View source for Tawûsî Melek

{{pp|small=yes}} {{Short description|Angelic Being, one of the central figures of the Yazidi religion}} {{Infobox deity|type=Yazidism, Yarsanism|name=Tawûsî Melek|image=Ezidi shrine of Sharaf al-Deen nestled into the Shingal mountains near Sinune village 06.jpg|member_of=the Heptad|other_names=Tawûsî Mêran|region=[[Kurdistan]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Leezenberg |first1=Michiel |title=19 - Religion in Kurdistan |chapter=Religion in Kurdistan |year=2021 |pages=477–505 |doi=10.1017/9781108623711.020 |isbn=9781108623711 |s2cid=235526110 |chapter-url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/cambridge-history-of-the-kurds/religion-in-kurdistan/F7D139FC0FBC49393B4FEE5461C27559 |access-date=13 June 2022}}</ref>|ethnic_group=[[Kurds]] ([[Yazidis]] and [[Yarsanism|Yarsanis]])<ref name="iryez" />|deity_of=Lord of this World, Leader of the Heptad|venerated_in=[[Yazidism]] and [[Yarsanism]]|caption=Peacock statue on [[Sharfadin Temple]] in [[Sinjar]], [[Iraq]]|symbols=[[Peafowl|Peacock]], [[Divine light|Light]], [[Rainbows in mythology|Rainbow]], [[Yazidis#Territory and religious administrative structure|Sencaq]]|festivals=[[Yazidi New Year]], sometimes also called Cejna Tawûsî Melek (Feast of Tawûsî Melek)<ref>{{Cite book |author=Omarkhali, Khanna |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/1007841078 |title=The Yezidi religious textual tradition : from oral to written categories, transmission, scripturalisation and canonisation of the Yezidi oral religious texts |year=2017 |isbn=978-3-447-10856-0 |pages=596 |publisher=Harrassowitz Verlag |oclc=1007841078}}</ref>}}{{Kurds}}{{Yazidism}}
[[File:Tausi-Malek.png|right|thumb|250x250px|Melek Taûs, the Peacock Angel]]
'''Tawûsî Melek'''{{Efn|also known as Melekê Tawûs and Tawûsê Melek.}} ({{langx|ku|تاوسی مەلەک|lit=Peacock Angel|translit=Tawûsî Melek}})<ref name=":0">{{cite news|title=Sembolîzma teyran di Êzîdîtiyê de (1)|url=http://www.bued.boun.edu.tr/turik.asp?id=47|access-date=27 December 2019|language=ku}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book|author=Omarkhali, Khanna|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/1329211153|title=The Yezidi Religious Textual Tradition : From Oral to Written Categories, Transmission, Scripturalisation and Canonisation of the Yezidi Oral Religious Texts|date=2017|publisher=Harrassowitz|isbn=978-3-447-10856-0|oclc=1329211153}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Aysif|first=Rezan Shivan|url=http://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?univerlag-isbn-978-3-86395-514-4|title=The Role of Nature in Yezidism: Poetic Texts and Living Tradition|date=2021|publisher=Göttingen University Press|isbn=978-3-86395-514-4|location=Göttingen|doi=10.17875/gup2021-1855|s2cid=246596953}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-04-13|title=مەھدى حەسەن:جەژنا سەر سالێ‌ دمیتۆلۆژیا ئێزدیان دا|url=https://www.lalishduhok.com/ckb/%da%af%db%86%d8%aa%d8%a7%d8%b1/post/332436/,%20https://www.lalishduhok.com/ckb/گۆتار/post/332436/|access-date=2022-11-18}}</ref> is one of the central figures of the [[Yazidism|Yazidi religion]]. In Yazidi [[Creation myth|creation stories]], before the creation of this world, God created seven [[Yazidism#Holy figures|Divine Beings]], of whom Tawûsî Melek was appointed as the leader. God assigned all of the world's affairs to these seven Divine Beings, also often referred to as the Seven [[Angel|Angels]] or heft sirr ("the Seven Mysteries").<ref name="Asatrian-Arakelova 2003">{{cite journal|author1-link=Garnik Asatrian|date=January 2003|editor-last=Asatrian|editor-first=Garnik S.|title=Malak-Tāwūs: The Peacock Angel of the Yezidis|journal=[[Iran and the Caucasus]]|location=[[Leiden]]|publisher=[[Brill Publishers]] in collaboration with the Caucasian Centre for Iranian Studies ([[Yerevan]])|volume=7|issue=1–2|pages=1–36|doi=10.1163/157338403X00015|issn=1609-8498|eissn=1573-384X|jstor=4030968|lccn=2001227055|oclc=233145721|author1-last=Asatrian|author1-first=Garnik S.|author2-last=Arakelova|author2-first=Victoria}}</ref><ref name="Allison 2017">{{cite encyclopedia|title=The Yazidis|encyclopedia=Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Religion|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|location=[[Oxford]]|url=https://oxfordre.com/religion/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199340378.001.0001/acrefore-9780199340378-e-254|access-date=15 May 2021|date=25 January 2017|doi=10.1093/acrefore/9780199340378.013.254|isbn=9780199340378|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190311065225/https://oxfordre.com/religion/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199340378.001.0001/acrefore-9780199340378-e-254|archive-date=11 March 2019|author-last=Allison|author-first=Christine|doi-access=|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Asatrian-Arakelova 2014">{{cite book|author1-last=Asatrian|author1-first=Garnik S.|title=The Religion of the Peacock Angel: The Yezidis and Their Spirit World|author2-last=Arakelova|author2-first=Victoria|publisher=[[Routledge]]|year=2014|isbn=978-1-84465-761-2|series=Gnostica|location=[[Abingdon, Oxfordshire]]|pages=1–28|chapter=Part I: The One God - Malak-Tāwūs: The Leader of the Triad|doi=10.4324/9781315728896|oclc=931029996|author1-link=Garnik Asatrian|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y1RsBAAAQBAJ}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|author=Omarkhali, Khanna|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/1007841078|title=The Yezidi religious textual tradition : from oral to written categories, transmission, scripturalisation and canonisation of the Yezidi oral religious texts|year=2017|isbn=978-3-447-10856-0|pages=26|publisher=Harrassowitz Verlag|oclc=1007841078}}</ref>

