Introduction
Anahita, more fully Aredvi Sura Anahita ("the damp, mighty, undefiled one"), is a Yazata of the waters, fertility and wisdom, one of the most popular and widely worshipped deities of pre-Islamic Iran, with major temples dedicated to her across the Persian Empire.
Waters and fertility
Anahita is described in the Aban Yasht, the Avestan hymn dedicated to her, as a great cosmic river descending from a high mountain, source of all the waters of the world, and connected with fertility, purification and abundance for crops, herds and human offspring alike.
Iconography and cult
In later Achaemenid and Sasanian-era depictions, Anahita is shown as a richly adorned goddess, and her cult, associated with sacred fires and temples along with water shrines, was one of the most prominent in ancient Iran, promoted especially by the Achaemenid king Artaxerxes II, who established her statues and temples throughout the empire.
Comparative context
Anahita's role as a major water and fertility goddess has invited comparison by scholars with other ancient Near Eastern and Indo-European goddesses, such as Ishtar and Aphrodite, reflecting either shared ancient roots or later cultural exchange across the region.