women 's agencies in water resources endowments(case study: Endowments of Qajar era in Kerman)

Understanding dynamics of the socio-economic system of endowment (Waqf), especially in the Qajar era of Iran, with the semiotics of the deeds of endowment. With its religious, social and economic themes in the arid land of Iran in gerneral and Kerman province in particular, such deeds demonstrate the importance of the social status of women.

The present study was conducted with an anthropological method focusing on the historical approach and the method of cultural semiotics using observation techniques in the Kerman's Endowments Office. In addition, 168 deeds of endowment belonging to women with water resources and 11 items of the supplement records were examined. Theoritical sampling and Giddens’ meta-theory in the in the concept of agency and its integration with Hewson and Moren theory were adopted in the present project.Findings and

Women's access to water resources was an opportunity for women's agency multiple levelsand and it is based on foundations of agency.