In Yazidi beliefs, Tawûsî Melek, the Lord of this World, is responsible for all that happens on this world, both good and bad.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Veli.|first=Bozarslan, Hamit. Gunes, Cengiz. Yadirgi|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/1262669198|title=The Cambridge history of the Kurds|date=2021|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-108-47335-4|pages=538|oclc=1262669198}}</ref> According to religious tradition, Nature, with its myriad phenomena of light and darkness, emanates from a single source, that is Tawûsî Melek. [[Yazidism#Qewl and Beyt|Qewl]] passages emphasize Tawûsî Melek's power on the earth, in the sky, sea, on the mountains, and their residents, that is, his power exists in all parts of nature, whether celestial or terrestrial.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=Aysif|first=Rezan Shivan|url=https://www.univerlag.uni-goettingen.de/handle/3/isbn-978-3-86395-514-4|title=The Role of Nature in Yezidism|date=2021|isbn=978-3-86395-514-4|pages=61–67, 207–208, 264–265|doi=10.17875/gup2021-1855|s2cid=246596953}}</ref>

== Religious significance ==
{{Main|Yazidism}}

=== Tawûsî Melek in Yazidi beliefs and mythology ===
[[File:Pavaangyal.jpg|thumb|Melek Taûs, the Peacock Angel. This emblem features Tawûsî Melek in the center, the [[Sumerian language|Sumerian]] ''[[Dingir|diĝir]]'' on the left, and the domes above [[Sheikh Adi ibn Musafir|Sheikh 'Adī]]'s tomb on the right.]]
[[File:Yesidisches_Gräberfeld_Stadtfriedhof_Hannover_Lahe_Pfau_im_Schaukasten_auf_dem_Grab_von_Yezidi_Suleiman_Daoud.jpg|thumb|Tawûsî Melek depicted as a peacock inside the [[display case]] on the [[grave]] of a Yazidi believer, cemetery of the Yazidi community in [[Hannover]].]]
[[File:Jezida_templo_en_aknaliĉo.jpg|thumb|[[Quba Mere Diwane]] is the largest temple of the [[Yazidis]] in the world, located in the [[Armenia|Armenian]] village of [[Aknalich]]. The temple is dedicated to Melek Taûs and the [[Yazidism#Seven Angels|Seven Angels]] of Yazidi theology.]]
The [[Yazidis]] consider Tawûsî Melek an [[Emanationism|emanation]] of [[God]] who is a good, benevolent [[angel]] and leader of the [[archangels]], who was entrusted to take care of the world after he passed a test and created the cosmos from the [[World egg|Cosmic egg]].<ref>{{cite journal|author-last=Rodziewicz|author-first=Artur|date=December 2016|title=And the Pearl Became an Egg: The Yezidi Red Wednesday and Its Cosmogonic Background|editor-last=Asatrian|editor-first=Garnik S.|editor-link=Garnik Asatrian|journal=[[Iran and the Caucasus]]|volume=20|issue=3–4|location=[[Leiden]]|publisher=[[Brill Publishers]] in collaboration with the Caucasian Centre for Iranian Studies ([[Yerevan]])|pages=347–367|doi=10.1163/1573384X-20160306|eissn=1573-384X|issn=1609-8498|jstor=44631092|lccn=2001227055|oclc=233145721}}</ref> Yazidis believe that Tawûsî Melek is not a source of evil or wickedness.<ref name="Asatrian-Arakelova 2003" /><ref name="Allison 2017" /><ref name="Asatrian-Arakelova 2014" /> They consider him to be the leader of the [[archangels]], not a fallen nor a disgraced angel, but an [[Emanationism|emanation]] of God himself.<ref name="Asatrian-Arakelova 2003" /><ref name="Allison 2017" /><ref name="Asatrian-Arakelova 2014" /> The Yazidis believe that the founder or reformer of their religion, [[Sheikh Adi Ibn Musafir]], was an [[incarnation]] of Tawûsî Melek.

