View source for Haft-sin

{{Short description|Persian ritual display of items to celebrate the start of spring}}
[[File:Nowrooz-Yousef Abdinejad-50x70cm-oil on canvas.jpg|200px|thumb|The painting depicts Haft-seen symbols of Nowruz being related to elements of Fire, Earth, Air, Water, and the three life forms of Humans, Animals and Plants.]]
[[File:سفره 7 سین ژاپن.jpg|thumb|''Haft-seen'' table.]]
'''Haft Seen''' or '''Haft sin''' ({{langx|fa|هفت‌سین}}) is an arrangement of seven symbolic items which names start with the letter "[[Shin (letter)|س]]" (pronounced as "seen"), the 15th letter in the [[Persian alphabet]]; "haft" (هفت) is [[Persian language|Persian]] for "seven".<ref name="Nowruz">{{cite encyclopedia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OZbyz_Hr-eIC |title=Nawruz
|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Islam |first=Juan Eduardo |last=Campo |publisher=Infobase Publishing |year=2009 |pages=524–525 |access-date=2018-04-17 |archive-date=2017-10-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014005918/https://books.google.com/books?id=OZbyz_Hr-eIC |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Noruz">{{cite news |url=http://www.tehrantimes.com/news/422394/Noruz-manifestation-of-culture-of-peace-friendship-among-societies |work=Tehran Times |title=Noruz, manifestation of culture of peace, friendship among societies |date=April 7, 2018 |access-date=April 17, 2018 |archive-date=April 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418032234/http://www.tehrantimes.com/news/422394/Noruz-manifestation-of-culture-of-peace-friendship-among-societies |url-status=live }}</ref> It is traditionally displayed at [[Nowruz]], the [[Iran]]ian New Year, which is celebrated on the day of the [[March equinox|vernal equinox]], marking the beginning of spring in the [[Northern Hemisphere]].
==Items of Haft-seen==
[[File:7SEEN 89.jpg|thumb|A Haft-Sin Table, Tehran, Iran]]
The following are the primary items of Haft-seen, whose [[Persian language|Persian]] names begin with the letter ''S'' in the [[Persian alphabet]].<ref name="Nowruz" /><ref name="Noruz"/>
#{{transliteration|fa|Sabzeh}} ({{lang|fa|سبزه}}) – [[wheat]], [[barley]], [[mung bean]], or [[lentil]] [[sprouting|sprout]]s grown in a dish.
#[[Samanu|{{transliteration|fa|Samanu}}]] ({{lang|fa|سمنو}}) – [[cereal germ|wheat germ]] sweet [[pudding]].
#{{transliteration|fa|Senjed}} ({{lang|fa|سنجد}}) – [[oleaster]].
#{{transliteration|fa|Serkeh}} ({{lang|fa|سرکه}}) – [[vinegar]].
#{{transliteration|fa|Seeb}} ({{lang|fa|سیب}}) – [[apple]].
#{{transliteration|fa|Seer}} ({{lang|fa|سیر}}) – [[garlic]].
#{{transliteration|fa|Somagh}} ({{lang|fa|سماق}}) – [[sumac]].
[[File:Russian Olive.jpg|thumb|''Senjed'']]
[[File:Hyacinthus orientalis0.jpg|thumb|''Sonbol'']]
[[File:Sumac.jpg|thumb|Somāq]]
Coins (سکه ''sekke''), hyacinth (سنبل ''sonbol''), and clock (ساعت ''suat'' also pronounced so-at) are sometimes included too. Other symbolic items that are typically used to accompany Haft-sin include a mirror, candles, [[egg decorating|painted eggs]], [[goldfish]], and traditional Persian confections.
A "book of wisdom" is also commonly included, which might be, [[Avesta]], the [[Shahnameh]], the [[Quran]] or [[the Divān of Hafez]].<ref name="Nowruz" />
One of the most well-known traditions celebrated at the start of the new solar year is “haft sin”. Items that begin with the letter (S), such as apples, garlic, coins, and so on, are organized on the Sofre Haft-Sin. Haft Sin has been connected to the word “haft chin,” which denotes seven picks, in certain root searches.
Seven was regarded as a sacred number in the Sasanian faith, and at this time, individuals planted seven seeds on seven distinct pillars.
Iranians offer Haft Sin for either the twelve sacred tower numbers or the number seven Amshaspand. For the first day of spring, they placed items like greenery and water signifying growth and light, milk signifying rebirth, resurrection, and rebirth, a fire pit signifying the sustainability of heat and light, a mirror signifying purity and transparency, a freshly struck coin symbolizing possession and blessing, an egg signifying race and sperm, an oleaster signifying endearment and fertility and birth, an apple signifying the mystery of love, a pomegranate signifying sanctity, an orange representing the Earth sphere, a specific Esfand flower signifying Amshaspand Sepandarms on their tables and a fish signifying the end of the Esfand month.
