Iranian Studies - Articles List

A proposal to determine the function and dating of Qal-e Dokhtar Save

Ismail Sharahi

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 22 January 2024

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2024.365574.1231

Abstract

The building of Qale Dokhtar (Qiz Qala, Qazqaleh) is a mountain fortress located 25 kilometers southwest of Saveh on top of a single mountain in the Hendes mountain range. Different ... Read More The building of Qale Dokhtar (Qiz Qala, Qazqaleh) is a mountain fortress located 25 kilometers southwest of Saveh on top of a single mountain in the Hendes mountain range. Different opinions have been presented in the researches about the formation of this building and its function. Some researchers have considered the construction of Qale Dokhtar to be related to the Sassanid period and its function as Anahita Temple, and others have identified it as a fortress related to the middle centuries of the Islamic period and related to the Ismailid sect. The lack of reliable documents and evidence from the researchers in presenting the two mentioned functions has raised the question of what was the function of Qale Dokhtar as a huge and magnificent building that was formed in the geographical and historical background of Saveh and when was it formed? Certainly, addressing this issue apart from providing suggestions for the dating and function of Qala Dokhtar in particular, in the field of architectural or archeological researches of the Islamic period, especially castles, raises challenges that will be necessary to be comprehensively addressed by researchers in the future. In this article, it is assumed that QaLE Dokhtar is an Ismailid castle and its function was based on the use of the followers of that sect. The method of conducting this research is historical-analytical which is based on field investigations and architectural evidence, archeological field excavations and the use of library resources. The conducted studies and researches have considered the Qale Dokhtar in connection with other Ismailid castles in Iran and suggested the 5th to 7th centuries AH as the period of formation and use of that castle in the service of the Ismailid sect.Qale Dokhtar, as one of the important castles, played a role in the creation of the network of castles and fortifications of the Ismailid sect in Central Iran and is considered one of the main castles.

View Article

A proposal to determine the function and dating of Qale Dokhtar Saveh Fortress in the 5th to 7th centuries A.H

Ismail Sharahi; Mohammad Ebrahim zarei; Hamide Choubak

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 03 March 2024

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2024.373493.1265

Abstract

The building of Qale Dokhtar (Qiz Qala, Qazqaleh) is a mountain fortress located 25 kilometers southwest of Saveh on top of a single mountain in the Hendes mountain range. Different ... Read More The building of Qale Dokhtar (Qiz Qala, Qazqaleh) is a mountain fortress located 25 kilometers southwest of Saveh on top of a single mountain in the Hendes mountain range. Different opinions have been presented in the researches about the formation of this building and its function. Some researchers have considered the construction of Qale Dokhtar to be related to the Sassanid period and its function as Anahita Temple, and others have identified it as a fortress related to the middle centuries of the Islamic period and related to the Ismailid sect. The lack of reliable documents and evidence from the researchers in presenting the two mentioned functions has raised the question of what was the function of Qale Dokhtar as a huge and magnificent building that was formed in the geographical and historical background of Saveh and when was it formed? Certainly, addressing this issue apart from providing suggestions for the dating and function of Qala Dokhtar in particular, in the field of architectural or archeological researches of the Islamic period, especially castles, raises challenges that will be necessary to be comprehensively addressed by researchers in the future. In this article, it is assumed that QaLE Dokhtar is an Ismailid castle and its function was based on the use of the followers of that sect. The method of conducting this research is historical-analytical which is based on field investigations and architectural evidence, archeological field excavations and the use of library resources. The conducted studies and researches have considered the Qale Dokhtar in connection with other Ismailid castles in Iran and suggested the 5th to 7th centuries AH as the period of formation and use of that castle in the service of the Ismailid sect.Qale Dokhtar, as one of the important castles, played a role in the creation of the network of castles and fortifications of the Ismailid sect in Central Iran and is considered one of the main castles.

View Article

Iconographic Analysis and Iconographers' Interpretation of the Snake and Eagle Motif in the Jiroft Civilization (3rd Millennium BC)

Esmaeil Sangari; Shaghayegh Taheri Bakhtiarvand

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 09 June 2025

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2025.393018.1341

Abstract

In January 2001, a common surge within the southeastern area of Kerman, Iran, uncovered an obscure culture in Jiroft. The surge revealed artifacts that each uncover a covered up corner ... Read More

View Article

A Comparative Study of the Concept and Quality of Love in Tamhīdāt of ʿAyn al-Quḍāt in Comparison with the Ghazals of Ḥāfeẓ Shirazi

abdolreza seif; Behzad Geranmaye

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available Online from 24 June 2025