In Yazidi religious folk beliefs, Tawûsî Melek is described as eternal and an eternal light (''Tawûsî Melek herhey ye û nûra baqî ye''), and in Yazidi mythology, when Tawûsî Melek descended to earth, the seven colours of the [[Rainbows in mythology|rainbow]] transformed into a seven-coloured bird, the peacock, which flew around every part of earth to bless it, and its last resting place was in [[Lalish]]. Hence, in Yazidi mythology, the rainbow is linked with Tawûsî Melek and it is believed that he shows his blessing with the sign of rainbow.<ref name=":3" />

The first Wednesday of ''Nîsan'' (Eastern April) every year is believed to coincide with Tawûsî Melek's descending to earth as light, bringing in the New Year with its joyous renewal of life on earth, when Nature burgeons forth anew in Spring. It therefore became the holy day upon which [[Yazidi New Year|''Sersal'']] (Yazidi New Year) is celebrated. On the eve of the feast, 365/366 lamps are lit as the symbol of the descending of Tawûsî Melek to the earth. This number also corresponds to the number of the days in the year.<ref name=":3" />

Yazidi [[Creation myth|accounts of the creation]] differ significantly from those of the [[Abrahamic religions]] ([[Judaism]], [[Christianity]], and [[Islam]]), since they are derived from the [[Ancient Mesopotamian religion|Ancient Mesopotamian]] and [[Indo-Iranians|Indo-Iranian]] traditions; therefore, Yazidi cosmogony is closer to those of [[Ancient Iranian religion|Ancient Iranian religions]], [[Historical Vedic religion|Vedic Hinduism]], [[Yarsanism]] and [[Zoroastrianism]].<ref>Richard Foltz ''Religions of Iran: From Prehistory to the Present'' Oneworld Publications, 01.11.2013 {{ISBN|9781780743097}} p. 221</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Omarkhali|first=Khanna|title=The status and role of the Yezidi legends and myths. To the question of comparative analysis of Yezidism, Yārisān (Ahl-e Haqq) and Zoroastrianism: a common substratum?|journal=Folia Orientalia|volume=45–46|year=2009–2010|url=https://www.academia.edu/7918305|language=en}}</ref>

=== Symbolism of the Peacock in religious life ===
In Yazidism, the [[Peafowl|Peacock]], the symbol or icon of Tawûsî Melek, is believed to represent the diversity of the World,<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Pirbari|first1=Dimitri|url=https://www.academia.edu/2464521|title=Holy Lalish, 2008 (Ezidian temple Lalish in Iraqi Kurdistan).|last2=Grigoriev|first2=Stanislav|pages=183}}</ref> the colourfulness of its feathers being considered to symbolise the myriad colours of Nature. The radiating feathers of the peacock’s tail, revealed when it unfurls them in circular display, are held to symbolise the rays of the sun, bestowing their life-giving light each day at dawn.<ref name=":3" /> It is therefore considered a sacred bird, which Yazidis are expressly forbidden to hunt, eat, curse or ill-treat in any way. For this reason countless peacock images are to be found adorning the preeminent sanctuary of [[Lalish]] and all manner of other Yazidi shrines and holy sites, as well as the homes of the Yazidi faithful and their social, cultural and academic centres.<ref name=":3" />

