Diffusing the Shi‘i Rites on the Coins in the Zandiya Period

The numismatic studies show that the coin is one of the governmental tools for reflecting the attitude of the states and rulers regarding the political, religious and economic issues in the society and in the levels of environmental and international relations. Religious rites inscribed on coinages reflect some sort of ontological worldview and attitude as well as the religious thought of the rulers. In the coins of the Zandiya period (11-64-1209 AH), using the Shiite notions and themes were common. Thus, the question arises as follows: "What was the effect of the political-religious attitude of Zandiya rulers on their approach to inscribing the Shiite rites on the coins of that period?" This study aims at investigating reason and method of inscribing the Shiite rites on coins of Zandiya period in a descriptive-analytical manner. The findings of the study show that under Zandiya, instead of inscribing the worldly titles of the ruler on the coins, the Shiite rites on resorting to God's attributes and respecting the Shiite imams and resorting to them – especially Imam Mahdi – flourished. Besides, the Safawid traditions – including Mahdawiyyat and saviorship were revived. This Shiite tendency from Zandiya was done to legitimize the government by linking their government to Imam Mahdi as the universal savior, and their Safawid-centered policy can be defined with the same view.