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2025.393666.1343

Abstract

This study undertakes a comparative examination of the concept and quality of love in two prominent works of Persian mystical literature: Tamhīdāt by ʿAyn al-Quḍāt Hamadānī ... Read More

View Article

Evidences of Sasanid art in the Eastern States and its influence on Chinese art (Case study: pearl decorations)

mina Rastgar fard; Yaghoub Mohammadifar; Esmail Hemati Azandaryani

Volume 15, Issue 4 , February 2026, , Pages 1-29

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2023.362774.1216

Abstract

Pearl is one of the most frequently used ornaments in Sassanid decoration arts which, as a valuable element and the symbol of divine glory in religious and nonreligious figures. In ... Read More Pearl is one of the most frequently used ornaments in Sassanid decoration arts which, as a valuable element and the symbol of divine glory in religious and nonreligious figures. In the Sassanid era comprehensive and vast connections with the east was formed which led to exchange of cultural concepts and content of Sassanid art with those countries. The wide-range reach of Persian culture and its expanse and popularity in China on the Silk Road is one of the main focuses of this research; and thus, the study of pearl decorations as an index of most repeated common decorations in Sassanid era, especially particular art of the courtiers and nobles, has been considered. This study aims to answer two important questions: By studying the pearl motifs, the influence of the artistic and religious thinking of the Sassanid court on Chinese civilization can be examined from what aspects? Was the usage of pearl depictions in Chinese arts consciously or was it a mere imitation of Sassanid royal arts as a new and luxurious commodity or tradition? The nature of current study is fundamental and its approach is descriptive, analytical-comparative and the data gathering method is of library type. In this study culture refers to distinct and unique parts of artistic tastes and thoughts, architectural decorations, textiles and other artworks that had an impact on Chinese culture. The considered geographical expanse includes documents achieved in the eastern Sassanid provinces and further the study of its impact along the Silk Road through China. The pearl decorative elements used in Buddhist temples, Sogdian tombs or Manichaean sources are not merely imitations derived from the Sassanid aesthetic concept; Rather, it is a conscious choice of its original concept and then the application of this art in a new religious and cultural context. It seems that the main factor in introducing the Sassanid culture to the neighboring nations is trade along the Silk Road, in front of the presence of numerous ambassadors and the sending of various gifts from the Sassanids to the Chinese court.

View Article

Philanthropy and its dimensions in Zoroastrianism

Farahnaz Shams; Kolsoum Ghazanfari

Volume 15, Issue 4 , February 2026, , Pages 31-48

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2025.380726.1303

Abstract

Among the important concepts in Zoroastrianism, philanthropy is highly recommended and has received special attention. Philanthropy has a wide scope and dimensions, and knowing its ... Read More Among the important concepts in Zoroastrianism, philanthropy is highly recommended and has received special attention. Philanthropy has a wide scope and dimensions, and knowing its examples, scope and mechanisms can clarify its individual, social, spiritual and cultural functions. Considering the impact of philanthropy on the morality and life of individuals and society, the explanation of this concept can clarify the perception and view of society and individuals towards it. The purpose of this article is to examine philanthropy and its dimensions in Pahlavi texts that were formalized in the Sasanian period or the first Islamic centuries. Depending on the period in which these texts were written, it is possible to learn about the definitions and activities of individuals, religious institutions and the state apparatus in this field, which required interaction between them. Studies show that the interests of the individual and the family, the community and the religious community were taken into account in the discussion of philanthropy.Among the important concepts in Zoroastrianism, philanthropy is highly recommended and has received special attention. Philanthropy has a wide scope and dimensions, and knowing its examples, scope and mechanisms can clarify its individual, social, spiritual and cultural functions. Considering the impact of philanthropy on the morality and life of individuals and society, the explanation of this concept can clarify the perception and view of society and individuals towards it. The purpose of this article is to examine philanthropy and its dimensions in Pahlavi texts that were formalized in the Sasanian period or the first Islamic centuries. Depending on the period in which these texts were written, it is possible to learn about the definitions and activities of individuals, religious institutions and the state apparatus in this field, which required interaction between them. Studies show that the interests of the individual and the family, the community and the religious community were taken into account in the discussion of philanthropy.

