Haft-Seen

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Haft Seen traditional table of Nowrooz
A "Haft Seen" setting in Tehran, Iran

Haft Seen, otherwise known as Haft Sīn (Persian: هفت‌سین‎‎, the seven S's ) is a tabletop arrangement of seven symbolic items traditionally displayed at Nowruz, the Persian new year. The haft seen table includes seven items all starting with the letter sīn (س) in the Persian alphabet.

The Haft Seen items are:

  1. Sabzeh (سبزه) - wheat, barley, mung bean or lentil sprouts growing in a dish - symbolizing rebirth
  2. Samanu (سمنو) - sweet pudding made from wheat germ - symbolizing affluence
  3. Senjed (سنجد) - dried oleaster Wild Olive fruit - symbolizing love
  4. Seer (سیر) - garlic - symbolizing medicine
  5. Seeb (سیب) - apple - symbolizing beauty and health
  6. Somāq (سماق) - sumac fruit - symbolizing (the color of) sunrise
  7. Serkeh (سرکه) - vinegar - symbolizing old-age and patience
  • Sabzeh - Sprouts from seven different kinds of seeds
  • clay figures, whitewashed (favorites being domestic animals, cows, donkeys, sheep, camel, nightingale, peacock, also household objects such as sugar-loaf, bowls, or a three-legged stool). These "bear witness to the triumphant works of creation."
  • a mirror
  • a goldfish in a bowl represents life and the end of astral year-picas
  • a low brazier full of fire
  • a lamp
  • sprays of cypress or pine
  • pomegranates
  • painted eggs
  • Shahnameh, by Abolqasem Ferdowsi

Gallery

See also

External links