| Interestingly, the mask has been used since ancient times in Iran; however, it should not be confused with the clothing used
for women’s face veil. The word equivalent to the mask in ancient and medieval Iran was panam or pandam, which is also mentioned in the Avesta, 5 the holy book of Zoroastrians, in the religious rituals of the followers of the ancient prophet of Iran. The Iranian word panam is used in most middle and modern Iranian languages and dialects. This word in the Avestan language means holder and keeper against something, and the Pahlavi Persian language includes the words padam, pandam, and phanom. According to Pahlavi texts, the panam, now called the veil by Iranian Zoroastrians, refers to pieces of white cotton cloth that are hung over the mouth and tied with 2 ribbons at the back. This small cotton curtain, which according to the Pahlavi interpretation of the description in the Avesta, should be 2 inches below the mouth and should be used when the priest performs a religious ceremony in front of the sacred fir. In fact, the use of panam was to prevent the breath and steam of the mouth, which was considered polluted, from reaching the sacred element of fire. Therefore, it was a religious device of priests. |