The Magical Cups of Some Fictional and Historical Characters in Iranian Texts

Excluding two famous cups of Jamšīd and Key-xosrow with magical properties (similar to a crystal ball), some other historical and fictional characters also have magical cups in Iranian texts and narratives. Among them Kāvūs, the eminent Kayanid monarch, is the owner of the famed magical cup in the naqqāli tradition (the dramatic story-telling and performance). The Indian Kēd gave Alexander a cup, which is called the cup of Eskandar (Alexander)/ Sekandar/ Sekandari in Persian poetry. The content of the cup of Eskandar was not reduced by drinking; and in some sources the cup acted as a crystal ball as well. In historical sources there are indications to Xosrow-parvīz’s magical cup with attributes of a crystal ball, and self-filling property; and it seems that Dārā/ Dārāb and Anūšīravān also had such cups. In this paper, the evidences related to the magical cups from literary, historical and fictional sources are collected and studied.