Tower of Silence

5 comments:

david1082 said...

"And on your right you can see the oven where the largest pancake in history was made on December 20th, 1986. It took 600 people four days to eat the whole thing."

Nicola Masciandaro said...

Kristen,

Where is this one?

Best,

Nicola

Kristen Alvanson said...

It is on the outskirts of Yazd.

Nicola Masciandaro said...

Thanks. The following took place in the outskirts of Yazd, perhaps in the same tower. I now think of it as a kind of childhood nigredo-play:

"One day when Shahr-yar was seven years old, his father left to do some work in the town, leaving him alone at the Tower of Silence. Moondegar was delayed in returning and during the evening the corpse of a child was brought, but since it was after sunset the last rites could not be performed until daylight. Thus the funeral party left the corpse outside the wall of the Tower. In that lonely, desolate area hungry vultures hovered over the corpse, but little Shahr-yar threw rocks to keep them away. Shahr-yar, determined to protect the child's body, tied the legs of the child to his own feet and lay down next to the corpse. The vultures' screeches became more furious but not one swept down upon the boy. When Moondegar returned he found Shahr-yar sleeping next to the corpse of the child with their legs tied together and he was amazed at the bravery of his small son."

Nicola Masciandaro said...

Thought you might enjoy this.