Vedas (Sanskrit for “knowledge”) — are the oldest sacred scriptures of Hinduism (roughly 1500–1000 BC). According to the tradition, these texts were created by God and transferred to humanity through seven sages (rishis). The Vedas are composed of four parts: the Rigveda (the Veda of hymns), the Yajurveda (the Veda of sacrificial formulas), the Samaveda (the Veda of sacrificial hymns to be sung), and the Artharvaveda (the Veda of spells). The Vedas are adjoined by theological treatises, the Brahmanas and the Upanishads.