Examining history, it is quite clear that the ancient Zoroastrians did not follow the dakhmenashini system nor did Prophet Zoroaster prescribe it. There is no mention of dakhma in the Gathas or in any other ancient scriptures, except in the Vendidad which elaborates on hygiene and maintenance of dakhmas.
In the prehistoric period, corpses were carried to nearby hills and placed on a southern slope. Clothes, armor, ornaments, etc were removed from the corpse to facilitate its fast decomposition. The bones were collected, placed in a box or vessel known as an astodan or ossuary.
In case of disasters like wars, famines, plagues, etc, this would have been a very unpleasant sight, thus, a mud and/or stone wall was built as a screen. This gradually became circular, evolving into dakhmas. Some of the oldest dakhmas had baked brick walls which clearly indicate that this custom of disposal occurred well after Zoroaster.
In the early Achemenid period, the great kings of Persia were buried, and not exposed. Cyrus the Great had a robust monument, and his bones are supposed to be buried inside. Cyrus’ successors, instead of using stone tombs, used the excavated chambers in the mountain itself. They had their bodies embalmed and buried in tombs. At Naqsh-e-Rustum near Persepolis, Darius I and his successors had their tombs cut from rock. There are four tombs near Persepolis. This proves that nobles could afford to build tombs. In the medieval times, the excavations in the Islamic town of Siraf, on the Persian Gulf (9th-10th centuries), showed that some tombs were used for collective burials.
The Greek geographer and historian Strabo wrote that Ancistoloulus, during his conquest, saw corpses exposed to vultures in Taxila, but nowhere else in India. Much later, the Chinese writer, Wei-shu (572 AD), noted that the Persians exposed their corpses on hills.
In early 20th century as the dakhmas were not really performing properly, the Iranians themselves voluntarily gave up the dakhma system in favor of burial. The Iranian anjumans of Tehran, Yazd and Kerman agreed, and built a cemetery at Ghaser-e-Firouzh. In 1970 dakhmas were officially forbidden by law. Old dakhmas are now found in Yazd and Kerman only.
(In a clarifictaion sought by Parsiana, Mobed Mehraban Firouzgary of Iran responded: "No dakhma is functional any more in Iran... None of the existing dakhmas have been demolished. In Yazd there used to be three active dakhmas. To the best of my knowledge, the one in village Cham was the last one to be sealed in or around 1975” — editors)
Zoroastrians in Bombay are anxious to maintain the dakhmenashini system. The Bombay Parsi Punchayet has experimented with solar panels. Solar heat is basically cremation. Orthodox Zoroastrians staunchly believe that a dead body cannot be exposed to fire, water, etc, the elements of God. Yet other modern Zoroastrians state that as they consider fire to be holy and maintain a small diva in their home, offering their dead body to the fire (cremation) is proper and may be technically better.
Let us admit that without vultures and wild dogs, our dakhmenashini system cannot function properly and is gradually failing. DADI SURTI
dadi.surti1@gmail.com