== In Yarsanism ==
In [[Yarsanism]], a religion that shares many [[Yazdânism#Common features of Yezidism, Yarsanism and Dimili Alevism|similarities]] with Yazidism dating back to pre-Islam,<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Bozarslan|first1=Hamit|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IXgnEAAAQBAJ|title=The Cambridge History of the Kurds|last2=Gunes|first2=Cengiz|last3=Yadirgi|first3=Veli|date=2021-04-22|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-108-58301-5|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Omarkhali|first=Khanna|date=January 2009|title=The status and role of the Yezidi legends and myths. To the question of comparative analysis of Yezidism, Yārisān (Ahl-e Haqq) and Zoroastrianism: a common substratum?|url=https://www.academia.edu/7918305}}</ref> there is also a figure referred to as Malak Tawus, whose identification is tied to the names of angels during various ''dowres'' (cycles), which denotes range of concepts. Malak Tawus is believed to be "pure and without sin, above and free of any bad actions, obedient and devoted to God and consisting of light." According to Yarsani doctrine, during the ''dowre'' of Shari'at, in which one is being guided by Islamic Law, Malak Tawus was labelled as ''[[Shaitan|Sheytan]]'',<ref> ''The Yaresan : a sociological, historical, and religio-historical study of a Kurdish community''  (Berlin : Schwarz, 1990) p. 75</ref> whereas in the ''dowre'' of Haqiqat (Truth), Malak Tawus is called Dawud, who is one of the seven holy Beings in Yarsanism that are referred to as the ''[[Yarsanism#Haft Tan or seven persons|Haft Tan]]''.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Kanakis|first=Yiannis|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1158495389|title=God first and last : religious traditions and music of the Yaresan of Guran. Volume 1, Religious traditions.|date=2020|isbn=978-3-447-19992-6|location=Wiesbaden|pages=44–45, 134|oclc=1158495389}}</ref> Thus, the Yarsanis do not curse Satan.{{Sfnp|Hamzee|1990|p=75}}

The term ''dowre'' may refer to a period of time that started with the Essences (''zāt'') of the Divine and of members of the two Heptads manifesting or incarnating themselves as humans. It also refers to a stage in humanity's religious development. The first and initial ''dowre'' was the stage of ''[[Sharia|Shari'at]],'' where the Islamic Law was or is in charge and guiding everyone. This ''dowre'' is believed to have begun at [[Creation myth|creation]] and concluded with [[Muhammad|Muhammed]], the Truth (''[[Haqiqa|Haqiqat]]'') is thought to have existed during this stage, but had not yet been perceived. Following the dowre of Shari'at were the intermediate dowres of ''[[Tariqa|Tariqat]],'' i.e. the 'Path' of a mystical Order, and ''[[Ma'rifa|Ma'refat]],'' i.e. Esoteric Knowledge. The former was marked by the development of mystical brotherhoods that allowed people to start learning about esoteric truth. These stages were succeeded by the present ''dowre'' of ''Haqiqat'', which is marked by [[Sultan Sahak]]'s arrival. The ''dowre'' of Haqiqat is the phase of development in which the advanced mystic fully has perceived the esoteric Truth. Yarsanis are thought to be living in this ''dowre,'' however, the same is not true for all humans, and most outsiders are still believed to remain in the ''dowre'' of Shari'at or the intermediate ''dowre''s of Tariqat and Ma'refat.<ref name=":1" />

== Accusations of alleged devil-worship ==
{{Main|Persecution of Yazidis by Muslims}} {{Further|Genocide of Yazidis by ISIL}}

