From Syncretism to Rationalism: Examining the Threefold Approaches to Iranian Mythology in the Historiography of the Seljuk Period (Based on Tarikh-e Sistan, Farsnameh, and Mujmal al-Tawarikh wa’l-Qisas)

Shahryari, Hasan

doi:10.22059/jis.2026.405097.1380

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

hasan shahryari

Ph.D. in Persian Language and Literature (epic orientation), Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Qom, and Secretary of the Iranology Department of the Samt-e-Target Organization, Qom, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2026.405097.1380

Abstract

Iranian myths are among the most fundamental components of national identity, which have undergone continuous reinterpretation in connection with political and religious transformations. Within this context, the Seljuk period represents a decisive juncture for readjusting the relationship between the Iranian mythical heritage and Islamic historiography, due to the establishment of Turkic rule, the rise of Ash'ari theological orthodoxy, and the continuity of the Iranian bureaucratic institution (divan). Employing a descriptive-analytical and comparative approach based on the concept of "Cultural Memory," the present study examines the treatment of Iranian myths in three pivotal texts: Tarikh-e Sistan, Farsnama, and Mujmal al-Tawarikh wa al-Qisas. The findings indicate that during this period, myth underwent a "functional displacement" and was reproduced through three distinct approaches: 1) The Syncretic Approach, aiming at the re-centering of sacred geography; 2) The Iranocentric Approach, serving as a model for political ethics and the restraint of power; and 3) The Rational-Critical Approach, which, through epistemic distancing, redefines myth as a written heritage and an "object of study."The overall conclusion suggests that myth did not decline during the Seljuk era; rather, by transforming from a "sacred belief" into an "identity strategy," it provided the necessary infrastructure for Iran’s historical continuity and its transmission to subsequent periods

Keywords

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2026.405097.1380

Main Subjects

Persian the literature

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Iranian Studies

From Syncretism to Rationalism: Examining the Threefold Approaches to Iranian Mythology in the Historiography of the Seljuk Period (Based on Tarikh-e Sistan, Farsnameh, and Mujmal al-Tawarikh wa’l-Qisas)

References

References

Volume 16, Issue 1
May 2026
Pages 99-122

From Syncretism to Rationalism: Examining the Threefold Approaches to Iranian Mythology in the Historiography of the Seljuk Period (Based on Tarikh-e Sistan, Farsnameh, and Mujmal al-Tawarikh wa’l-Qisas)

References

References

Volume 16, Issue 1May 2026Pages 99-122

Volume 16, Issue 1
May 2026
Pages 99-122