View Article

The conceptual image of Iran in the Shiite discourse of the Safavid era (with emphasis on reciting Roza Al-Anwar Mullah Muhammad Baqer Sabzevari)

Fatemeh Taherkhani; heydar valizadeh

Volume 15, Issue 4 , February 2026, , Pages 49-64

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2024.378202.1293

Abstract

The purpose of writing this article is to investigate the language mechanisms in the Shiite discourse that led to the recovery and revival of the concept of "Iran" in the Safavid era.The ... Read More

View Article

Woman as the Other in Qajar-Era Travelogues: A Critical Reading through Narrative Identity, Power/Knowledge, and the Third Space

somayeh Abbasi; somayeh khanipour

Volume 15, Issue 4 , February 2026, , Pages 65-84

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2025.402095.1368

Abstract

Historical–literary studies of the Qajar era—especially travelogues—have often settled for superficial, stereotypical depictions of women and neglected deeper discursive ... Read More

View Article

Namri; An ancient land in a part of Ilam province?

Sorena Firouzi; Zohre Jozi

Volume 15, Issue 4 , February 2026, , Pages 85-103

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2023.358270.1197

Abstract

The study of Mesopotamian inscriptions, especially from the Middle and Neo-Assyrian periods, has provided researchers with much geographical data. Based on the topographical coordinates ... Read More The study of Mesopotamian inscriptions, especially from the Middle and Neo-Assyrian periods, has provided researchers with much geographical data. Based on the topographical coordinates provided by this information, the cultural and historical background of the western and central regions of the Iranian plateau has been better investigated. This process has formed the basis for many historical, cultural, and archaeological studies. Assyrians gradually began to pay attention to the east of their land from the era of Tiglath-Pileser I, and this view gained strength during the Neo-Assyrian periods. Therefore, in this upcoming research, we will use the geographical basis of the royal inscriptions of the Neo-Assyrian kings to investigate which territories described in those written documents corresponded to the boundaries of the current Ilam province or at least its northern part. This article demonstrates that contrary to opinions raised about the land of Namri, an important part of the coordinates of this ancient area coincided with the boundaries of Ilam province. Furthermore, this research argues that based on this conclusion and a study of the cultural components of Namri, we can gain a better understanding of the cultural state of the coordinates of Ilam province in the first millennium BCE .The study of Mesopotamian inscriptions, especially from the Middle and Neo-Assyrian periods, has provided researchers with much geographical data. Based on the topographical coordinates provided by this information, the cultural and historical background of the western and central regions of the Iranian plateau has been better investigated. This process has formed the basis for many historical, cultural, and archaeological studies. Assyrians gradually began to pay attention to the east of their land from the era of Tiglath-Pileser I, and this view gained strength during the Neo-Assyrian periods. Therefore, in this upcoming research, we will use the geographical basis of the royal inscriptions of the Neo-Assyrian kings to investigate which territories described in those written documents corresponded to the boundaries of the current Ilam province or at least its northern part.

View Article

The effectiveness of the possible relations of diplomacy on the institution of the family Emphasizing the drivers of governance in the Safavid era

zahra sadat keshavarz

Volume 15, Issue 4 , February 2026, , Pages 105-128

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2025.387372.1328

Abstract

In this connection, Max Weber's theory and comparative strategy have been put as a basis so that an ideal type of family change in the demography of the history of most societies becomes ... Read More

View Article

Was Frēdōn, the Possessor of Three Powers, a Warrior, a Physician, or a Prophet? (Based on the three texts: Sūdgar Nask, Waršt-Mānsar Nask and the Manichaean text “dr”)

Poorchista Goshtasbi Ardakany; Zohreh Zarshenas; Farzaneh Goshtasb

Volume 15, Issue 4 , February 2026, , Pages 129-150

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2025.389555.1336

Abstract

Frēdōn is one of the most famous mythical heroes of Iran who defeated Zahhak and imprisoned him on Mount Damavand. In this study, the myths about Frēdōn that appear in the Sūdgar ... Read More

View Article

A Comparative Analysis of Moral Virtues and Vices in Ferdowsi’s Rostam and Sohrab and Matthew Arnold’s Sohrab and Rostum

mohammad mirnezami; homeira zomorrodi; Abdolreza seif

Volume 15, Issue 3 , November 2025, , Pages 1-24

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2025.399999.1363

Abstract

Epic literature has long provided a platform for representing moral and cultural thought. The story of Rostam and Sohrab in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh and its re-creation in Matthew ... Read More

Analysis of Geometric Volume Evolution from the Perspective of Muslim Scholars since the First to the Fifth AH centuries

Aref Azizpour Shoubi; Ahad Nejad Ebrahimi; Yaser Shahbazi

Volume 15, Issue 3 , November 2025, , Pages 25-44

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2024.367308.1241

Abstract

Geometry plays an integral role in the architectural production of all cultures. Islamic scholars classified it into categories. In treatises of scholars and professionals, volume geometry ... Read More

"Nasser Khosrow Qabadiani's intellectual interaction with the legacy of Iranian/ Khusrawani wisdom; a case study of wisdom and discretion"

