Iranian Studies

The Hearth in Iranian Folk Culture: Domestic Sanctity, Ritual Healing, and Symbolic Order

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Ali Jahanshahi Afshar

Associate Professor of Persian Language and Literature, Department of Literature and Humanities, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22059/jis.2026.417812.1423
Abstract
This research examines the multifaceted semantic significance of the hearth (ojāq) within Iranian folk culture. Beyond its material function as a space for cooking and warmth, the hearth has evolved into a profound symbolic and ritual entity within Iranian beliefs and customs. A comprehensive understanding of this role necessitates an analysis of the interplay between material culture, ritualized beliefs, family structures, and social order. The primary objective of this study is to elucidate and analyze the symbolic functions of the hearth, with a specific focus on its nexus with concepts such as generational continuity, health, blessing (barakat), sanctity, and domestic stability. Furthermore, this research aims to illuminate the various dimensions of the hearth’s meaning by integrating ethnographic data with anthropological theoretical frameworks. The study’s scope encompasses beliefs, rituals, and ethnographic data collected from diverse regions of Iran that directly or indirectly relate to the hearth, tannour (oven), ash, soot, and their associated concepts. The research employs a descriptive-analytical approach, utilizing ethnographic analysis grounded in key anthropological theories, specifically Mircea Eliade’s concepts of sacred space and rites of passage, Gaston Bachelard’s perspective on the house as an intimate space, and Mary Douglas’s theory of purity and pollution. Data were primarily gathered through literature review and analysis of ethnographic documents. The findings indicate that in Iranian folk culture, the hearth serves as the “sensitive center” of the home, playing a pivotal role in the reproduction of fundamental cultural meanings. Ultimately, the hearth transcends its utilitarian purpose, functioning as a “symbolic institution” that represents and reinforces the essential values of life.

Keywords

Hearth
Folk Culture
Ethnography
Cultural Anthropology
Mircea Eliade
Gaston Bachelard
Mary Douglas
Rites of Passage
Purity and Pollution
House
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Iranian Studies
Volume 16, Issue 2
Summer 2026
Pages 61-82

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