فصلنامه مطالعات تاریخ فرهنگی
پیاپی 24 (تابستان 1394)

Cornucopia or the Horn of Plenty is amongst the cultural and social symbols which represented the concept of plenty and prosperity in Europe and United State of America. The origin of Cornucopia is dated back to the Greek myths and related to parts of Zeus’ life, and also to the stories of other Greek gods and goddess such as Heracles, Hades, Demeter and Tyche. The picture of Cornucopia has also been found on some of Parthian reliefs and coins and some subjects that had been remained from that era were designed such as Cornucopia and a hollow horn. This article will introduce these objects in a descriptive-analytical method while studies the meaning and connotation of Cornucopia in a cultural semiotic approach in the semiosphere of Parthian era. The result of this research speaks of the attention of Parthians in using the functions of symbols for representation of their power and legitimacy especially in the settlements of Greek-origin colonies mainly in Mesopotamia.

There are groups of thinkers in Qajar period which some of them do not let the Islamic culture to face with the new cultural aspects and vigilant for immunizing it as its former identity. While other group, who are interested in the splendor aspects and accomplishments of modernity, believe that native culture had no potentiality for understanding these new-fashioned ideas. This article is going to explain, with a view to the principles of ontology, that facing with the cultural accomplishment of modernity not only needs sufficient knowledge to its legal and theoretical principles but also demands especial obligation and liability towards ones cultural tradition and antecedent in order to pave the way for constructing an unfeigned and applicable combination with the requirement of philosophy and presence of these two.

The position of Judge (Qazi) is amongst the important provincial positions of Seljuq era which was mainly appointed amongst the Ulama, according to the order of Sultan considering their personal and general aptitude. The most important duty of these judges, as it has been in all historical period of Iran, was to attend the judicial and canonical affairs and holding the courts. Political, economic and administrative changes during Seljuq period and the deployment of territory had changed the role of judge in that era. This research will study this change and development, considering the duties and political effects of judges in Seljuq era according to the resources and orders related to the judge. These changes led to the development of political role of judges and their interfering in various administrative – political and somehow economic affairs. On the other word, the most alteration and development of judges’ role was during the Seljuq period.

Luti and Lutigari (chivalry) had a long history in Iran urban culture and social relations and the origin of this socio-cultural phenomenon dated back to the history of Javanmardi (manliness). Luties as the decadent heritage of Ayyari (vagabknd) and Fotowwat (brotherhood) were the ever presence elements of the most political riots and events during Qajar period. This research studies social status of Luties while attempts to criticize the two attitudes of Luties in Tehran Constitutional events and their supporters. Therefore, this article shows that the governmental structure of Qajar’ role and also the traditional context and composition of cities in Iran along with the political and religious assortments of the society and the manners of traditional culture of Luties is one of the most important reasons of their attending in urban riots.

“Advertising” is one of the important humanistic ways for dissemination of ideas and influencing others. This issue emerged in Iran by publication of the first journals contemporary to the reign of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar (1848-1896). Therefore, although the positive aspects of the advertising is aknowleged, pathology of them or their negative aspects which were heterogeneous with native culture should not be tolerated. Corresponding with this approach the main question of this research is that what is the relation between these traumas and the issue of propaganda and advertising? Approaches of this research represents this fact that according to the rules of advertising which changing the behavior of the society is the most important aim, there were an endeavor for contriving the economic, cultural and political ascendancy of the West in Iran by changing the taste of Iranian society, formation of the mood for consumerism, luxuriousness and the most important of all acceptance of Western identity in various aspects. Meanwhile, due to the incongruity of some contents of the advertising with the normal of the society especially the religious ones, the balance of the society had been threatened.

Second Majlis (Parliament) faced with the great crisis of Russian 1911 Ultimatum given to Iran in its late days. Despite various issues which have been discussed about Russian ultimatum, still there are some foggy aspects which had caused some obvious inaccuracies. One of these indeterminacies is the issue that Majlis in the last moments of the expiration of opportunity given through the ultimatum, had formed the five person commission with the full authority in order to help the government for disposing the issue of ultimatum and presentation of proper answer. There is no sign in the Majlis’ negotiations and Majlis’ newspaper which indicates and introduces any member of this commission, its meetings and decisions. This article tries to answer this question in descriptive-analytical approach through studying the contradictions and indeterminacies in most of the historical narrations related to the formation of commission and review some aspects of this important event and defend a reasonable narration.