Present-day Iran Research Articles

Teniky: enigmatic architecture at an archaeological site in southern Madagascar

ABSTRACT Teniky is an isolated inland archaeological site in the Isalo massif of southern Madagascar, with enigmatic rock-cut architecture that is unique in all of Madagascar and the wider East African coast. In the first half of the twentieth century visitors described archaeogical structures within a fluvial cirque (i.e. an amphitheatre-shaped valley formed by fluvial erosion), which included man-made terraces, rock-cut niches in the steep cliffs and a rock shelter delimited by walls consisting of carved sandstone blocks. Our investigations at Teniky have led to the discovery of further archaeological structures beyond the cirque. These structures include further terraces, rock-cut niches, stone basins and carved sandstone walls on a hill 2.5 km to the west, as well as sandstone quarries and dry stone walls in the valley in between. AMS radiocarbon dating of charcoal found during excavations at the newly discovered rock-cut niches and carved sandstone walls indicates that they were constructed in the late first millennium/early second millennium c. tenth to twelfth century AD. Pottery sherds at Teniky include Chinese and Southeast Asian ceramics dating to broadly the eleventh to fourteenth centuries, concordant with the radiocarbon ages. The presence of imported ceramics indicates that those living at Teniky participated in Indian Ocean trade networks in medieval times, despite being over 200 km from the nearest coast. The closest stylistic parallels to the enigmatic rock-cut architecture at Teniky are found in present-day Iran, particularly in the Fars region, where rock-cut niches dating to the first millennium AD or earlier have been attributed to Zoroastrian communities. We tentatively interpret the rock-cut architecture at Teniky as part of a former necropolis made by settlers with Zoroastrian origins. More archaeological research is required to test this hypothesis and to address questions such as: where and when did these settlers first arrive on the coast of Madagascar; why and when did they move inland; how did they live and how did they interact with other populations on the island; and why and when was the site deserted?

‘Social psychology of the emergence of Iranian neo-nationalism discourse in present-day Iran: a case study of the Persian Gulf Facebook channel’

ABSTRACT The discourse of Iranian nationalism exhibits distinct attributes, including Aryanism, anti-Arabism, and a yearning to restore ancient Iran. Originating during the Qajar period and prevailing throughout the Pahlavi era, this discourse faced marginalization following the Islamic Revolution, remaining dormant for three decades. However, in the past decade, it has experienced a gradual resurgence and gained media representation, termed ‘Iranian neo-nationalism’ for reasons elucidated in the introduction. This study aims to investigate the factors underlying this resurgence. Utilizing the qualitative content analysis method and the theory of politicized group identity from a social psychology perspective, the paper contends that this re-emergence is grounded in enduring political, cultural, and global processes, as well as immediate cognitive and psychological processes. These intertwined processes reveal an ‘identity security dilemma’ in Iran.

Unpublished Sasanian Coins Preserved in the Bangladesh National Museum: Unveiling with Identification and Exploring the Cause-Period of Their Arrival in Bengal

The Sasanians were the last pre-Islamic Persian dynasty that ruled present-day Iran and its neighbouring extensive territories, succeeding the Parthians from 224 A.D to 651 A.D. It was the second-longest reigning Persian imperial dynasty, enduring over four centuries until the Muslims defeated the last Sasanian Emperor, Yazdegerd III. Six unpublished coins of this dynasty stored among the rich collections of nearly fifty-eight thousand manifold coins of the Bangladesh National Museum are matter of surprise and curiosity because Bengal was neither a part of their Empire nor ever ruled by them. These coins were discovered in Bengal in the early twentieth century. They have been identified recently, although they were unidentified for a long time following collection. Typically, coin from one region found in another conveys a trading identity. The early Arabs used Sasanian coins along with other coins as currency before introducing their purely Arabic coins in 696 A.D. They were traditionally traders and had commercial contacts with South and Southeast Asia since the seventh century. They might have used these unpublished coins in the seventh century as a means of exchange in Bengal because the region was well-heeled in ancient times and drew traders from all over the world. This article has unveiled these hitherto unpublished coins with their identification and conducted a comprehensive numismatic endeavour virtually to give insight into the inferential cause as well as the timeframe of their arrival in Bengal.