Mina Safa

Volume 15, Issue 3 , November 2025, , Pages 91-108

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2024.375147.1272

Abstract

The study of Khusrawani wisdom, also known as the wisdom of ancient Iran, encompasses all cultural conceptions. It serves as a means to gain a more accurate understanding of Islamic-Iranian ... Read More The study of Khusrawani wisdom, also known as the wisdom of ancient Iran, encompasses all cultural conceptions. It serves as a means to gain a more accurate understanding of Islamic-Iranian culture, tracing back to the second century of the Hijra. This culture predominantly consists of mystical mythology and philosophy. Iranian wisdom summarizes the various schools of thought, religions, and worldviews of the Iranian peoples. These traditions evolved in Iran for centuries both before and after the advent of Islam. Sheikh Shahab al-Din Suhrawardi referred to this wisdom as "Eshraq/Khusrawani wisdom." Iranian philosophers and sages emerged within Iran's rich intellectual and cultural milieu, drawing from the vast seas of wisdom and philosophy from both the East and the West. Among these sages was Nasser Khosrow Qubadiani, an Ismaili Da'i and Hujjat in the 5th century AH. While previous analyses of his works have been approached from a Western perspective, focusing on the influence of Greek philosophy, this research delves into fundamental questions. It explores Nasser Khosrow's relationship with the ancient world of Iran and whether he drew from the legacy of Iranian philosophy/Khusrawani wisdom, and to what extent. Nasser Khosrow's impact on Iranian culture and literature, spanning both ancient and Islamic eras, can be divided into two main aspects. In the first part, Nasser Khosrow was influenced by the heritage of ancient Iranian culture. This influence is evident in his references to figures like Zoroaster, Avesta, Zand, and Pazand, as well as mentioning great kings such as Anusharvan and Sam in his Diwan. The second part reveals Nasser Khosrow's assimilation of the culture of the Abbasid era, including its writers and poets. This article investigates the role and significance of Iranian/Khusrawani wisdom in Nasser Khosrow's intellectual framework. By highlighting the importance of reason and authority in his intellectual structure, it compares, interprets, and analyzes the key aspects of Khusrawani wisdom and Nasser Khosrow's wisdom concerning reason and authority.

An anthropological study of traditional, symbolic, and ritual dolls of the people of Ardabil province

ammar ahmadi; vahid rashidvash; yaqub sharbatian semnani; ali baseri

Volume 15, Issue 2 , September 2025, , Pages 1-28

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2023.361657.1207

Abstract

"At first glance, traditional dolls are considered a symbolic toy for girls and boys in most regions of Azerbaijan. Most regions have their own dolls that differ in terms of physical ... Read More

Lived culture arising from the ritual ceremony; Research sample: Ta'ziyeh on the eleventh day of Muharram in Talāvok village, Māzandarān province

Sajad Zoleykani; Elham Andaroodi; Asmar Shahbazi

Volume 15, Issue 2 , September 2025, , Pages 29-50

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2024.370438.1253

Abstract

Confronting the ritual performance of Ta‘ziyeh—a religious passion play closely tied to Shi'a beliefs—raises the question of its potential influence in shaping or ... Read More

Imagology of Iranian Culture in the travelogue Beyond the Caspian Sea

Esmaeil Alipoor

Volume 15, Issue 2 , September 2025, , Pages 51-70

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2024.370131.1251

Abstract

European travelogues about Iran are invaluable sources for Iranian Studies, offering insights into aspects of Iranian culture often overlooked or ignored by Iranian historians. However, ... Read More

Post-colonial reading of musical descriptions in four European travelogues of the Safavid Era

