Analysis of Broad Cultural Area of Nishabur in the Early and Middle Centuries of the Islamic Period Based on Written Sources (Case Study: Buzhgan City)

Cultural area is a geographical area in which an approximately large of group with shared cultural characteristics are present. In the Islamic period، Nishabur city (the remains of which are located in the South East of the modern city of Nishabur)، Balkh، Merv and Heart were the four quarters of Great Khorasan in the early centuries until the Mongol invasion، from which only Nishabur in Iran has remained. Based on the historical and geographical sources of the early and middle centuries of the Islamic period، Nishabur has had a broad cultural context، including twelve provinces، a dozen quarters، as well as several towns and villages. Buzhgan، as one of the easternmost twelve provinces of Nishabur، is located within Nilabad Plain، 17 km southeast of Torbatejam، and has been the result of interaction between climatic conditions and political، economic and social relations as in close association with the capital city of Nishabur in the first to seventh centuryies (AH). In this paper، the literature on Buzhgan has been dealt with using a historical analysis approach. The evaluation of written sources indicates the distinct political، economic and cultural role of Nishabur as the most important eastern province in the road from Nishabur to Heart.