Iranian Zoroastrians’ occupationsand walks of life in Qajarid period

Religious minorities of Iran have mainly participated in constituting Iranian historical communal lifeworld and cultural enrichment. Their endeavors to retain their identity and existence among an other-religion majority have occasionally been reflected in occupational and professional domains. In the present article, the main and prominent occupations and walks of life of Qajarid Iranian Zoroastrians, as followers of an ancient and genuine religion, have been investigated mainly based on the non-Iranian authors’ accounts and travel logs which typically comprise more details of life of popular classes. Besides, some documents about the Zoroastrians of the mentioned period have been used. In consequence, Zoroastrians’ main occupations have been categorized in the labors such as gardening, masonry, and silk weaving, which Zoroastrians do based on familial or local traditions, or careers like currency exchanging and winemaking, which have not been admirable in Muslims’ common sense. Furthermore, occupations which have somehow been forbidden for Zoroastrians, such as martial jobs, have also been described.