Shahmar
Tat · numen · Tat traditional religion; continuing · Recorded classification
Shahmar, the 'king of snakes,' is a great serpent of Tat and wider Caucasian-Iranian folklore, ruler of all snakes and keeper of hidden knowledge and buried treasure. He is imagined dwelling in caves and beneath the earth, sometimes crested or with a semblance of a human head. One who wins his favour, or who eats of his flesh, gains the understanding of the speech of animals and the secrets of healing herbs. The protective house-serpent, which guards the home and must never be killed, is reckoned among his kind.
Domains
- serpents
- hidden treasure
Powers
- rule over all snakes
- grant the speech of animals
Sources
- Shahmar, the king of snakes, is a great serpent of Tat and wider Caucasian-Iranian folklore, keeper of hidden knowledge and treasure, whose favour grants the understanding of animal speech.: Mify narodov mira, ed. S. A. Tokarev (Moscow, 1980) (secondary); B. V. Miller, Taty, ikh rasselenie i govory (Baku, 1929) (secondary)