Cup Of Jamshid – Holy Grail Of Ancient Persia Offered Immortality And Visions Of The Future

Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - Most have heard of the Holy Grail that is believed to have been the be the cup that Jesus Christ drank from at the Last Supper. Later, according to legend Joseph of Arimathea was entrusted with the Holy Grail. During the Middle Ages, Joseph became connected with the Arthurian cycle and some believed he took the sacred artifact to Glastonbury.

Left: The cup of Jamshid was similar to the holy grail of western culture, in that it bestowed upon the user immortality.  Jamshid was seen as one of the greatest rulers. Credit: scalar.usc.edu Right: A bas-relief at Persepolis. Credit: Public Domain

There were also those who were convinced the Holy Grail was protected by the Knights Templar who had seized the cup from the Temple Mount during the Crusades.

The whereabouts of the Holy Grail are unknown and the quest for the sacred artifact continues to this day.

Legendary Persian Hero Jamshid

In Persian mythology, there are stories about a mysterious artifact that reminds of the Holy Grail. It is called the Cup of Jamshid and it said to contain the elixir of immortality. The cup belonged to Jamshid, a legendary hero in Persian myths and legends.

In the Avesta, the sacred book of Zoroastrianism, Ahura Mazda, the creator god asks a kind shepherd namedYima to be in charge of the Earth. Yima’s duty is to make certain all living beings can prosper. Yima rules as the king for hundreds of years and gets rid of the devas, evil demons. Under Yima’s rule, good humans never age nor are they sick.

Hafez looking at the Cup of Jamshid, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Turkish manuscript of 1477, author unknown, from Shîrâz, Iran.  Credit: Public Domain

From the Avesta, we learn how Yima faces several difficulties when he must deal with an upcoming catastrophe. King Yima understands humans will perish, and just like Biblical Noah, he must ensure the human species their survival. He constructs a huge underground cavern where the fittest of men and women along with two of every animal, bird, and plant hidden in order to survive. The story is very similar to Biblical Noah and the Great Flood, as well as the story of Utnapishtim and the Babylonian Flood. Myths and legends recalling a great catastrophe that wiped out humanity can be found in all corners of the world.

In time, the story of the Avestan hero Yima developed, and in Persian mythology, he became known as Jamshid.

Jamshid was credited with many great inventions, and he possessed extraordinary powers as an individual. He was the fourth king of the world, and he stood above all angels and demons.  During the time he ruled as a mighty king, sickness vanished, longevity increased, and people co-existed peacefully. He has also instructed humans and taught them how to build houses of bricks and navigate the oceans in sailing ships. People learned the art of medicine and discovered how perfume, jewels, wine can be produced.

His fame and popularity were so great that he became associated with Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire that was founded by Cyrus the Great, one of the most outstanding figures in human history. For centuries, people thought Persepolis was the capital of Jamshid and called the site "Throne of Jamshid”. Today, we know that Persepolis was actually the capital of the Achaemenid kings and was destroyed by Alexander the Great.

The Cup Of Jamshid Offered Visions Of The Future And Immortality

Jamshid’s cup was remarkable. Anyone who consumed the elixir of the cup became immortal.

This magical object could also be used to see the future. By looking into this cup of divination, one could see all the seven heavens of the universe and the artifact revealed deep truths.

Gate of All Nations, Persepolis. Credit: Public Domain, CC BY-SA 3.0

The cup of Jamshid, sometimes visualized as a crystal ball was believed to be the key behind the success of the Persian Empire.

Although the Cup of Jamshid and the Holy Grail are similar, they were also different in many ways.

Some scholars have suggested the Cup Of Jamshid may have given rise to the stories of the Holy Grail.

Just like treasure hunters keep searching for the Holy Grail, many have tried to locate the Cup of Jamshid. Unfortunately, none of them has succeeded so far.

Written by Ellen Lloyd – AncientPages.com

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