Since ancient times, many animals have been of special value to cultures and societies. The eagle is also one of these animals that had a very important role for the ancient Iranians; As far as it has been raised to the level of holiness.
From the Indians of the American continent to the most ancient tribes in Europe and Asia as well as North Africa, people placed symbols of various animals and birds in their daily or social life, such as on the dishes, for prosperity in life. And the tools they made, even on the fabrics and carpets, they carved the images of animals that were considered sacred in their religious beliefs.
Images of lions and eagles can be seen even on the robes and mantles of kings, on talismans and belts, around mirrors, on swords and daggers, and also on national flags.
Images of eagle and lion can be seen in the scrolls left from the old days, both of which were symbols of unity and strength and superiority. On a piece of tile that was found in the archaeological excavations in Takht Jamshid, the image of a falcon with open wings can be seen, holding an orb in its claws and wearing another orb.
According to the researchers, this open-winged eagle is a symbol of God, which is also engraved on the Achaemenid flag. Because most of the historians of the past have mentioned that there was an eagle on the flag of Iran, which was taken by the army in advance, and this itself was a symbol of victory.
Abourihan Biruni writes that the open-winged eagle, which was the flag of the Iranians, was held on the head of a long spear in front of the soldiers. The Greek historian Xenophon writes: “The flag of the Iranians was an eagle made of pure gold that they raised on the head of a spear.”
Considering that the eagle was a symbol of prosperity and victory, he wrote a story about Cyrus the Great that when he was going to the Assyrian war with his soldiers, his father accompanied him to the border of Pars and there he saw an eagle that He is flying ahead of them. Koresh’s father took it as a good omen and said to himself that his son will win this war.
The Greek historian Herodotus also wrote a story about Darius the Great, that before he and his companions attacked Berdia Durghin or “Ge Omatai”, seven eagles suddenly followed two vultures in the sky. Dariush and his companions took it as a good omen and became more determined in the tasks ahead of them.
In addition to the Iranians, the Greeks and the Romans also considered the eagle sacred in their beliefs and considered it a symbol of strength and victory. As far as Zeus, the god of gods, sometimes appeared in the form of an eagle in Greek myths.
This is a large eagle statue with open wings holding two orbs in its claws. These two spheres are considered symbols of the material and spiritual worlds, and some researchers even believe that the two spheres are heavenly spheres, and the third sphere on the eagle’s head is a reference to the eagle’s heavenly power.
From various periods of Iranian, Indian, Greek, and Roman civilizations, as well as from later times, statues and prominent figures of the eagle have been left, which tells of the sacredness of this high-flying bird in the eyes of the people. And the fact that, now on the flag of many European countries and countries with ancient history and civilization, the image of an eagle is seen, the remnant of the religious beliefs of the people of those countries is connected with this bird, and on the other hand, it is a sign of national identity and memory. It is their past.
Eagle, which is also one of the national symbols of Turks, is known as the protective spirit and shadow of God in Central Asia. In general, the eagle is a symbol of the kingdom, the sun, power and strength.
The famous historian Ibn Bibi writes: Seljuq sultans, when conquering a region, erected a tent with an eagle statue on top of it.
