https://is.iranology.ir/ Iranian studies en daily 1 Thu, 22 May 2025 00:00:00 +0330 Thu, 22 May 2025 00:00:00 +0330 https://is.iranology.ir/article_735710.html The history of Iran in the Seljuk period represents one of the most distinguished eras in the art of jewelry-making. Understanding the techniques of cutting and decorating precious stones and metals, as well as the interactions between centers of jewelry production and trade, forms the core problem of this study. Employing a historical–analytical approach, the research examines the contexts and factors that contributed to the formation, expansion, and prosperity of industries related to jewelry production and commerce in Seljuk-era Iran. By analyzing historical data and archaeological evidence, the study seeks to reveal the relationships between political, economic, social, and cultural structures and the patterns of jewelry manufacture and exchange. The findings indicate that the development of domestic and transregional trade networks, the patronage of the court and political elites, access to mines and raw materials, and the presence of skilled artisans—combined with urban growth and the emergence of specialized markets—were the primary drivers of this industry’s advancement. Furthermore, the Seljuk state played a significant role in ensuring road security, establishing taxation systems, and supporting professional workshops, thereby fostering cohesion and dynamism within this economic sector. Overall, the jewelry-making industry of this period not only reflected the artistic sensibilities and technical expertise of Iranians but also held a central position in urban economies and social relations. https://is.iranology.ir/article_735708.html the history of Islam, families in which three successive generations served as judges are exceedingly rare. The Tanūkhī family is one of the most distinguished examples of this phenomenon: the father, son, and grandson were among the prominent judicial figures of the Abbasid Caliphate during the 4th and 5th centuries AH. Since a significant portion of the territories under their jurisdiction fell within Iranian lands, examining their lives and works—especially those of Qāḍī Abū ʿAlī al-Tanūkhī—provides a valuable foundation for studying the history of judicial practice and the legal system of Iran within the broader context of Islamic civilization. Using a descriptive–analytical method and drawing upon historical sources, this study introduces Tanūkhī’s biography and analyzes his two major works, Nishwār al-Muḥāḍarah and al-Faraj baʿd al-Shiddah. The analysis explores the ethical and behavioral dimensions of judges, Tanūkhī’s conception of justice, and the role of the judge within Islamic society. The findings indicate that through historical narratives, Tanūkhī articulates an ethical approach to judicial practice—one deeply intertwined with Iranian cultural values and Islamic principles. Thus, studying his works offers deeper insight into the intellectual history of law and judicial ethics in Iran. https://is.iranology.ir/article_735709.html Religion, the Persian language, and Persianate culture are commonly described as the unifying elements of Iranian identity during the Safavid era. European travel accounts highlight these integrative components while simultaneously noting the plurality of local identities. Although, from the perspective of these travelers, marketplaces, Nowruz festivities, and the architectural splendor of Isfahan represented shared cultural markers, they also observed ethnic, religious, and linguistic diversity, as well as local divisions, which they interpreted as expressions of identity multiplicity. These travelogues thus present a contradictory and multilayered image of Iran—ranging from admiration for its cultural magnificence and hospitality to criticism of religious fanaticism and scientific stagnation.Employing a historical-sociological approach, this study re-examines the concept of “Iranian-ness” in the Safavid period through the lens of Orientalist travelogues. Its central question is how these texts represented the boundaries of Iranian identity and what contradictions appear in their narratives. The research method is qualitative, historical, and grounded in discourse analysis. Primary data have been drawn from the travel accounts of Della Valle, Tavernier, Chardin, Olearius, Kaempfer, Careri, and Krusinski. Findings show that Shi‘ism emerges as the most significant marker of “Iranian-ness” in these narratives. In the eyes of European observers, this religious identity functioned both as a mechanism of political–social cohesion and as a tool for exclusion and marginalization of minorities. Nevertheless, religious minorities—particularly Armenians, Jews, and Zoroastrians—are also portrayed as “economically indispensable” groups. The overall conclusion is that “being Iranian” in the Safavid period, as reflected in these travelogues, was a fluid