Foreign Fridays Fact: Iran

As part of Foreign Fridays, we explore a different country each week through its most unusual, amusing and odd facts. If you want your country to appear, then simply get in contact with us either in the comments below or through Facebook or Twitter.

This week it is the turn of the Iran:

For Nowruz (Iranian New Year), there are seven symbolic items
that are part of the traditional table setting, including
a mirror, goldfish and painted eggs. 

People around the world were celebrating Iranian New Year- Nowruz, this week. It not only marks the first day of the year in the Iranian calendar, but also the first day of Spring. As part of the celebrations there is a traditional table setting, called Haft Chin, where seven specific items are laid out, each representing something important. The items are:  

A Mirror: symbolizing Sky
Apples: symbolizing Earth
Candles: symbolizing Fire
Golab: rose water symbolizing Water
Sabzeh: wheat, or barley sprouts symbolizing Plants
Goldfish: symbolizing Animals
Painted Eggs: symbolizing Humans and Fertility

Just like with many festivals, the symbolic items are there to remind you of the greater meaning of the celebration. Together, they also create a pretty unusual table setting. After all, it's not every day that you sit down surrounded by live fish, painted eggs and a mirror. 

You can see all the previous Foreign Friday blog posts here and the main Foreign Fridays page here.

Share with friends