نمودهای دانش »خواص عناصر« در‌داستانهای اساطیری و‌تمثیلی فارسی) با‌تکیه بر‌نزهتنامۀ عالیی، عجایبالمخلوقات، جواهرنامه و‌األبنیه عن‌حقایقاألدویه).

One of the most common motives for ancient magic and medicine was the belief in mysterious properties of the universe element. Believers of this knowledge would investigate the universe’s elements (from animal body parts to numbers and letters), their properties, and their effects on universe creatures and phenomena. They used their findings in various fields such as medicine, fortune-telling, dream interpretation, weather forecasting, Alchemy, magic, and talisman. These beliefs were also manifested in ordinary people’s life and ideology which is traceable in the context of their contemporary stories. The mysterious nature of some of the Persian stories can be also attributed to this knowledge. Adventures such as Simorgh and his magical and therapeutic actions, Rostam's battle with Div-e Sepid, Key Khosrow's magical actions, etc. are among the mythological stories in Shahnameh, in which the beliefs related to this knowledge have had a significant reflection. In the present study, we shed new light on the topic based on parallel texts, along with mythological and allegorical stories such as Nozhat Nameh Alaei, Ajayeb almakhluqat, Javaher Nameh Nezami and AlAbniyeh an Haqaqeyeq AlAdviyeh. These works contain information about the mysterious properties of elements. From this point of view, literary works written in two genres of magic and common medicine were analyzed in relation to four categories of animals, plants, stones/metals, and noises/voices. We also tried to show the roots of some of these magical, scientific, and folklore practices. Introduction In the present study, ‘knowledge of elements’ is discussed, which is one of the important aspects of ancient beliefs. This knowledge can be defined as the mysterious effect of things on each other for which there is no logical reason whose manifestations are reflected in various parts of the life of ancient people. In this belief, all the elements of existence, from human and animal body parts to celestial bodies and numbers and letters, have hidden properties that knowing them can be used to perform extraordinary works or even to solve people's daily problems. Belief in the hidden properties of objects has played an important role in ancient human thought: in folk medicine, veterinary medicine, agriculture, dyeing, glassmaking, perfumery, and practices such as spells, witchcraft, and similar works. Many works about this knowledge have been left, which can be mentioned in order in the books Khavass-e Belinas, Khavass ol-Hayavan of Aristotle, Khavass-e Mavazin of Jaber ben Hayyan and Nozhat Nameh Alaei (an encyclopedia on properties) of Shahmardan. Our emphasis has been on using some Persian scientific and pseudo-scientific texts that have a collection of information related to the mentioned knowledge, to reach the important and key common beliefs of ancient times and to understand the literary texts through. The creators of literary works have never lived apart from the common people and literate elites and their beliefs. Most of the ancient Persian writers are called sages, which is proof of their knowledge and study in the common sciences of their time, and traces of their knowledge and beliefs can be found in their works. Materials and Methods In order to carry out this research, we have collected all kinds of hidden properties of creatures from among sources such as Nozhat Nameh Alaei, Ajayeb almakhluqat, Javaher Nameh Nezami, and Al-Abniyyeh on the facts of medicine. We have included their applications in the two parts of medicine and witchcraft, because people have dealt with these two types of techniques on a daily basis, and their scholars have always practiced healing or witchcraft based on the properties of each element in existence. In each section, we placed relevant information in four categories: Animals, Plants, Stones and Metals, and Sound/Song. In each category, we narrated some mythological and allegorical stories with their different narratives from texts such as Shahnameh, Marzban Nameh, Kalileh va Demneh, and Haft Peykar. At the same time, we referred to the relevant parallel texts. Then, by describing and analyzing the beliefs related to the knowledge of elements in each story, we showed how a common theme was reflected in two different contexts. Research Findings Based on the results of the present study, in the belief of the ancients, which is rooted in hermetic beliefs, the phenomena of existence have special properties that no one is able to know and recognize. The scientists of this field used their knowledge to advance their own goals or that of their rulers, and for this reason, they were mysterious and sometimes terrifying or holy figures in the society who had a set of witchcraft and healing in them. A clear example of them can be seen in personalities such as Zal, Key Khosrow, Rostam, and Esfandiyar. It seems that these last two characters were actually faced with seven stages of magic in their Haft Khans, and to overcome them, they had to be familiar with magic. Discussion of Results and Conclusions Throughout the study, we showed that the belief in the knowledge of the hidden properties of objects was very strong among the ancients and reflected in all aspects of their lives, including formal and informal sciences, medicine and magic, alchemy, mathematics, stories, and daily life. This issue shows the importance of paying attention to the philosophy of life, worldview, and the type of attitude of the individual towards himself and the world around him in every era. Therefore, for a more accurate understanding of literary works, it is necessary to pay attention to the parallel scientific and pseudo-scientific texts of each period along with the study of literary texts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]