Rezvan Ahrar; Narges Zaker Jafari

Volume 15, Issue 2 , September 2025, , Pages 71-92

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2024.374456.1270

Abstract

During the Safavid era, Music had a hight position and important place. Music was used in banquets, feasts and various court and social ceremonies. Also, Iranian music was influenced ... Read More During the Safavid era, Music had a hight position and important place. Music was used in banquets, feasts and various court and social ceremonies. Also, Iranian music was influenced by religious and political currents. Apart from music history texts, Iranian music has reflected a lot in the travelogues of Europeans of the Safavid era. For this reason, there are different and conflicting views on the quality and merit of Iranian music. In this research, the question is raised, what are the views of the travelogues towards Iranian music? To follow up and get the answer to this question, this research has selected four travelogues from the Safavid era, which have different characteristics of Iranian musical descriptions. These travelogues analyzed and investigated with Edward Said’s post-colonial theory. After the post-colonial reading from travelogues texts, if there are colonial concepts in these texts, their post-colonial concepts can be revealed and the objectives of these concepts can be followed. The current research, has selected the travelogues written by Raphael Dumans, Figueroa, Olarios and Chardin and analyzed them. The reason for this choice is that their reactions and encounters with Iranian music have been formed in different situations and different cultural and social conditions. According to the findings of this research; the authors of the aforementioned travelogues encountered Iranian instruments and music in different situations, circumstances and conditions. Therefore, different and various reactions have been expressed. Therefore, it is possible to introduce them in three separable groups. 1. Observation and generalized comment: non-interactive approach 2. Intellectual engagement and Field observations: non-interactive approach 3. Field observations and executive participation: interactive approach. This research has been conducted with the aim of investigating the music topics in the travelogues from the point of view of post-colonial theory in order to discover and identify the perspective of colonialism in the travelogues of Europeans during the Safavid period. The method of this present research is analytical and interpretive. Qualitative type was used for data analysis. The procedure of collecting information and data was done through the preparation of transcripts and receipts from libraries books, e-books and journals articles.

the early centuries' monastery located in the city of Susa; Continuation of ancient Iranian traditions in the monastic system

majid montazer zohouri; Darywsh Barati Dasht Rahi

Volume 15, Issue 2 , September 2025, , Pages 93-116

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2024.372369.1262

Abstract

The city of Susa, In the north of Khuzestan province, it is one of the first ancient places where extensive archaeological researches have been conducted. In 1947, the French archaeologist ... Read More

The philosophical aesthetics of everyday life's spatiality are explored in Jaubert s' travelogue"Travels to Armenia and Iran

Shahla Khalilollahi; Maryam Mousavi Joushaghani

Volume 15, Issue 2 , September 2025, , Pages 117-138

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2025.376297.1279

Abstract

Tom Ledi believes that the aesthetics of everyday life allow us to speak about things that are not commonly addressed in traditional aesthetics; instead, it opens up a completely new ... Read More

Urban Narrative in Women's Literature: Reinterpreting Kevin Lynch’s Theory in the Novel This Street Has No Speed Bump

Mansoureh Shahriyari; Abbasi sara

Volume 15, Issue 2 , September 2025, , Pages 139-161

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2025.402653.1370

Abstract

contemporary Persian literature, the city is not merely a physical backdrop but a dynamic site for the formation of memory, meaning, and narrative agency. This article applies Kevin ... Read More

The Reflection of Mythological Motifs in the Story of the Baradaran-e-Talaee in Bakhtiari Culture

Mohammad ansari; jahangi safari; Ebrahim zaheri abdevand

Volume 15, Issue 1 , July 2025, , Pages 1-18

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2023.366307.1235

Abstract

The story of Baradaran-e-Talaee is a well-known tale in Bakhtiari culture, rich in mythological motifs such as sacrificial rituals for the mother goddess, character comparisons with ... Read More

understanding the world of creation in ancient Iran based on the philosophy of inclusion: a discussion in ecological theology

mahdi rafatipanah mehrabadi

Volume 15, Issue 1 , July 2025, , Pages 19-34

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2024.367055.1238

Abstract

The philosophy of inclusion considers all beings, including humans, animals, plants and birds, to be part of the universe, which follow a single principle, the principle of life, ... Read More

Developments and factors influencing the decline of the historical city of Dehdasht from the Safavid era to the end of the Qajar era.

davoud pakbaz kataj; hasan karimian; mosayeb amiri; Majid Montazer- Zohouri

Volume 15, Issue 1 , July 2025, , Pages 35-67

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2024.366402.1236

Abstract

Dehdasht is one of the most important cities of southwestern Iran during the Islamic era, which was of great importance and prosperity in the Safavid period. This city was in the Safavid ... Read More

Phenomenological representation of national identity among the right-wing society of Iran

sajjad omidoiur; abolfazl delavari

Volume 15, Issue 1 , July 2025, , Pages 69-87

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2024.367886.1246

Abstract

The Concept of National Identity in Sufi Communities: A Case Study of the Ahl-e Haqq Order in Iran Today, the concept of national identity constitutes a central issue in the ... Read More

Volume 15 (2025)

Volume 14 (2024)

Volume 13 (2023)

Volume 12 (2022)

Volume 11 (2021)

Volume 10 (2020)

Volume 9 (2019)

Volume 8 (2018)

Volume 7 (2017)

Volume 6 (2016)

Volume 5 (2016)

Volume 4 (2015)

Volume 3 (2014)

Volume 2 (2013)

Volume 1 (2011)

Main Subjects = Click subject name to see related articles.

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

Abstract