“Iran’s Shiite Influence Belt Policy: The Example of Bahraini Shiites

Along with the Persian perspective inherited from the Persian Empire, Shi'ism has significantly influenced and continues to influence the geopolitical and geo-cultural education of present-day Iran. With its politicization, Shi'ism has become one of the most important factors, perhaps the most important, in the formation and preservation of Iran's national identity. Iran, which is in contact with Shiites living in various regions such as Middle East-Africa-Central Asia, intensified this contact after the Arab Spring process. In this article, Shiites in Bahrain are discussed in the context of Iran's Shiite Influence Zone Policy. In the article, firstly, general information about the sociological and religious structure of Bahrain has been given, and then the characteristics of the Shiite groups and leaders in Bahrain have been mentioned. Then, the level and activities of these groups' relations with Iran, the Shiite militia groups, their characteristics, and their work on behalf of Iran are discussed. The research has carried out based on the literature review.

Accounting analysis of the Achaemenes archives: a summative content analysis

ABSTRACT This study deciphers provocative features of the Achaemenid Empire’s accounting system. In particular, it investigates the accounting and bookkeeping mechanisms, practised in that era (in what is present-day Iran), and the major social and physical duality characteristics of these mechanisms. The research employs the techniques of summative content analysis to examine accounting clay-tablets found in the fortifications of the Persepolis. The tablets date back to the thirteenth to the twenty-eighth year (509–494 BCE) of the rule of Darius the Great of the Achaemenid Empire. The findings reveal the development of an elaborate accounting system that represented physical duality (transfer of actual physical commodities in the scheme of input-output analysis) as well as social duality (transfer of ownership, investing and/or lending and borrowing within the input-output system). The use of tokens to record, classify, and analyse accounts, to establish control and accountability, and to allocate resources suggests that our present-day systems are grounded in the knowledge transmission of earlier eras.

Aspects of Human Adaptation to Life in Mesopotamia in the Light of Pottery Scenes and Pictographic Writing

One of the most important turning points that resulted in the achievements of man and human civilization in history, is first, the great climate change that occurred when the last glacial retreat began about 18,000 years ago, with the Middle Stone Age approximately. Secondly, the stage of man’s transition from gathering food to producing food, which is one of the most important steps that man has taken on his way to stability in the lifestyle thousands of years ago, and because of its importance, researchers called it the Neolithic Revolution. After the great change in the climate in the Near East region, human's confrontation with their new environment and trying to adapt to it constituted one of the most important challenges that man had to face, to ensure survival. And then this challenge led to the most important human discoveries, which are attempts to domesticate and agriculture: they began with attempts to grow grain, then succeeded little by little and became stable agriculture and led to the emergence of agricultural settlements, and this is mainly the content of adaptation. Because of the importance of that stage of human life in which writing was still non-existent and unknown, it was addressed by researchers from several aspects, and in light of archaeological evidence in terms of architectural styles, the development of stone tools, and pottery products (in terms of the accuracy of industry and techniques used), as well as Important studies were conducted on plant and animal remains, and other studies on the human lifestyle in the period following the discovery of agriculture. Despite the aforementioned studies on the archaeological remains, which revealed the many facades of life in Mesopotamia during that stage, the visual picture of the manifestations of adaptation to life and the extent of human harmony with natural phenomena in light of stability in that period, remains an important part to complement what His image is research and studies. Fortunately, the images and scenes painted on pottery from the late Neolithic and Metallic Age serve us, which by studying and analyzing them we aim to see the reflection of the reality of man's interaction and adaptation with his natural environment. Thus, our models come from pottery scenes from the region of Mesopotamia (Iraq and Syria) in the time frame that starts from the period of Hassuna, Samarra, Halaf and Ubaid, and finally some models from the era of Warka and Jemda-Nasr, and these are the models that carry the elements that serve the objectives of the research. One of the objectives of the research is also to track the developments that occurred in these inscriptions, which later became elements of the first and oldest models of writing in history, cuneiform writing, from its pictorial stage, and this confirms more that the elements and symbols of writing are rooted in pottery inscriptions from preceding eras. We use some scenes on pottery models from present-day Iran and Turkey for the purpose of comparison.

