Parthian Hymns Dedicated to the Narisah Yazad in Western Middle Iranian Manuscripts in Sogdian Script from the Turfan Collection

Abstract
This study examines four fragmentary Parthian manuscripts from the Turfan Collection, which are dedicated to the worship of the deity Narisaf Yazad. These manuscripts belong to the Manichaean textual corpus discovered in the Turfan oasis in present-day Xinjiang, China, and represent an important part of the multilingual religious literature of


Central Asia. Written in Western Middle Iranian languages and preserved primarily in Sogdian script, these fragments provide valuable evidence for the study of Manichaean hymnology, Iranian religious vocabulary, and the transmission of theological concepts across linguistic boundaries.
The main objective of this research is to provide a philological, codicological, linguistic, and textual analysis of these hymnic fragments and to clarify the religious and cosmological role of Narisaf Yazad within Manichaean tradition. The study examines the physical characteristics of the manuscripts, including their material condition, script, layout, lineation, and state of preservation, while also analyzing their linguistic features through transcription, transliteration, and translation of the readable sections.
The results demonstrate that these fragments represent liturgical hymns characterized by communal invocations, ritual formulas, and extensive praise of Narisaf Yazad. In these texts, Narisaf is portrayed as the Third Messenger, a divine judge, and a mediator responsible for maintaining cosmic order and evaluating human actions. The study also highlights the importance of formulaic expressions, including the repeated invocation “Ēl Ēl Ēl,” as a significant ritual and stylistic element within Manichaean religious texts.
Furthermore, comparative analysis with Manichaean Chinese materials reveals textual and thematic parallels that reflect the multilingual and transregional character of Manichaean literary culture in Turfan. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of Middle Iranian religious literature and demonstrate the role of Parthian and Middle Persian as sacred languages within Manichaean communities.
Keywords: Middle Persian, Parthian, Manuscript Fragments, Sogdian Script, Manichaean Codicology, Manichaean Textology, Manichaean Literature, Turfan Texts, Narisaf Yazd
1. Introduction
The Manichaean manuscripts discovered in the Turfan oasis represent one of the most significant sources for understanding the religious, linguistic, and cultural interactions of Central Asia. Among these materials, the
Western Middle Iranian manuscripts written in Sogdian script occupy a particular position due to their importance for the study of Iranian languages, Manichaean theology, and the transmission of religious traditions across different cultural environments.
The present study focuses on four fragmentary Parthian manuscripts dedicated to Narisaf Yazad, a prominent divine figure within Manichaean cosmology. Although these fragments are damaged and incomplete, they preserve valuable information regarding Manichaean liturgical practices, religious terminology, and theological concepts.
Through a detailed examination of these manuscripts, this research aims to reconstruct aspects of their textual structure and clarify the position of Narisaf within the Manichaean religious system.
The significance of these fragments lies not only in their linguistic features but also in their reflection of the multilingual environment of the Turfan Manichaean communities. The coexistence of Iranian and Chinese textual traditions demonstrates the complex processes of translation, adaptation, and transmission through which Manichaean religious ideas circulated in Central Asia.
2. Research Questions
This study addresses the following questions:
1. What are the codicological and textual characteristics of the four Parthian manuscript fragments dedicated to Narisaf Yazad?
2. What linguistic features can be identified in these hymnic texts, and how do they reflect the multilingual environment of Manichaean communities?
3. What theological and cosmological functions are attributed to Narisaf Yazad in these hymns?
4. How do these Parthian fragments relate to other Manichaean textual traditions, particularly Chinese Manichaean manuscripts from Turfan?
5. What role did Western Middle Iranian languages play in the religious and liturgical context of Manichaean communities?
3. Literature Review
Research on Manichaean manuscripts from Turfan has significantly contributed to the understanding of Central Asian religious history, Iranian
languages, and the development of Manichaean textual traditions. Previous studies have examined various aspects of these manuscripts, including their linguistic characteristics, manuscript culture, theological concepts, and relationship with other Manichaean sources.
Studies of Western Middle Iranian languages, particularly Parthian and Middle Persian, have demonstrated their importance as literary and religious languages within Manichaean communities. The preservation of these languages in religious manuscripts from Turfan provides evidence of their continued significance beyond their original geographical contexts.
Previous research has also emphasized the multilingual nature of the Turfan corpus, where Iranian, Sogdian, and Chinese traditions interacted.
This multilingual environment resulted in processes of translation, adaptation, and reinterpretation of religious texts. However, fragmentary Parthian hymns dedicated specifically to Narisaf Yazad require further examination regarding their textual structure, theological significance, and relationship with broader Manichaean traditions.
The present study contributes to this field by combining codicological, philological, and comparative approaches to analyze these previously fragmented materials and to clarify the role of Narisaf Yazad within Manichaean religious literature.
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