Div (mythology)

Turkic batyr and dev

Div or dev (Persian: Dīv: دیو) are monstrous creatures within Middle Eastern lore. They have their origin in Persian mythology and spread to surrounding cultures including Armenia, Turkic countries^[1] and Albania.^[2] Although they are not explicitly mentioned within canonical Islamic scriptures, their existence was well accepted by most Muslims just like that of other supernatural creatures.^[3] They are described as having a body like that of a human, only of gigantic size, with two horns upon their heads and teeth like the tusks of a boar. Powerful, cruel and cold-hearted they have a particular relish for the taste of human flesh.^[4] Some use only primitive weapons, such as stones : others, more sophisticated, are equipped like warriors, wearing armour and using weapons of metal. Despite their uncouth appearance - and in addition to their great physical strength - many are also masters of sorcery, capable of overcoming their enemies by magic and afflicting them with nightmares.^[5]

Their origin is disputed, although it may lie in the Vedic deities (devas) who were later demonized in Persian religion (see daeva). In Ferdowsi's tenth-century Shahnameh, they are already the evil entities endowed with roughly human shape and supernatural powers familiar from later folklore, in which the Divs are described as ugly demons with supernatural strength and power, who, nonetheless, may sometimes be subdued and forced to do the bidding of a sorcerer.

History[]

Shahnameh—The Div Akvan throws Rustam into the sea

Divs probably originate from the Avestan daevas, deities who share the same origin with Indian Deva (gods). It is unknown when and why the former deities turned into rejected gods or even demons. In the Gathas, the oldest Zorastrian text, they are not yet the evil creatures they will become, although, according to some scholarly interpretations, the texts do indicate that they should be rejected.^[6] Evident from Xph inscriptions, Xerxes I (reigned 486–465 BC) ordered the destruction of a sanctuary dedicated to Daivas and proclaimed that the Daeva shall not be worshipped.^[7] Therefore first opposition of Daeva can not be later than the reign of Xerxes. However, the original relation between Daeva and Persian religion remains up to debate. There might have been a pantheon with several types of deities, but while the Indians demonized the Asura and deified the Deva, the Persians demonized the Deva, but deified Asura in the form of Ahura Mazda.^[8]

In Middle Persian texts, they are already regarded as equivalent to demons. They are created by Ahriman (the devil) along with sorcerers and everything else that is evil. They roam the earth at night and bring people to ruin. During the advent of Islam in Persia, the term was used for both demonized humans and evil supernatural creatures. In the translations of Tabari's Tafsir, the term div was used to designate evil jinn, devils and Satan.^[9] It is evident from the epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between c. 977 and 1010 CE, that, by his day the Div had become associated with the people of the Mazandaran of legend (which is not to be identified with the Iranian province of Mazandaran).^[10] While some Div appear as supernatural sorcerers, many Div appear to be clearly demonized humans, including black people, attributed with supernatural strenght, but no supernatural bodily features. Some people continued to worship Div in their rituals during the early Islamic period, known as "Daevayasna", although probably out of fear.^[11] People of Mazdaran might have been associated with such worship and therefore equated with these entities. Despite many Div appear human in nature, there are also clearly supernatural Div, like the White Div, who is said to be as huge as a mountain.

From this Persian origin, belief in Div spread through Persia to other Muslim cultures.

Legends[]

Ali fighting Divs. Ali might serve as a substitute for Rustam, a Persian hero, who conquered the Divs as well. Here, the sword Zulfiqar clearly indicating the representation of Ali

Div appear throughout many supernatural legends as villains, sorcerers, monsters, ogres or even helpers of the protagonist. It is usually necessary to overcome the Div, to get his aid. After defeating the Div, one must attach a horseshoe, a needle or an iron ring on his body to enslave them. On the other hand, a Div can not be killed by physical combat, even if their body parts are cut off. Instead, it is required to find the object storing the soul of the Div. After the object is destroyed, the Div is said to disappear in smoke or thin air. The notion of a demon tied to a physical object, later inspired the European genie.^[12]

According to pre-historic Persian legends, the Divs once roamed the earth until Zoraster chased them away to the underground. Since when, they do not appear visible on earth again and live secretly in the underworld. Such legends have later been assimilated to Islamic legends, according to which the jinn lived on earth prior to humans, but have been chased away. However, here the heroic human is replaced by a group of angels. Accordingly, Div have been entrusted to govern the earth 70,000 years before the creation of the first human. However, God created between the Div and human, the jinn (taken from Islamic lore), ruled by Jann ibn Jann. However, when Jann ibn Jann challenged the heavens, Satan (Iblis) was sent with an army of angels to overthrow him. During this battle some treacherous Divs joined Satan and the angels. Again, at the end, the story assigns them to the underworld regions of hell, when the Divs follow Iblis' refusal to pay homage to the first human.^[13][14]