The Motives and Obstacles in Iranian Women’s Participation in Political Life of the Country

The article deals with the overview of the main obstacles in the Iranian women’s participation in the country’s political life originating from the national, cultural, social and economic aspects of Iranian society. Much attention is paid to the factors that motivate both Iranian women and men to participate in politics, as well as the problems that Iranian women face while struggling for their place in the parliament. The peculiarities of the political parties’ activities, the financial aspect of the candidates allowing them to take part in election campaigns, distrust of women in Iranian society (in terms of their public role), the lack of electoral quotas for women are defined as the main factors of their non-participation in the elections. However, Iranian women’s motivation, on the one hand, and the country’s political system, on the other hand, play a significant role, because they are key internal and external factors to be taken into account. After the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1978, the situation with women’s rights in the country improved supported by the Government’s constitutional establishment of equal rights of men and women in political life of Iran. However, other spheres remained unchanged due to strong religious influence. Only in the 1990s the rights of Iranian women to participate in the country’s politics were addressed by domestic and foreign scholars, though their studies do not provide an in-depth analysis of the problems of Iranian women concerned about the participation in political life of the present-day Iran and their solution.

نقد و بررسی کتاب جنگجویان سکایی در سیبری باستان A Review of Scythians warriors of ancient Siberia

The Scythians tribes were one of the nomadic tribes inhabiting large areas in the central Eurasian steppes from about the 9th century BC up until the 4th century AD. These tribes moved into parts of present-day Iran after many displacements in the first millennium BC. These tribes have played important role in central Eurasian steppes and in Persian and part of India. What scholars know about the Scythians tribes based on the writings of Herodotus. These people have played an important role in Persian and Indian epics, as well as in various historical periods of Iran, such as the Iron Age and Achaemenid and Parthian periods. Their presence in Iran has been illustrated by at least the name of one of the Iranian cities, Sakestan or Sistan, which is the name of these people. Few archaeological findings in Iran have been attributed to Scythians. However, in recent years, new burial grounds have been found which shed new light on the Scythian’s presence in Persia and central Eurasian that appears to confirm the writing of historians. In recent years many articles and books have been published about Scythians based on archaeological findings. Recently a new book has been published entitled Scythians Warriors of Ancient Siberia. This paper critically reviews this book edited by St. John Simpson and Svetlana Pankova.

The Issue of Turkic Population in Iran in the Turkish Public Opinion

Iran has always been presented as a multi-ethnic structure with its rich history of statehood. It is known that after the Arab occupation, Turkic dynasties, especially Azerbaijani Turks were in power in today's Iran and ruled the country for centuries. As a result of historical processes, the Turks spread to almost all settlements of present-day Iran. If we examine the ethnic map of Iran, we can observe that Turks live in all the provinces bordering Azerbaijan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Iraq, on the shores of the Caspian Sea and the Gulf, and in the central parts of the country. Undoubtedly, “the number of Turkic people in Iran” is one of the most important issues in Turkology. However, there is no unequivocal opinion in the scientific literature about the exact number of Turkic peoples living in Iran. However, a large number of scientific articles on the “Turkic population in Iran” have been published in the Turkish public opinion in different years. A thorough study of these writings plays an important role in the study of the issue.

WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN IRAN AND SAUDI ARABIA WITH REGARD TO MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE

WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN IRAN AND SAUDI ARABIA WITH REGARD TO MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE MONA MOUSA ALOTAIBI This paper will discuss women’s rights as they pertain to marriage and divorce in present-day Iran and in Saudi Arabia. Part II is an overview of several international treaties governing human rights and women’s rights in particular. Through the generally-accepted concept of “customary international law,” these treaties may apply to countries, even if they are not parties or signatories to the treaties. Part III will examine the principleslaid down in the Koran relating to marriage anddivorce, and Part IV discusses the interpretation of the Koran by the governing clerics in Iran as evidenced by the Iranian Civil Code, and how these interpretations are applied. Contemporary Iranian literature and films will help shed light on current practices in Iran. Key words: women's rights, marriage, divorce, human rights, treaties. حقوق المرأة في إيران والمملکة العربية السعوديةفيما يتعلق بالزواج والطلاق منى موسى العتيبى ملخص : تناقش هذه الورقة حقوق المرأة فيما يتعلق بالزواج والطلاق في إيران والمملکة العربية السعودية الحالية. الجزء الثاني هو لمحة عامة عن العديد من المعاهدات الدولية التي تنظم حقوق الإنسان وحقوق المرأة على وجه الخصوص. من خلال مفهوم الدولي العرفي المقبول عموما ، قد تنطبق هذه المعاهدات على البلدان ، حتى لو لم تکن أطرافا أو موقعة على المعاهدات. الجزء الثالث سوف يدرس المبادئ الواردة في القرآن فيما يتعلق بالزواج والطلاق ، والجزء الرابع يناقش تفسير القرآن من قبل الحاکم رجال الدين في إيران کما يتضح من القانون المدني الإيراني ، وکيف يتم تطبيق هذه التفسيرات. ستساعد الأدب والأفلام الإيرانية المعاصرة في تسليط الضوء على الممارسات الحالية في إيران. الکلمات المفتاحية : حقوق المرأة ، الزواج ، الطلاق ، حقوق الإنسان ، المعاهدات .

MINARETS AS EXISTENCE OF THE ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE IN URBAN ENVIRONMENT OF AZERBAIJAN CITIES

Azerbaijan is a country of rich artistic and architectural heritage with the sources in remote past. The country has been at the crossroads of important trade routes, leading from Asia to Europe for long times. Islam spread on the territory of Azerbaijan in 7th -8th centuries. There were Muslim states on the territory of Azerbaijan such as Shirvanshahs with the capital in Shamakhi and Ravvadids (979-1054) with the capital Tabriz, Sheddadids (951- 1088) with the capital Ganja. At the same time, there were a large number of worshipers - Yaqut al-Hamavi (8th century), he noted that there were major temples of fire worshipers in the cities of South Azerbaijan (in present-day Iran), in Shize and Kazna. The main idea of this abstract is to show how different schools of architecture influenced to all minarets for mosques in all these territories. Arran, Shirvan-Apsheron, Nakhichevan and Tabriz architectural schools of Azerbaijan - four regional architectural schools have developed on the territory of Azerbaijan that were formed around major centers of the country. In the typology of Islamic architecture, we can establish the following structures of the group such as: the mosque; minaret, holy; madrasah; khanege, tekie. The minaret is one of the features of Islamic architecture. According to the principle of minaret locations we can distinguish different types of mosques with minarets here and the results of all these researches provide clear information about how these different schools influenced in the territory. Analysis of the planning and compositional features of Azerbaijan minarets revealed compositional differences of monuments around regions.

Palynology and micropalaeontology of the Pliocene - Pleistocene transition in outcrop from the western Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan: Potential links with the Mediterranean, Black Sea and the Arctic Ocean?

New palynological, ostracod and foraminiferal data are presented from a long outcrop section in the Jeirankechmez river valley, Azerbaijan, near the western coast of the Caspian Sea. The interval studied includes the upper part of the Pliocene Productive Series and overlying Plio-Pleistocene Akchagylian (Akchagyl) and Apsheronian (Apsheron) regional stages. Productive Series sediments were deposited in a closed fluvio-lacustrine basin, isolated from any marine influence. The onset of Akchagyl deposition is marked by a lithological change associated with a significant flooding event that, at its maximum extent, reached the Sea of Azov and into present-day Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Russia. At the Jeirankechmez locality, the lowermost beds of the Akchagyl contain predominantly freshwater assemblages with very minimal marine or brackish content showing that the onset of Akchagyl deposition was not a marine induced event. Reworked Mesozoic palynomorphs occur frequently in this lowermost interval, including the reworked pollen taxa Aquilapollenites-Triprojectus that were eroded from the north or north-east.Significant marine influence is evident ca. 30 m above the base of the Akchagyl in the studied outcrop, marked by the ‘Cassidulina Beds’ which contain a distinct but low diversity assemblage of foraminifera that occurs widely and can be correlated in many parts of the greater Caspian region. Dinoflagellate cysts (dinocysts) in the marine interval include frequent specimens very similar to Algidasphaeridium capillatum (Matsuoka and Bujak), a species only previously recorded from the northern Bering Sea. The combined evidence from these dinocysts and foraminifera suggests that a marine (i.e. seaway) connection existed briefly between the Arctic Ocean and the Caspian Sea at the very end of the Pliocene.Re-examination of core material from the Adriatic Sea shows that Cassidulina reniforme (Nørvang) was present in the Mediterranean during and shortly after the Last Glacial Maximum. The possibility that the end Pliocene marine incursion came from the Mediterranean via the Black Sea region to the Caspian Sea cannot be entirely ruled out but is considered unlikely. Biometric analyses are applied to obtain a better understanding of the palaeoenvironmental significance of the assemblages dominated by cassidulinids.An interval >300 m thick is assigned to the Apsheron regional stage on the basis of predominantly brackish ostracod and dinocyst associations. The dinocysts are of ‘Peri-Paratethyan’ affinity and closely resemble species first described from Miocene and Pliocene sediments in the Pannonian and Dacic basins of Eastern Europe. Many similarities exist in the microplankton records (dinocysts and acritarchs) between the Caspian Sea, the Black Sea and Central Paratethys.

