نشریه مطالعات ایرانشناسی
پیاپی 20 (بهار 1400)

The Qajar era was the period of changes in the construction of residential buildings. In fact, one can observe a kind of spatial variety and creativity in the inner spaces of the historical buildings of this period. This variety and creativity in each region originate in the cultural interactions there. Hence, given the culture of each city, each region has its own architecture. The architectural design of Esfandiari Castle, as one of the famous buildings of the Qajar period is of great importance in terms of its functions and aesthetic features. In spite of the value of this house, no research has addressed it either from an aesthetic or an architectural angle. Thus this study investigated the architectural features and elements of this mansion following a descriptive-analytic method and based on library and field studies. The findings of the study suggest that this historical house is different from the other buildings in the traditional texture of the region because of its complex structure and specific architecture. It has been constructed based on the principles of (traditional) Iranian architecture and local architecture. The summer section of the mansion is in the front of the building and consists of haftdari (seven-windowed) and sedari (three-windowed) rooms, and the winter section is behind the summer section. The alcove is in the northern corner of the house, and the eastern and western corners of the house are used for the residence of other family members. The entrance and store rooms are on the southern section of the house.

Upon the downfall of the Abbasid Dynasty and the establishment of the Ilkhanid government, the Twelver Shi’ites, who were not allowed to perform any religious activities during the Abbasid period, began disseminating Shi’ism with the help of some scholars such as Khwajah Nasir al-Din Tusi while benefiting from the compromising attitude of Mongols and their lack of religious prejudice. In the middle of the Ilkhanid period, a number of Ilkhanid kings converted to Islam and adopted the Sunnite tradition. However, because of the conflicts among Sunnite scholars, the enmity of Ilkhanid government with the Sunnite Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt, and the endeavors of Shi’ite statesman, Shi’ism assumed an important role in the country. After Ȍljeitȕ’s conversion to Shi’ism, the revival of Mongolian traditions in Iran was prohibited. The formal recognition of Shi’ism faced some resistance on the part of Sunnite statesmen and scholars of the time, and they decided to stop Ȍljaitȕ from enforcing this policy. Following a descriptive-analytic method and benefiting from library resources, the present paper aims to investigate this historical religious phenomenon and provide a response to the question of what reasons led to the decline of Shi’ism at the end of the reign of Ȍljaitȕ and his successors. The findings of this study indicate that Shi’ism became very strong during a specific time in Ȍljaitȕ’s period, and the Ilkhanate’s support played a significant role in reinforcing this religion. However, it could not continue its process of growth and was later marginalized.

A study of the changes in different buildings and structures of the Islamic era indicates that the architectural changes in these buildings have, in a way, followed the traditions of previous eras. In fact, it can be said that the influence of Islamic culture in different times is one of the reasons for the continuation of such traditions. Moreover, in each period it has been tried to update and benefit from the models of the previous era based on the needs of society. Sepahdari School is one of the important buildings in the historical texture of Arak and the oldest school in the city dating back to the Qajar period. The present study aims to examine the architecture of this important building based on a descriptive-analytic method and some library and field studies. The conducted analyses demonstrate that the physical and architectural structure of Sepahdari School follows the construction method of four-iwan schools. They also reveal that this school was constructed following the method used in the building of previous schools in terms of its physical elements, geometrical designs, and several other techniques. Similar to many other schools, Sepahdari School is located on the way leading to the Bazar of the city and its economic and social center.

This paper examines a part of indigenous literature of Laki ethnic group in terms of its proximity to or distance from the idea of Iranism. It aims to provide answers to the questions of how Laki literature reflects the spirit or macro-idea of Iranism, and which symbols and signs of the ancient and national history of Iran are continuously mirrored in the indigenous literature of Laki people. In doing so, the author has used a phenomenological approach to analyze a number of Laki poems, allegories, and lullabies relying on some of the well-known Iranian national and mythical symbols and signs. The findings of this study indicate that Laki literature has been developed based on Iranism and Laki poets’ interest in the history and fate of Iran. One of the manifestations of Laki poets’ belief in Iranism is their rewriting of some poems of Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh in Laki dialect.

A large part of available knowledge about Shahpur Yazdegerdan or Shahpur Shah-Armen, the prince of Yazdegerd I, has been derived from historical Armenian and Western texts. However, the fate of Sassanid King has still remained hidden. Hence, this study aims to provide a clear picture of this king and his fate through introducing some of the coins that have remained from his time and examining a number of historical documents. The results of the study indicate that, unlike some preconceptions, Shahpur IV was not an assassinated prince among the other ill-fated Iranian princes. Rather, he was a Sassanid King who was killed by Sassanid nobles and courtiers in a plot before his formal crowing and levee.

Funerals are held in Mazandaran following specific customs. They are often held in hoseyniyehs (religious centers) or holy shrines near cemeteries. In the past, some pieces of land were sometimes endowed to graves. The present paper initially deals with death-related rituals in Mazandaran and then investigates the ownership quality of graveyard lands in the funerary customs of Mazani people. The author has examined the contents of a number of cemetery endowment deeds following a descriptive-analytic method to achieve this purpose. The findings of this study indicate that the funerary rituals and endowment of graveyards in Mazandaran originate in the worldview of the people of this region. Believing in afterlife, benefactors not only endowed land to graveyards for the peace of the spirit of their diseased dears but also made several other endowments on the grave of their relatives and great figures so that they could benefit from their good deeds in both worlds.