Jane Dieulafoy in Varamin: The Emamzadeh Yahya through a Nineteenth-Century Lens

Abstract

This article explores the condition and reception of Varamin’s architectural heritage from the Ilkhanid period (1256–1353) during the late nineteenth century. I use two relatively untapped sources: the photographs of French traveler Jane Dieulafoy (1851–1916) and the account of Qajar statesman E‘temad al-Saltaneh (1843–96). Reading these sources in tandem paints a robust picture of Varamin when it was becoming known for luster tilework and its Emamzadeh Yahya tomb complex was being steadily plundered. While our travelers captured a seminal moment in Varamin’s history, this study ultimately moves beyond their frames and encourages a present-day appreciation of the city’s still standing monuments.