English in contemporary Iran

As a part of the Expanding Circle in the concentric model of the Englishes around the world, English plays an important function in various domains in contemporary Iran. While English does not have any recognized official status in the country, it is widely used in education, business discourse, and media. This article discusses the sociolinguistic characteristics of Iran, reviews the use and the status of different foreign languages in the country, and elaborates on the functions of English in present-day Iran. The article also considers that further spread of English in various aspects of the everyday lives of Iranian people has been influenced by the mass media and the increasing use of the Internet and social networks.

The Genetic Legacy of Zoroastrianism in Iran and India: Insights into Population Structure, Gene Flow, and Selection

Zoroastrianism is one of the oldest extant religions in the world, originating in Persia (present-day Iran) during the second millennium BCE. Historical records indicate that migrants from Persia brought Zoroastrianism to India, but there is debate over the timing of these migrations. Here we present genome-wide autosomal, Y chromosome, and mitochondrial DNA data from Iranian and Indian Zoroastrians and neighboring modern-day Indian and Iranian populations and conduct a comprehensive genome-wide genetic analysis in these groups. Using powerful haplotype-based techniques, we find that Zoroastrians in Iran and India have increased genetic homogeneity relative to other sampled groups in their respective countries, consistent with their current practices of endogamy. Despite this, we infer that Indian Zoroastrians (Parsis) intermixed with local groups sometime after their arrival in India, dating this mixture to 690–1390 CE and providing strong evidence that Iranian Zoroastrian ancestry was maintained primarily through the male line. By making use of the rich information in DNA from ancient human remains, we also highlight admixture in the ancestors of Iranian Zoroastrians dated to 570 BCE–746 CE, older than admixture seen in any other sampled Iranian group, consistent with a long-standing isolation of Zoroastrians from outside groups. Finally, we report results, and challenges, from a genome-wide scan to identify genomic regions showing signatures of positive selection in present-day Zoroastrians that might correlate to the prevalence of particular diseases among these communities.

Staging the Silk Road Journey Abroad: The Case of Dunhuang Performative Arts

Staging the Silk Road Journey Abroad: The Case of Dunhuang Performative Arts

Near Eastern genomes from Iran

Human Genetics![Figure][1] Genome sequencing of modern Iranian Zoroastrians reveals a previously uncharacterized ancient human population. PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS The genetic composition of populations in Europe changed during the Neolithic transition from hunting and gathering to farming. To better understand the origin of modern populations, Broushaki et al. sequenced ancient DNA from four individuals from the Zagros region of present-day Iran, representing the early Neolithic Fertile Crescent. These individuals unexpectedly were not ancestral to early European farmers, and their genetic structures did not contribute significantly to those of present-day Europeans. These data indicate that a parallel Neolithic transition probably resulted from structured farming populations across southwest Asia. Science , this issue p. [499][2] [1]: pending:yes [2]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aaf7943

Early Neolithic genomes from the eastern Fertile Crescent.