In Kisekbasch Destani ("Story of the cut head"), a Turkish Sufi legend from the 13. or 14. Century, Ali encounters a beheaded men, whose head is still reciting the Quran. His wife has been captured and his child been devoured by a Div. Ali descends to the underworld to kill the Div. Here, he finds out, the Div further captured 500 Sunnites and the Div threats Ali, to destroy the holy cities of Mecca and Medina and destroy the legacy of Islam. After a battle, Ali manages to kill the Div, release the inmates, saves the devoured child and brings the severed head, with aid of Muhammad back to life.^[15]

Folklore[]

Armenian[]

In Armenian mythology and many various Armenian folk tales, the dev (in Armenian: դև) appears both in a kind and specially in a malicious role,^[16] and has a semi-divine origin. Dev is a very large being with an immense head on his shoulders, and with eyes as large as earthen bowls.^{[17][page needed]} Some of them may have only one eye. Usually, there are Black and White Devs. However, both of them can either be malicious or kind.

The White Dev is present in Hovhannes Tumanyan's tale "Yedemakan Tzaghike" (Arm.: Եդեմական Ծաղիկը), translated as "The Flower of Paradise". In the tale, the Dev is the flower's guardian.

Jushkaparik, Vushkaparik, or Ass-Pairika is another chimerical being whose name indicates a half-demoniac and half-animal being, or a Pairika—a female Dev with amorous propensities—that appeared in the form of an ass and lived in ruins.^{[17][page needed]}

Persian[]

Div capturing a peri

According to Persian folklore, the Div are inverted creatures, who do the opposite of what has been told to them. They are active at night, but get sleepy at day. Darkness is said to increase their power.^[5] Usually, the approach of a Div is presaged by a change in temperature or fowl smell in the air.^[5] They are capable of transformation and performing magic. They are said to capture maiden, trying to force them to marry the Div.^[5] Some have the form of a snake or a dragon with multiple heads, whose heads grow again, after slain, comparable to the Hydra.^[18] In his treatise about the supernatural Ahl-i Hava (people of the air), 's discusses several folkloric beliefs about different types of supernatural creatures and demons. He describes the Div as tall creatures living far away either on islands or in the desert. With their magical powers, they could turn people into statues by touching them.^[19] During the Golden Age, Al-Razi conjectured that the Divs are souls of the wicked, turned into Div after their death.^[20]

The Divs are in constant battle with benevolent peris (fairies).^[21][22] While the Divs are usually perceived as male, the Peris are often, but not necessarily, depicted as female.^[23] According to a story, a man saved a white snake from a black one. The snake later revealed that she was a Peri, and the black snake a Div, who attacked her. The Divs in turn, frequently try to capture the Peris and imprison them in cages.

Occult[]

`Aliquli – King Solomon and Two Demons – Walters W62494B – Full Page

Div appear within treatises on the occult. Their depictions often invoke the idea of Indian deities or are directly identified with them.^[24] To enslave a Div, one must pierce their skin with a needle or bind them on iron rings. Another method relies on burning their hair in fire, to summon them.^[5] As Solomon enslaved the devils, same is said to be true about the Div. Probably, the legends of the Quran about Solomon are conflated with the legends of the Persian hero Jamshid, who is said to have enslaved the Divs.^[25] In later Islamic thought, Solomon is said to have bound both devils and the Divs to his will, inspiring Middle Eastern magicians trying to capture such demons as well. In some stories, Divs are said to be able to bestow magical abilities upon others. Once a man encountered a Div, the Div offered him to learn the ability to speak with animals. However, if the man tells someone about this gift, he will die.

Divs and other demons[]

Many attributes of the Div can be applied to other demons within Middle Eastern lore, like the jinn and the devils. Even the lines between devils and the jinn, both deriving from Islamic scriptures, are often hard to distinguish and it seems in some texts, Div, jinn and devils are used synonymous. Some scholars argued, that the term jinn should rather be regarded as a general designation for any supernatural creature, including the ordinary jinn, the devils, Divs and other Middle Eastern demons similar to the broader meaning of spirits, in Western language. Others assume, that Div is simply the Persian term for jinn. However, this poses some major problems, because the jinn are morally ambivalent or even intentionally benevolent, while the Divs are considered evil or perverted creatures.^[26] The Divs further appear to be more physical in appearance compared to the jinn (and the devils).^[27] Therefore, they are sometimes referred to as fiends or ogres,^[28] In Turkish, the term is used for giants or titans in general. Sometimes Div is used metaphorically to depict harmful supernatural creatures in general. Unlike the jinn, sorcery and supernatural powers are actually attributed to them. And while hell serves merely as a punishment for the jinn, both devils and Divs are often related to the underworld. However, the malicious acts of the Divs are not limited to temptations, unlike the devils, who merely whisper into the mind of humans (and jinn).

See also[]

• Jötunn
• Ifrit
• Marid
• Oni

References[]