The rooster is one the most sacred birds in ancient Iran. According to the Avesta, the rooster is the dog's "co-worker." It helps the dog in guarding and protecting the house. The ancient Zoroastrians thought the rooster had the power to fight sorcerers. They also believed that when a rooster crowed, it killed the demons, which had come to harm newborn babies.
The Avesta says the rooster helps Sraosha, a pre-Zoroastrian god of the afterlife. This bronze pin from 1000 BC shows Sraosha as a rooster.
The rooster was first domesticated in Southeast Asia. Historians believe that the Chinese used chickens and roosters for food as far back as 1400 BC. Persians probably first became familiar with the rooster around 1000 BC.
The Indians were among the first people who used the roosters for their entertainment. They trained two roosters to fight with each other. These "cockfights" were also popular with the ancient Persians. This Persian seal from fifth century BC shows a cockfight.