Haft-sin
The Nowruz table of seven items starting with the Persian letter sin, including sumac, garlic and vinegar.
Also: haft seen, Nowruz table, seven S, sumac and Nowruz
Haft-sin is the symbolic table set at Nowruz, the Persian new year at the spring equinox. It holds seven items whose Persian names begin with sin: sabzeh, sprouted wheat or lentils; samanu, a sweet pudding; senjed, dried oleaster fruit; sir, garlic; sib, apple; somaq, sumac; and serkeh, vinegar. Often added are a mirror, coins, painted eggs, a goldfish, hyacinth and a holy book. Sumac stands for the colour of sunrise and, as is often explained, the sweetness of life. The table is arranged in the days before the new year and stays until the thirteenth day. Zoroastrian roots are often cited, though customs now vary widely.