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Wish you a bright day! ********************************************* Sheikh Lutfollah Mosque (Persian: مسجد شیخ لطف الله‎ Masjed-e Sheikh Lotf-ollāh The gateways are constructed of marble, while the haft-rangi tiles (هفت‌رنگی, lit. "seven-coloured", "polychrome mosaics") decorate the upper parts of the structure.[6] Creation of the calligraphy and tiles, which exceed, in both beauty and quality, anything created beforehand in the Islamic world, was overseen by Master calligrapher Ali Reza Abbasi.

REMEMBERING THE DEAD. Wish you a serene All Hallow's Eve celebration. HUGS ***************************************** A Dakhma (Persian: دخمه‎), also known as "Tower of Silence" in English, is a circular, raised structure used by Zoroastrians for exposure of the dead, particularly to scavenging birds for the purposes of excarnation. The common dakhma or dokhma (from Middle Persian dakhmag) originally denoted any place for the dead. Similarly, in the medieval texts of Zoroastrian tradition, the word astodan appears, but today that word denotes an ossuary. In the Iranian provinces of Yazd and Kerman, the technical term is deme or dema.

HALLO!!!!!!!! wish to greet you all I am back but quit busy.....will visit your streams asap:) HUGS ************************************* The teachings of Zarathustra (Zoroaster) appeared in Persia at some point during the period 1700-1800 BCE.[6][7] His wisdom became the basis of the religion Zoroastrianism, and generally influenced the development of the Iranian branch of Indo-Iranian philosophy. Zarathustra was the first who treated the problem of evil in philosophical terms.[7] He is also believed to be one of the oldest monotheists in the history of religion. He espoused an ethical philosophy based on the primacy of good thoughts (pendar-e-nik), good words (goftar-e-nik), and good deeds (kerdar-e-nik). The works of Zoroaster and Zoroastrianism had a significant influence on Greek philosophy and Roman philosophy. Plato learnt of Zoroastrian philosophy through Eudoxus and incorporated much of it into his own Platonic realism.[8] Zarathustra was known as a sage, magician and miracle-worker in post-Classical Western culture, though almost nothing was known of his ideas until the late eighteenth century. By this time his name was associated with lost ancient wisdom and was appropriated by Freemasons and other groups who claimed access to such knowledge. In 2005, the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy ranked Zarathustra number two in the chronology of philosophical events. Zarathustra's impact lingers today due in part to the system of rational ethics he founded called Mazda-Yasna. The word Mazda-Yasna is avestan and is translated as "Worship of Wisdom" in English.

Yazd (Persian: یزد‎) The city was definitely a Zoroastrian centre during Sassanid times. After the Arab Islamic conquest of Persia, people periodically faced extreme religious oppression including forced conversions, massacres, harassment, and other forms of discrimination, and then many fled to Yazd from neighbouring provinces. By paying a levy, Yazd remained Zoroastrian even after its conquest, and Islam only gradually became the dominant religion in the city.

Rayen Castle was inhabited until 150 years ago and, although believed to be at least 1,000 years old, may in fact have foundations from the pre-Islamic Sassanid era.[1]

Rayen Castle (Persian: ارگ راين‎ Arg-e Rāyen) is an adobe castle in Kerman province, Iran. The medieval mudbrick city of Rayen is similar to the Arg-e Bam city which was destroyed in an earthquake in December 2003. Rayen displays all the architectural elements of a deserted citadel. It is extremely well preserved, despite numerous natural disasters that have destroyed similar structures nearby, and it is one of the most interesting sites in Iran.

Kalut , Dasht e Lut.

Kaluts are wind-eroded desert mountains that look like worn sandcastles amid the searing Dasht-e Lut desert of Central Iran. *********************************** Wish you a beautiful day!

Wish you a most happy weekend! *********************************************** After invading Persia, Alexander the Great sent the main force of his army to Persepolis in the year 330 BC by the Royal Road. Alexander stormed the Persian Gates (in the modern Zagros Mountains), then quickly captured Persepolis before its treasury could be looted. After several months Alexander allowed his troops to loot Persepolis. A fire broke out in the eastern palace of Xerxes and spread to the rest of the city. It is not clear if it was an accident or a deliberate act of revenge for the burning of the Acropolis of Athens during the Second Persian invasion of Greece.

Current Project: Color Wheel—Week 7 (Nov 17–Nov 23) is Purple ************************************************************* Wish you a most serene week. For me it will be a difficult one.................will visit you asap. Hugs

Red Ibis. 10-Week Picture Projects: Color Wheel Week 1--RED (10/06-10/12)

Hi all. THANKS for your kind visits on my previous one. I will be traveling for some weeks,in the land of thousend and one nights:) Stay well Love Annemarie

Wish you all dear friends a MOST BEAUTIFUL MID-AUGUST WEEKEND AND coming week ( away some days) Hugs Annemarie

Wish you a beautiful day. ****************************************** Les tortues marines sont les tortues de la superfamille des Chelonioidea1. Elles sont présentes dans tous les océans du monde à l'exception de l'océan Arctique. Ces espèces sont toutes vulnérables ou menacées. Elles font localement l'objet de protection ou de plan de restauration, mais la pollution, le braconnage et les prises accidentelles par engins de pêche restent des causes préoccupantes de recul de populations, déjà très relictuelles2.

Wish you ALL a marvellous sunny august week.

Wish you a pleasant serene week! ( taken in the water.................) Sharks eye view, says Paul:)

GREEN ******************* Wish you a happy day.