Gaoshouroon: A Study of allegorical and mythological views of cows in Ferdowsi's Shahnameh

Animals have always played important roles in the lives of men, to the extent that, they have sometimes received considerable attentions, and have been considered sacred and mythological creature. Cow has been considered as one of the most useful animals that from beginnings of civilization, throughout the world, has been important to men, and has been included in the ancient deities. Shahnameh has been the manifestation of Iranian generations, culture, and literature, paying special attention to myths and beliefs in Iran. In this article, an attempt is made to study allegorical and mythological aspects of cow, as depicted in Shahnameh. In processing the epics and stories of Shahnameh, Ferdowsi has used the myths of this animal by pointing at the allegoricalfeatures attributed to this animal.