetery, Bath, England. ... Not to be confused with lighting. ... For other uses, see God of Thunder (disambiguation). ...

Literature

• Madhulika Sharma, Fire Worship in Ancient India, Jaipur, Publication Scheme, 2002, ISBN 81-86782-57-5.