Vendidad

==History==

==History==

The classic view is that the Vendidad is a late creation and its current use within the [[Yasht i Visperad abag Videvdad|Videvdad liturgy]] happened later still.{{sfn|Modi|1922|loc=pp. 350-351}} This is based on the corrupt Avestan of the text{{sfn|Malandra|2000}} and the seeming lack of any connection between its content and the liturgy in which it is used.{{sfn|Hintze|2004|loc=p. 300}} So whereas the Vendidad may be a product of the [[Parthian empire|Parthian period]], the ceremony may be "an innovation of the Islamic period".{{sfn|Malandra|2000}}

The classic view is that the Vendidad is a late creation and its current use within the [[Yasht i Visperad abag Videvdad|Videvdad liturgy]] happened later still.{{sfn|Modi|1922|loc=pp. 350-351}} This is based on the corrupted Avestan of the text{{sfn|Malandra|2000}} and the seeming lack of any connection between its content and the liturgy in which it is used.{{sfn|Hintze|2004|loc=p. 300}} So whereas the Vendidad may be a product of the [[Parthian empire|Parthian period]], the ceremony may be "an innovation of the Islamic period".{{sfn|Malandra|2000}}

Both points have been challenged more recently. [[Prods Oktor Skjaervo|Skjaervo]] has argued that the corruptions of the Vendidad are not necessarily the result of a late redaction, but may have occurred during the process of its oral transmission. In addition, he demonstrates that at least the beginning and end of the Vendidad show a connection to the parts of the liturgy in which they are inserted.{{sfn|Skjærvø|2007}} Cantera furthermore demonstrates a connection between its overall structure and the corresponding parts of the liturgy. This indicates that they were indeed composed as insertions. Finally, Cantera has shown that the performative variations of the liturgy are in proper Avestan, indicating that both the text and the liturgy were created when Avestan was still a productive language, i.e., during the much earlier [[Avestan period]].{{sfn|Cantera|2016|loc=p. 69}}

Both points have been challenged more recently. [[Prods Oktor Skjaervo|Skjaervo]] has argued that the corruptions of the Vendidad are not necessarily the result of a late redaction, but may have occurred during the process of its oral transmission. In addition, he demonstrates that at least the beginning and end of the Vendidad show a connection to the parts of the liturgy in which they are inserted.{{sfn|Skjærvø|2007}} Cantera furthermore demonstrates a connection between its overall structure and the corresponding parts of the liturgy. This indicates that they were indeed composed as insertions. Finally, Cantera has shown that the performative variations of the liturgy are in proper Avestan, indicating that both the text and the liturgy were created when Avestan was still a productive language, i.e., during the much earlier [[Avestan period]].{{sfn|Cantera|2016|loc=p. 69}}