Archaeological Survey of Khorāsgān Cultural Landscape in Isfahan to Recognize the Forgotten Neighborhood of Miyān or Vostā from the Safavid Epoch to the Present Era

During the Safavid epoch to the Pahlavi era, Khorāsgān was a Qariya, Qaṣaba, and City respectively. The Khorāsgān City was founded by joining several Qariya in 1964 and joining Isfahan in 2013. In the present study, while introducing the cultural landscape of Khorāsgān and understanding its boundaries in different periods, the structure of one of its forgotten neighborhoods called “Miyān” or “Vostā” was studied and its approximate range was determined. In addition, according to field surveys and the study of various documents, it is obvious that the measures taken by Bāqer Khān-e Khorāsgāni and the increase of water resources caused the wealth of the region to double and its influence can be traced in the development of Khorāsgan and in particular, some houses built with luxurious architecture in this neighborhood. Thus, contrary to what has been said so far regarding the attribution of the Khān complex to Bāqer Khān-e Khorāsgāni, it was determined that Bāqer Khān had no role in the construction of this luxurious architectural complex and the Khān complex was constructed by local Khāns in the early Qajar period. Due to the existence of the aforementioned houses and buildings attributed to Bāqer Khān (mosque and bathhouse), the Vostā neighborhood was considered the most important part and center of the Qariya and Qaṣaba during this period. The death of the fifth generation of Khāns and also the land reform in the second Pahlavi period (1941-1979) led to the decline of the political, social, and economic power of the Khorāsgān Khāns. Therefore, the development of the Vostā, unlike the Olyā and Soflā neighborhoods, was stopped and its central role faded away. Also, the construction of Abāzar Street and the relocation of the Jāmeʿ mosque (AKA. Friday mosque) from this neighborhood in 1979 led to the destruction of the neighborhood and its landmarks, so the name of the neighborhood was forgotten and removed from the urban divides of Khorāsgān.