Nowrooz-Yousef Abdinejad-50x70cm-oil on canvas

Haftsin ( fa, هفت‌سین) is an arrangement of seven symbolic items whose names start with the letter "س" (pronounced as "seen"), the 15th letter in the Persian alphabet; "haft" (هفت) is

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

for "seven". It is traditionally displayed at

Nowruz Nowruz ( fa, نوروز, ; ), zh, 诺鲁孜节, ug, نەۋروز, ka, ნოვრუზ, ku, Newroz, he, נורוז, kk, Наурыз, ky, Нооруз, mn, Наурыз, ur, نوروز, tg, Наврӯз, tr, Nevruz, tk, Nowruz, ...

, the

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

ian New Year, which is celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox, marking the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

Items of Haft-seen

The following are the primary items of Haft-sin, whose

names begin with the letter ''sin'' in the Persian alphabet. # () –

wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...

barley Barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Globally 70% of barley p ...

, mung bean, or

lentil The lentil (''Lens culinaris'' or ''Lens esculenta'') is an edible legume. It is an annual plant known for its lens-shaped seeds. It is about tall, and the seeds grow in pods, usually with two seeds in each. As a food crop, the largest pro ...

sprouts grown in a dish. # () –

wheat germ Cereal germ or Wheat germ: The germ of a cereal is the reproductive part that germinates to grow into a plant; it is the embryo of the seed. Along with bran, germ is often a by-product of the milling that produces refined grain products ...

sweet pudding. # () –

Oleaster , signifying a plant like an olive, but less valuable (cf. poetaster), may be applied to: *Feral olive trees that have been allowed to run wild *'' Olea oleaster'', the wild olive *Various species of ''Elaeagnus'', notably ''Elaeagnus angustifolia'' ...

# () –

vinegar Vinegar is an aqueous solution of acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains 5–8% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting simple sugars to eth ...

. # () –

apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, ' ...

. # () – garlic. Russian Olive

Coins (سکه ''sekke''), hyacinth (سنبل ''sombol''), and clock (ساعت ''suat'' also pronounced so-at) are sometimes included too. Other symbolic items that are typically used to accompany Haft-sin include a mirror, candles, painted eggs,

goldfish The goldfish (''Carassius auratus'') is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It is commonly kept as a pet in indoor aquariums, and is one of the most popular aquarium fish. Goldfish released into the wild have bec ...

, and traditional Persian confections. A "book of wisdom" is also commonly included, which might be the Quran,

Avesta The Avesta () is the primary collection of religious texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language. The Avesta texts fall into several different categories, arranged either by dialect, or by usage. The principal text in the lit ...

, the

Shahnameh The ''Shahnameh'' or ''Shahnama'' ( fa, شاهنامه, Šāhnāme, lit=The Book of Kings, ) is a long epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between c. 977 and 1010 CE and is the national epic of Greater Iran. Consisting of some 50 ...

, or

the Divān of Hafez ''The Divān'' of Hafez ( Persian: دیوان حافظ) is a collection of poems written by the Iranian poet Hafez. Most of these poems are in Persian, but there are some macaronic language poems (in Persian and Arabic) and a completely Arabic g ...

Symbolic Roots of Haft-seen

The Haft-Seen table represents nature. By tradition, Iranian families take great pains to create the most beautiful Haft-Seen table that they can, for not only does it embody values both traditional and spiritual, it is also appreciated by the visitors during Nowruz visiting exchanges as a reflection of the families' aesthetic sense and good taste. Items that start with Persian letter "س": *'' Sabzeh'' (): Sprouting /Grass: the symbol of rebirth and growth. *''

Samanu Samanu ( fa, سمنو / ''samanu''; az, səməni halvası), Samanak ( fa, سمنک / ''samanak''), Sümelek ( kk, сүмелек / tm, Sümelek / ''Syumelek''), Sumanak ( tg, суманак), Sumalak ( uz, sumalak ) or Sümölök ( ky, с� ...

'' (): the symbol of power and strength. *'' Senjed'' (): the symbol of love. *'' Somāq'' (): Sumac: the symbol of sunrise. *'' Serkeh'' (): Vinegar: the symbol of patience. *''

Seeb Al-Seeb, As Seeb or As Sib ( ar, السيب) is a coastal fishing city, located several kilometres northwest of Muscat, in northeastern Oman. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 470,878. Landmarks include the Naseem Garden, the Royal ...

'' (): Apple: the symbol of beauty. *''

Seer In the United States, the efficiency of air conditioners is often rated by the seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) which is defined by the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute, a trade association, in its 2008 standard AHR ...

'' (): Garlic: the symbol of health and medicine. Other items that start with Persian letter "س" that are sometimes included: *'' Sonbol'' (): Hyacinth: the symbol of spring's arrival. *'' Sekkeh'' (): Coin: the symbol of wealth and prosperity. *'' Saat'' (): Clock: the symbol of time. Items that don't start with "س" but, nonetheless, are invariably included: *'' Tokhm-e Morg Rangi'' (): Eggs: the symbol of fertility. *'' Ayina'' (): Mirror: the symbol of self-reflection. *'' Shem'a'' (): Candle: the symbol of enlightenment. *'' Maahi-ye Qırmız'' (): Goldfish: the symbol of progress. *'' Ketaab'' (): Book: the symbol of wisdom.

