The role of " Jārchi" and its developments over time

This study concerns the origin and the development of the role of Jārchis in Iran prior to the modern era.Research Method/Approach: First-hand documents and library resources were examined.Findings and The results demonstrated that Jārchis were announcers and, in some cases, executors of governmental orders. They generally announced political and military orders of the government and the city-bazaar sector in the public. They had a high position in the court-military hierarchy and were companions of the Shah and rulers. Jārchis enjoyed considerable social prestige. Economically they gained much wealth at times. Jārchis administratively worked under supervision of “Jārchibashi”s who, in turn, were under the “Ishik aghasi bashi”. Jārchis, themselves, had ranks, such as “Jārchi –ye Makhsoos” (=Special Jārchi), “Jazaerian Jārchis”, “Bazaar Jārchis”, “Topkhaneh Jārchis”, etc. Duties and position of Jārchis changed in accordance with any reorganization of Iran's administrative and political arrangements in various historical eras. Because of some similarities between the duties of Jārchis and the duties of “Tavachi”s, there was some overlap in their duties. Since the Qajarid era andwith the emergence of modern technologies such as newspapers and loudspeakers, the stage was set for fading and eventually elimination of the role of Jārchis. Nowadays, only “Jārzan”s, which is an unimportant form of Jārchi, survive in bazaars or passenger terminals.