PDF COPY - Manuel berberian

This clearly shows that the view of the spheroidal shape of the earth was held bythe Persians and Indians far earlier that 6h Century B.C. of Greece.Moreover, Bundahishn clearly addresses that the earth was created as"smoothedaspherical/rounded planet with no highs and lows" Thisobservation of the primordial planet earth is very interesting since we know thatprior to the orogenic activity (c. 3.9 Billion years ago) the earth was smooth with nomajor mountain belts and basins. This observation of the planet earth agreesremarkably wellwith modern data.11.2. lnterior Structure of the EarthThe most conspicuous feature of the earth's interior is the existence of threelayers (crust, mantle, and core) discovered during the 20h century by deepseismic exploration and earthquake seismology.According to Bundahishn, Avesta (Yasna:11ft; Farvardin Yashtl/2), andVeda, the rounded earth is "layered' and there are "three layers" in the earth(however, no specific description of these layers is given). Moreover, in Mandala10 of Rig Veda we read that'Agni [fire, fire Deva] r.s housed in the centre of theearth'. According to Bundahishn (lll/27) "Hell is in the middle of the Eafth". Thesereflecthat fiery material are stored beneath the earth's solid surface.lll. Earthquakes"And he smote the ox [the sole-created or pimeval ox], he made Goyamardmoftal, and he shook the earth; and the land was shattered, creationbecame dark, and the demons rushed below, and on all sides, andmounted even to the uppermosthird of the sky"(D adi sta n-e- Di ni k WV I l/46)Earthquake is a sudden motion or trembling in the earth caused by theabrupt release of slowly accumulated strain (by faulting or by volcanic activity). Abrief review of the modern earthquake theories necessitates tracing their principaldevelopments in ancient beliefs, philosophies, cultures, and religions. In theearliest magical and religious cosmologies, earthquakes were an item of greatinterest. Real or supposed natural phenomena were attributed to divinitie suchas Poseidon, or to mythological figures such as the giants (i.e., Chashmag-e-Div,Khara, Durk Angeghiya), or even to human heroes and holy men.Our knowledge of the various theories elaborated in the ancient world aboutthe causes of earthquakes comes to us through the Persian and Greek myths,philosophies and cultures. Sporadic allusions to large earthquakes in the lranianPlateau are to be found in the old Persian myths, legends and long-standing oraltraditions. Most western textbook suggesthat in classical Greek times, winds insubterranean caves were believed to be the cause of earthquakes. Aristotle (340BC) credits the earlier Greek philosopher Anaxagoras (400 BC) as the originator ofthis idea (Ambraseys and Melville 1982:31 , 176, 177; Howell, Jr. 1986:1323;