Afghan Haft Mewa

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

, people prepare ''Haft Mēwa'' ( fa, هفت‌میوه) (literally translates as ''Seven Fruits'') in addition to or instead of ''Haft Seen'' which is common in Iran. Haft Mewa is like a

fruit salad Fruit salad is a dish consisting of various kinds of fruit, sometimes served in a liquid, either their juices or a syrup. In different forms, fruit salad can be served as an appetizer or a side salad. When served as an appetizer, a fruit sala ...

made from seven different

dried fruit Dried fruit is fruit from which the majority of the original water content has been removed either naturally, through sun drying, or through the use of specialized dryers or dehydrators. Dried fruit has a long tradition of use dating back to th ...

s, served in their own

syrup In cooking, a syrup (less commonly sirup; from ar, شراب; , beverage, wine and la, sirupus) is a condiment that is a thick, viscous liquid consisting primarily of a solution of sugar in water, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars ...

. The seven dried fruits are:

raisin A raisin is a dried grape. Raisins are produced in many regions of the world and may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking, and brewing. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, the word ''raisin'' is reserved for the ...

s, ''Senjed'' (the dried fruit of the

oleaster , signifying a plant like an olive, but less valuable (cf. poetaster), may be applied to: *Feral olive trees that have been allowed to run wild *'' Olea oleaster'', the wild olive *Various species of ''Elaeagnus'', notably ''Elaeagnus angustifolia'' ...

tree), pistachios,

hazelnuts The hazelnut is the fruit of the hazel tree and therefore includes any of the nuts deriving from species of the genus ''Corylus'', especially the nuts of the species ''Corylus avellana''. They are also known as cobnuts or filberts according ...

prunes A prune is a dried plum, most commonly from the European plum (''Prunus domestica''). Not all plum species or varieties can be dried into prunes. A prune is the firm-fleshed fruit (plum) of ''Prunus domestica'' varieties that have a high sol ...

(dried apricots),

walnuts A walnut is the edible seed of a drupe of any tree of the genus ''Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, ''Juglans regia''. Although culinarily considered a "nut" and used as such, it is not a true bot ...

and either almonds or another species of plum fruit.

Gallery

Sabzeh for norouz.jpg,

Wheatgrass Wheatgrass is the freshly sprouted first leaves of the common wheat plant (''Triticum aestivum''), used as a food, drink, or dietary supplement. Wheatgrass is served freeze dried or fresh, and so it differs from wheat malt, which is convect ...

, one of the items of Haft-sin. Samanoo-Samanou-Persian-sweet-paste-for-Nowruz-Haft-Sin-Tablet.jpg, A bowl of

samanu Samanu ( fa, سمنو / ''samanu''; az, səməni halvası), Samanak ( fa, سمنک / ''samanak''), Sümelek ( kk, сүмелек / tm, Sümelek / ''Syumelek''), Sumanak ( tg, суманак), Sumalak ( uz, sumalak ) or Sümölök ( ky, с� ...

, one of the items of Haft-sin. اجزاء سفره هفت سین - عید نوروز (4).jpg,

Goldfish The goldfish (''Carassius auratus'') is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It is commonly kept as a pet in indoor aquariums, and is one of the most popular aquarium fish. Goldfish released into the wild have bec ...

, one of the items of Haft-sin. White house haft seen.jpg, A Haft-sin table at the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...

. HaftSeen2.JPG, A Haft-sin table at a hotel in Bijar,

Kurdistan Kurdistan ( ku, کوردستان ,Kurdistan ; lit. "land of the Kurds") or Greater Kurdistan is a roughly defined geo-cultural territory in Western Asia wherein the Kurds form a prominent majority population and the Kurdish culture, languages ...

. Haft Seen in Iran.jpg, A Haft-sin table at

Sharif University of Technology Sharif University of Technology (SUT; fa, دانشگاه صنعتی شریف) is a public research university in Tehran, Iran. It is widely considered as the nation's most prestigious and leading institution for science, technology, engineering ...

. HaftSin-Iran.jpg, A Haft-sin table. Persian New Year celebration — Haft-Sin.jpg, A Haft-sin table. Noruz1387.jpg, A Haft-sin table. Iranian_New_Year_Haft_Sin.jpg, A Haft-sin table. Haft Seen 1394.jpg, A Haft-sin table. File:Haft Mewa Afg.jpg, Haft Mewa Haft Seen 1390.jpg, A Haft-sin table. Haft Seen 1393_01.jpg, A Haft-sin table. Haft Seen 1392_1.jpg, A Haft-sin table. File:هفت میوه.jpg, Haft Mewa

References

External links

* {{Nowruz

Haft-sin Haftsin ( fa, هفت‌سین) is an arrangement of seven symbolic items whose names start with the letter "س" (pronounced as "seen"), the 15th letter in the Persian alphabet; "haft" (هفت) is Persian for "seven". It is traditionally displaye ...