[[Muslims]] and followers of other [[Abrahamic religions]] have erroneously associated and identified the Peacock Angel with their own conception of the unredeemed evil spirit [[Satan]],<ref name="Asatrian-Arakelova 2003" /><ref name="Allison 2017" /><ref name="Asatrian-Arakelova 2014" /><ref name="KurdsContemporaryOverview-1992">{{cite book|last1=van Bruinessen|first1=Martin|editor1-last=Kreyenbroek|editor1-first=Philip G.|editor2-last=Sperl|editor2-first=Stefan|title=The Kurds: A Contemporary Overview|date=1992|publisher=Routledge|location=London|isbn=978-0-415-07265-6|pages=[https://archive.org/details/kurds00pkre/page/26 26–52]|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JZ6JAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA29|chapter=Chapter 2: Kurdish society, ethnicity, nationalism and refugee problems|oclc=919303390|url=https://archive.org/details/kurds00pkre/page/26}}</ref>{{rp|29}}<ref name="Yezidis-Acikyildiz-2014">{{cite book|title=The Yezidis: The History of a Community, Culture and Religion|last1=Açikyildiz|first1=Birgül|date=2014|publisher=I.B. Tauris & Company|isbn=978-1-784-53216-1|location=London|oclc=888467694}}</ref> a misconception which has incited centuries of [[Persecution of Yazidis by Muslims|violent religious persecution of the Yazidis]] as "devil-worshippers".<ref name="Allison 2017" /><ref name="Asatrian-Arakelova 2014" /><ref name="Asatrian-Arakelova 2003" /><ref name="Atlantic-BriefHistoryOfYazidi-2014">{{cite news|last1=Li|first1=Shirley|title=A Very Brief History of the Yazidi and What They're Up Against in Iraq|url=http://www.thewire.com/global/2014/08/a-very-brief-history-of-the-yazidi-and-what-theyre-up-against/375806/|work=[[The Atlantic]]|date=8 August 2014}}</ref><ref name="Guardian-WhoAreTheYazidis-2014">{{cite news|last1=Jalabi|first1=Raya|title=Who are the Yazidis and why is Isis hunting them?|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/07/who-yazidi-isis-iraq-religion-ethnicity-mountains|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=11 August 2014}}</ref> Persecution of Yazidis has continued in their home communities within the borders of modern [[Iraq]].<ref name="Allison 2017" /><ref name="Asatrian-Arakelova 2014" /><ref name="Telegraph-YazidiDiaspora-2007">{{cite news|last1=Thomas|first1=Sean|title=The Devil worshippers of Iraq|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1560714/The-Devil-worshippers-of-Iraq.html|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=19 August 2007|language=en}}</ref>

Some also claimed that Tawûsê Melek was a reference to [[Ahriman]], the evil figure in [[Zoroastrianism]], who had created a peacock to prove that he was also capable of good.<ref name=":4">The Yezidis: The History of a Community, Culture and Religion, Birgül Açikyildiz, 2014, pp. 74, ISBN: 9780857720610, 0857720619</ref>

Further accusations were derived from narratives attributed to Melek Taûs, which are actually foreign to Yazidism and probably introduced by either Muslims in the 9th century or [[Christianity|Christian]] missionaries in the 20th century.<ref>Halil Savucu: ''Yeziden in Deutschland: Eine Religionsgemeinschaft zwischen Tradition, Integration und Assimilation'' Tectum Wissenschaftsverlag, Marburg 2016, {{ISBN|978-3-828-86547-1}}, Section 16</ref> Accusations of devil-worship fueled centuries of [[Persecution of Yazidis by Muslims|violent religious persecution]], which have led Yazidi communities to concentrate in remote mountainous regions of northwestern Iraq.<ref name="Asatrian-Arakelova 2003" /><ref name="Allison 2017" /><ref name="Asatrian-Arakelova 2014" /><ref name="natgeo">{{cite web|date=August 9, 2014|title=Who Are the Yazidis, the Ancient, Persecuted Religious Minority Struggling to Survive in Iraq?|url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/08/140809-iraq-yazidis-minority-isil-religion-history/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812233717/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/08/140809-iraq-yazidis-minority-isil-religion-history|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 12, 2014|access-date=August 12, 2014|publisher=[[National Geographic Society|National Geographic]]}}</ref> The Yazidi taboo against the Arabic word ''Shaitan'' (الشیطان) and on words containing the consonants ''š'' (sh) and ''t''/''ṭ'' have been used to suggest a connection between Tawûsî Melek and Iblis,<ref name="iryez">{{cite web|title=Yazidis|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/yazidis-i-general-1|access-date=31 August 2014|website=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]]}}</ref> although no evidence exists to suggest that Yazidis worship Tawûsî Melek as the same figure. Yazidis did not have the same concept of Satan as Abrahamic religions.<ref name=":4" />

Furthermore, Yazidis do not believe Tawûsî Melek to be a source of evil or wickedness.<ref name="Asatrian-Arakelova 2003" /><ref name="Allison 2017" /><ref name="Asatrian-Arakelova 2014" /> They consider him to be the leader of the [[Archangel|archangels]], not a [[fallen angel]].<ref name="Asatrian-Arakelova 2003" /><ref name="Asatrian-Arakelova 2014" /><ref name="KurdsContemporaryOverview-1992" /><ref name="Yezidis-Acikyildiz-2014" /> In [[Yazidi Black Book|Mishefa Resh]], Tawûsî Melek is equated with Ezrayil or Ezazil.<ref name=":2" />

