Zoroastrianism is the least well know yet one of the most important and fascinating of the world religions. Deriving from very ancient sources, in its rich traditions and worship Zoroastrianism has preserved many immensely archaic forms, dating back to a period earlier, even, than its own founding. Although the number of present-day adherents has shrunk to relatively small dimensions, in its time this faith exerted a profound influence on the development of Western religion. Including selections from original texts, historical detail, as well as thoughtful analysis, this work introduces the reader to Zoroastrian tradition, doctrines, and writings and traces their development down to modern times.