The Achaemenid kings celebrated Nowruz as the most important festival of the year, and it was a time for feasting, dancing, and exchanging gifts. The festival was also associated with Zoroastrianism, the ancient religion of Persia, which taught that the world was created in six stages, with each stage represented by a different element. Nowruz was seen as a time of renewal and rebirth, when the world was recreated and purified. Over the centuries, Nowruz has evolved and absorbed elements from other cultures and religions, including Islam and Christianity.