== See also ==
{{Portal|Kurdistan|Religion|History}}

* [[Sultan Ezid]]
* [[List of angels in theology]]
* [[List of Yazidi holy figures]]
* [[List of Yazidi holy places]]
* [[List of Yazidi settlements]]
* [[Yazidism]]
* [[Yazidis]]
* [[Yarsanism]]

== Citations ==
{{Notelist}}{{Reflist}}

== General bibliography ==

* {{cite book|author1-last=Asatrian|author1-first=Garnik S.|author1-link=Garnik Asatrian|author2-last=Arakelova|author2-first=Victoria|year=2014|title=The Religion of the Peacock Angel: The Yezidis and Their Spirit World|chapter=Part I: The One God - Malak-Tāwūs: The Leader of the Triad|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y1RsBAAAQBAJ|location=[[Abingdon, Oxfordshire]]|publisher=[[Routledge]]|series=Gnostica|pages=1–28|doi=10.4324/9781315728896|isbn=978-1-84465-761-2|oclc=931029996}}
* {{cite journal|author1-last=Asatrian|author1-first=Garnik S.|author1-link=Garnik Asatrian|author2-last=Arakelova|author2-first=Victoria|date=January 2003|title=Malak-Tāwūs: The Peacock Angel of the Yezidis|editor-last=Asatrian|editor-first=Garnik S.|journal=[[Iran and the Caucasus]]|volume=7|issue=1–2|location=[[Leiden]]|publisher=[[Brill Publishers]] in collaboration with the Caucasian Centre for Iranian Studies ([[Yerevan]])|pages=1–36|doi=10.1163/157338403X00015|eissn=1573-384X|issn=1609-8498|jstor=4030968|lccn=2001227055|oclc=233145721}}
* {{cite journal|author-last=Rodziewicz|author-first=Artur|date=December 2016|title=And the Pearl Became an Egg: The Yezidi Red Wednesday and Its Cosmogonic Background|editor-last=Asatrian|editor-first=Garnik S.|editor-link=Garnik Asatrian|journal=[[Iran and the Caucasus]]|volume=20|issue=3–4|location=[[Leiden]]|publisher=[[Brill Publishers]] in collaboration with the Caucasian Centre for Iranian Studies ([[Yerevan]])|pages=347–367|doi=10.1163/1573384X-20160306|eissn=1573-384X|issn=1609-8498|jstor=44631092|lccn=2001227055|oclc=233145721}}
* {{cite journal|author-last=Sfameni Gasparro|author-first=Giulia|date=April 1975|title=I Miti Cosmogonici degli Yezidi|editor1-last=Feldt|editor1-first=Laura|editor2-last=Valk|editor2-first=Ülo|journal=[[Numen (journal)|Numen]]|volume=22|issue=1|location=[[Leiden]]|publisher=[[Brill Publishers]]|language=it|pages=24–41|doi=10.1163/156852775X00112|eissn=1568-5276|issn=0029-5973|jstor=3269532|lccn=58046229|oclc=50557232}}
* {{cite journal|author-last=Sfameni Gasparro|author-first=Giulia|date=December 1974|title=I Miti Cosmogonici degli Yezidi|editor1-last=Feldt|editor1-first=Laura|editor2-last=Valk|editor2-first=Ülo|journal=[[Numen (journal)|Numen]]|volume=21|issue=3|location=[[Leiden]]|publisher=[[Brill Publishers]]|language=it|pages=197–227|doi=10.1163/156852774X00113|eissn=1568-5276|issn=0029-5973|jstor=3269773|lccn=58046229|oclc=50557232|doi-access=free}}
* {{Citation|last=Hamzee|first=M. Rezaa|title=The Yaresan : a sociological, historical, and religio-historical study of a Kurdish community|year=1990|publisher=Islamkundliche Untersuchungen (75)}}

== External links ==

* {{Commons category-inline|Malak Taus|Melek Taus}}
* [http://menadoc.bibliothek.uni-halle.de/iud/content/structure/1330754 The Yaresan : a sociological, historical and religio-historical study of a Kurdish community / M. Reza Hamzeh'ee. Berlin : Schwarz, 1990]