Haft-Seen | Technology Trends

Haft-Seen (Persian: هفت‌سین‎) or the seven 'S's is a traditional table setting of Nowruz, the traditional Iranian spring celebration. The haft seen table includes seven items all starting with the letter seen (س) in the Persian alphabet. Haft-Seen was originally called Haftchin (Haftĉin) derived from the words Chin (چین), meaning "to place" and Haft (هفت), the number 7. The Haft Chin table includes the following items which symbolize Zoroastrian yazatas or divinities such as ātar and asmān.

The "Haft Chin" items are:

Mirror - symbolizing Sky
Apple - symbolizing Earth
Candles - symbolizing Fire
Golab - rose water symbolizing Water
Sabzeh - wheat, or barley sprouts symbolizing Plants
Goldfish - symbolizing Animals
Painted Eggs - symbolizing Humans and Fertility

The term and therefore the original custom was changed due to the digraph Ch (چ) not being present in the Arabic language leading to its replacement by the letter S (س). This occurred as a result of acculturation and cultural transformation of the local Persian population by the Umayyad Caliphate following their invasion of Sassanid Persia in 650.

The Haft Seen items are:

Sabzeh - (Persian: سبزه‎)-wheat, barley, mung bean or lentil sprouts growing in a dish - symbolising rebirth
Samanu - (Persian: سمنو‎)-sweet pudding made from wheat germ - symbolising affluence
Senjed - (Persian: سنجد‎)-dried oleaster fruit - symbolising love
Sir - (Persian: سیر‎)- garlic - symbolising medicine
Sib - (Persian: سیب‎)- apples - symbolising beauty and health
Somāq - (Persian: سماق‎)sumac fruit - symbolising (the color of) sunrise
Serkeh - (Persian: سرکه‎) - vinegar - symbolising old-age and patience

A slightly less traditional Haft Seen may also include:

Sonbol - the fragrant hyacinth flower - symbolising the coming of spring
Sekkeh - coins - symbolising prosperity
Iranian pastries such as Baqlava,
Toot - white berries, Nān-Noxodchi )
Ājil - dried nuts, berries and raisins
lit candles symbolising enlightenment and happiness
a mirror symbolising Truth, the reflection of the Real World
sekanjabin - a sweet mint syrup
decorated eggs, sometimes one for each member of the family symbolising fertility
a bowl with goldfish symbolising life, and the constellation of Pisces which the Sun is leaving
water with a bitter orange in it symbolising Earth "floating" in space
rose water, used to cleanse in Islam before prayer and is also heavily prevalent in Iranian cuisine
A flag of the country which the people celebrating are from as a form of patriotism.
A poetry book, such as the Shahnameh or the Divan of Hafiz, or a religious text such as the Quran or Avesta

Mary Boyce described a traditional Sharifabadi Zoroastrian New Years observance as including:

Sabzeh - Sprouts from seven different kinds of seeds
clay figures, whitewashed (favorites being domestic animals, cows, donkeys, sheep, camel, nightingale, peacock, also household objects such as sugar-loaf, bowls, or a three-legged stool). These "bear witness to the triumphant works of creation."
a mirror
a low brazier full of fire
a lamp
sprays of cypress or pine
pomegranates
painted eggs