Sagdid
Sagdid
Zoroastrian funerary ritual
Sagdid ([sægˈdiːd]) is a ritual which forms an essential part of a Zoroastrian funeral ceremony.[1] The word "Sagdid" means "glance of the dog" (sag meaning "dog" and -did meaning "to see").[2] Sagdid involves having a sacred dog watch over a recently deceased body, often before it has been touched by anybody else.[1] The ritual is thought to restore purity, lessen the chance of infection, and more practically the ritual is used to determine if the deceased is truly deceased.[3] Sagdid is also performed over deceased dogs in some instances.[1]