and historically constructed identity shaped through the interplay of religion, language, economy, and power relations. https://is.iranology.ir/article_735704.html Shah ʿAbbās I of the Safavid dynasty (d. 1038 AH) pursued an extensive program during his long reign that included the establishment of religious centers, seminaries, and the patronage, dissemination, and endowment of books. In addition to these efforts, Shah ʿAbbās personally endowed several substantial collections of manuscripts to various sacred shrines and theological schools. Among these was the endowment of 120 small and large manuscripts to the revered shrine of the highly venerated Imāmzāda ʿAbd al-ʿAẓīm (A.S.), as well as to the madrasah [ʿAtīq] affiliated with this shrine, located in the district of Ghār in Rayy. This endowment is dated to the first day of the month of Dhū al-Qaʿda in the year 1037 AH.Accordingly, a field-based and statistical investigation is necessary to determine the present condition of these endowed manuscripts: How many of the original 120 volumes remain in the Library of the ʿAbd al-ʿAẓīm Shrine today, and what are their cataloging characteristics? The findings show that only eight manuscripts from this 120-volume collection have survived. Five of them are currently housed in the ʿAbd al-ʿAẓīm Library (Jām-i Jahān-namā; a composite volume containing three treatises on logic; Miʿyār-i Jamālī; a translation of Nafahāt al-Lāhūt; and Kifāyat al-Taʿlīm). The remaining three manuscripts (Tashrīḥ al-Abdān; a composite volume containing four treatises; and Manāzil al-Sāʾirīn) are located in other libraries across the country. The investigation further reveals that 112 of Shah ʿAbbās’s endowed manuscripts are missing, and no information regarding their whereabouts is currently available. https://is.iranology.ir/article_735711.html Historical gravestones provide valuable data for archaeological research, enabling insights into various aspects of past societies. The present study investigates the Qajar-period gravestones located in the Pirbadin Cemetery. Drawing upon archaeological evidence—including these tombstones—it is possible to recognize the significance of the village of Pirbadin during the Qajar era. To date, no systematic study has been conducted on the Pirbadin Cemetery; therefore, examining its Qajar gravestones can demonstrate that Pirbadin held considerable importance in the Mokrian region from the reign of Fath-Ali Shah to the era of Naser al-Din Shah. The Qajar gravestones of the Pirbadin Cemetery are chronologically and morphologically comparable to other historical gravestones in the cemeteries of Mokrian. This article seeks to answer the following questions: Who were the notable individuals buried in this cemetery, and what roles or positions did they hold in the history of the Gurk-Mokri region? Furthermore, what cultural and social insights of the period can be derived from studying the literary inscriptions and the rich variety of motifs carved on these stones? Based on fieldwork and library research, the findings indicate that these gravestones belong to politically prominent members of the Mokri tribe. Moreover, the iconographic elements present on the gravestones shed light on the political, social, and religious events of Pirbadin during the Qajar period. https://is.iranology.ir/article_735707.html From the emergence of Persian poetry and prose to the modern era, humor has remained one of the most enduring and influential literary modes in Iran. Nevertheless, its theoretical and analytical classification has largely remained confined to traditional categories such as hazl, hajv, muṭāyaba, and fukāha. This limited framework has prevented a significant portion of Persian humor particularly forms that emerged in classical texts, oral culture, and modern media from being scientifically identified and named. Using a descriptive–analytical approach and based on extensive library research, the present study identifies, defines, and classifies the “newly discovered genres of humor” in Persian literature and analyzes their characteristics. The findings reveal that Persian humor can be categorized into four major groups—linguistic, structural, narrative, and social—which together encompass 21 distinct genres, including ekhtiṣār (elliptical wit), bād-vājeh (word-distortion humor), khiyāl-nāmeh (imaginative parodic narratives), mehrakīn, SMS humor, wartime jokes, and popular invective—genres that have remained unnamed or unclassified in conventional taxonomies. Analysis of classical and contemporary examples shows that these genres not only reflect linguistic creativity and aesthetic innovation but also serve important political, ethical, historical, and psychological functions. The study concludes by emphasizing the need to revise humor typology in Persian literature and highlights the potential for establishing humor studies as an independent subfield within literary scholarship.