Airyaman

In the Avesta, airyaman (or airiiaman) is both an Avestan language common noun as well as the proper name of a Zoroastrian divinity.

The common noun is a theological and social term literally meaning "member of (the) community or tribe." In a secondary development, the common noun became the proper name of a divinity Airyaman, who is the yazata of health and healing.^[*]

In Zoroastrian tradition, Avestan Airyaman is Middle Persian Erman (Ērmān).

Etymology

Some authorities consider Airyaman to be cognate with several indo-european theonyms, such as the Gaul Ariomanus, the Irish Éremón and Vedic Aryaman, all possibly pointing to a common proto-indo-european deity, Xáryomēn.

In scripture

In the Gathas

The divinity Airyaman does not appear in the Gathas, the oldest texts of Zoroastrianism and considered to have been composed by Zoroaster himself. In the few instances where the term does appear (Yasna 32.1, 33.3, 33.4, 49.7), airyaman is a common noun denoting the social division of priests.