In addition to the Holy Book, other items in the Sofreh Haft Sin were bread baked from seven grains, cheese, sugar, dates, rose water, olives, branches from the holy pomegranate tree, willow, and figs in bunches of seven, twelve, or three.
According to legend, the Haft Shin table was used by Persians before being given a new name. The Haft Shin table’s components were candles (Sham), wine (Sharab), nectar (Shahd), syrup (Sharbat), sweets (Shirini), boxwood (Shamshad), and anemones (Shaqayegh) or plant branches (Shakh-e-Nabat).
When Haft Shin first gained popularity among Iranians during the Sassanid era, Shamshad was set out on the table alongside the other Shins on Nowruz as a representation of longevity and greenness.
Persians used to prepare the “Seven Candles” table during the Sassanid era and before the advent of Islam, which contained wine, candles, sharbat, boxwood, nectar, and anemones. The Persian alphabet “Shin” changed into “Sin” when Islam was introduced to Iran and their “wine” was declared to be unlawful. At this point, its twin, vinegar, was put on the table.
== Afghan Haft Mewa ==
In [[Afghanistan]], people prepare ''Haft Mēwa'' ({{langx|fa|هفت‌میوه}}) (literally translates as ''Seven Fruits'') in addition to or instead of ''Haft Seen'' which is common in Iran. Haft Mewa is like a [[fruit salad]] made from seven different [[dried fruit]]s, served in their own [[syrup]]. The seven dried fruits are: [[raisin]]s, ''Senjed'' (the dried fruit of the [[Elaeagnus angustifolia|oleaster]] tree), [[pistachio]]s, [[Common Hazel|hazelnuts]], [[Prune (fruit)|prunes]] (dried [[apricot]]s), [[walnuts]] and either [[almond]]s or another species of [[plum]] fruit.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sethi |first=Simran |date=2022-03-21 |title=Nowruz is banned in Afghanistan, but families continue to celebrate |language=en |work=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/03/21/1087296594/nowruz-is-banned-in-afghanistan-but-families-continue-to-celebrate |access-date=2022-04-29 |archive-date=2022-04-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220428111103/https://www.npr.org/2022/03/21/1087296594/nowruz-is-banned-in-afghanistan-but-families-continue-to-celebrate |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Deravian |first=Naz |date=2022-03-14 |title=For Afghans Abroad, Nowruz Is a Chance to Reflect |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/14/dining/afghan-nowroz-celebration-food.html |access-date=2022-04-29 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=2022-04-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429203825/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/14/dining/afghan-nowroz-celebration-food.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Gallery==
<gallery>
Sabzeh for norouz.jpg|[[Wheatgrass]], one of the items of Haft-sin.
Samanoo-Samanou-Persian-sweet-paste-for-Nowruz-Haft-Sin-Tablet.jpg|A bowl of [[samanu]], one of the items of Haft-sin.
اجزاء سفره هفت سین - عید نوروز (4).jpg|[[Goldfish]], one of the items of Haft-sin.
White house haft seen.jpg|A Haft-sin table at the [[White House]].
HaftSeen2.JPG|A Haft-sin table at a hotel in Bijar, [[Kurdistan]].
Haft Seen in Iran.jpg|A Haft-sin table at [[Sharif University of Technology]].
HaftSin-Iran.jpg|A Haft-sin table.
Persian New Year celebration — Haft-Sin.jpg|A Haft-sin table.
Noruz1387.jpg|A Haft-sin table.
Iranian_New_Year_Haft_Sin.jpg|A Haft-sin table.
Haft Seen 1394.jpg|A Haft-sin table.
File:Haft Mewa Afg.jpg|Haft Mewa
Haft Seen 1390.jpg|A Haft-sin table.
Haft Seen 1393_01.jpg|A Haft-sin table.
Haft Seen 1392_1.jpg|A Haft-sin table.
File:هفت میوه.jpg|Haft Mewa
</gallery>
==See also==
*[[Passover Seder plate]], an aesthetically similar (except for its element of animal sacrifice, a practice strictly banned by Zoroastrians) display for the [[Jews|Jewish]] holiday of [[Passover]]; and the [[Seven Species|Seven food Species]] from {{Bibleverse||Deuteronomy|8:8|HE}} that Jews traditionally eat on [[Tu Bishvat]] (the Jewish "New Year for Trees", roughly January/February), [[Sukkot]] (the "Festival of Booths" - harvest/autumn), and [[Shavuot]] (the "Festival of Weeks", roughly seven weeks after the start of Passover).
*[[Twelve-dish Christmas Eve supper]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{commons category|Haft-Seen}}
*{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/haft-sin |title=HAFT SIN |encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Iranica |first=A. Shapur |last=Shahbazi |volume=XI |pages=524–526 |date=March 1, 2012}}
{{Nowruz}}
[[Category:Nowruz|Haft-sin]]
[[Category:Ceremonial food and drink]]
[[Category:Goldfish in culture]]