Archetype of sacrifice in the Mithraism and Zoroastrianism Religion: A Focus on Sacrificing Cow

In the archetype of sacrifice, the element of sacrifice is chosen according to the type of culture, religion, livelihood, etc. Cow, as an ancient myth in the mythological story of genesis in Iran is a prominent element of sacrifice and this was an important part of the ritual. Through shedding cow's blood, the earth was revived, and through eating his flesh, the followers of the religion could be immortal. However, after Zoroastrianism, several reasons such as opposition to symbols of Mythraism propagating monotheism, and the necessity of settlement and development of civilization, the sacrifice of cow was opposed, and Zoroastrianism respected its life, but there have been reports of sacrificing cows in Zoroastrianism, suggesting the need to carry out this ritual, to help the fertility of the land and reviving the life cycle. Nevertheless, the reaction Zoroastrianism showed to the sacrifice of cow shifted the myth of immortality and protecting earth to a new level, and rationalized the mythological themes. This study, accordingly, analyzes the archetype of sacrificing cow in Mithraism and Zoroastrianism borrowing Jung's theory and a descriptive-analytic research method.