We sequenced Early Neolithic genomes from the Zagros region of Iran (eastern Fertile Crescent), where some of the earliest evidence for farming is found, and identify a previously uncharacterized population that is neither ancestral to the first European farmers nor has contributed substantially to the ancestry of modern Europeans. These people are estimated to have separated from Early Neolithic farmers in Anatolia some 46,000 to 77,000 years ago and show affinities to modern-day Pakistani and Afghan populations, but particularly to Iranian Zoroastrians. We conclude that multiple, genetically differentiated hunter-gatherer populations adopted farming in southwestern Asia, that components of pre-Neolithic population structure were preserved as farming spread into neighboring regions, and that the Zagros region was the cradle of eastward expansion.

Lower–Middle Jurassic facies patterns in the NW Afghan–Tajik Basin of southern Uzbekistan and their geodynamic context

Abstract Based on 11 sections, the palaeoenvironments and depositional history of the NW Afghan–Tajik Basin in southern Uzbekistan have been reconstructed for the time interval of the Early Jurassic–Early Callovian. The earliest sediments, resting on Palaeozoic basement rocks, date from the Early Jurassic Period. Up to the end of the Early Bajocian time, more than 500 m of non-marine sediments accumulated as a result of extensional tectonics inducing active subsidence. In the Late Bajocian time interval, transgression led to the establishment of siliciclastic ramps that were influenced by storm processes. After a condensed unit in the Middle Bathonian, sedimentation resumed in an outer carbonate ramp–basinal setting as the subsidence rate outpaced the diminished siliciclastic sediment supply. The change from siliciclastic to carbonate sedimentation in the Middle Jurassic Period is thought to be multifactorial, reflecting levelling of relief in the hinterland, the subsidence moving to a thermally more quiet stage and a change from humid to arid climatic conditions. These features are also observed in the area of present-day Iran. Similarly, the timing of the transgression coincides with that in eastern and northern Iran, stressing the regional significance of this event.

An Introduction to the Bahá’í Religiolect

Religious dialects like Judeo-Arabic and Christianese have become popular topics of study in recent years. First proposed in the world of academia, the mass media – including public radio stations like PRI (Public Radio International) – have now begun to cover these ‘religiolects’ in their programmes. The purpose of this paper is to offer an introductory look at the religiolect of the Bahá’í Faith, a relatively recent religion founded in 19th century Persia (present-day Iran). To that end, we will explore the origins of the Bahá’í religiolect; examine the most essential loanwords of the religiolect; discuss some of the phraseology, both contemporary and historical, which composes the religiolect; and review especially extensive efforts to codify the religiolect. In striving to achieve the aforementioned goals, it is hoped that this paper will serve as a stepping-stone that others may use in their endeavours to further a greater understanding of the Bahá’í religiolect.

The First Recorded Bahá’í Fireside

This article presents an episode recounted by Cambridge orientalist, Edward Granville Browne (7 February 1862–5 January 1926), as narrated in his travel classic, A Year Amongst the Persians, first published in 1893 (second edition published by Cambridge in 1927). This may be characterized, with some poetic licence as the first recorded ‘fireside’ in Bahá’í history. That is; the first-hand account given in the course of his historic contacts with the Bahá’ís in Persia (present-day Iran), during his stay in Shíráz, from Thursday 22 March 1888 to Saturday 6 April 1888 – at which time Browne, at long last, succeeded in his quest to discover further information on the Bábí religion which, by this time, had evolved into what is today known as the ‘Bahá’í Faith’ now an independent world religion established in all countries except for North Korea and the Vatican. Special focus is devoted to a meeting that took place in Shíráz on ‘Friday, March 30th’, 1888 – and which here is characterized as ‘the first recorded Bahá’í fireside’. Browne’s account – loosely compared, in the present study, to his original diary entries, digital scans of which are now made available by Pembroke College, Cambridge, as part of the ‘Browne Archive Project’ – is energized by his intense curiosity, which may fairly be described as a ‘passion’ for his research interest as a scholar. To ascertain the degree to which Browne’s narrative is a composite, reworked account – and not strictly sequential and chronological – it makes sense to draw some correspondences between Browne’s diary entries, and the Shíráz narrative in Chapter XI in A Year Amongst the Persians, as to both topics and dates. Briefly, the present article highlights Browne’s diary entries, folio by folio (page by page), from Vols. II and III of Browne’s diary, and offers some observations on corresponding passages in A Year Amongst the Persians.