DOCSLIB.ORG

Words in Ferdowsi's Shahnameh

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Words in Ferdowsi's Shahnameh JOURNAL OF CRITICAL REVIEWS ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 10, 2020 AHURĀEAN [GODLY] AND AHRIMANIAN [SATANIC] WORDS IN FERDOWSI’S SHAHNAMEH Dr. ALI ESHGHI SARDEHI1*; SAFURA RAMSHINI2; Dr. SAEED RUZBEHANI3 1Assistant professor, Persian language and literature, Islamic Azad University, Sabzevar Branch, Sabzevar, Iran 2PhD student, Persian language and literature, Islamic Azad University, Sabzevar Branch, Sabzevar, Iran 3Assistant professor, Persian language and literature, Islamic Azad University, Sabzevar Branch, Sabzevar, Iran *[email protected] ABSTRACT Exploration and investigation of the past texts from various aspects causes the maximum recognition and discovery of their unknown capabilities and, besides providing literary pleasure, paves the way for and guides the different users and researchers in line with their creation of better works in future. Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh is one of the most prominent and most valuable works enumerated amongst the first hand artworks in terms of literary, national and semantic value hence one of the subjects that can be pondered and investigated therein is the words’ functions in terms of their positive or negative loads which have been well applied by Hakim Ferdowsi for expanding the breadth of his words; every word is somehow expressive of goodness and beauty or evil and ugliness. Thus, the manifestations of Ahura and Ahriman are indeed indicative of the beauties and ugliness and they have been actually reflective of the deployment of the right against the wrong and goodness and benevolence against badness and filths. Shahnameh is a full-scale mirror of Iran’s brilliant history and ethics and culture and past. Shahnameh is not just an epical work but a response to an internal call for justice and fairness. It is a manifestation of goodness and badness, sweetness and bitterness, human beings’ feelings and subtle pains and so forth; its sage composer has made proper use of words in every corner thereof to well mirror the visage of goodness and evilness. The present study uses a descriptive-analytical method to deal with the role of some of the words in fostering the story in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh and the current study’s researcher intends to represent part of Ferdowsi’s abilities and creativities that have been impressiveness effective in the attractiveness of Shahnameh’s words during the past several hundred years but they have not been focused and explored so far. Keywords: flycam, Geoslope/W, slope failure, safety factor, 3B highway INTRODUCTION Undoubtedly, Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh is an unexampled epical and national work to the Persian speakers and it is valuable from this perspective that, besides being an outstanding literary work and showcasing Iranians’ national identity, it is also notable from the perspective of the original and meaningful words featuring a vast inclusion circle. “The vastness of Ferdowsi’s treasury of words is not hidden to anyone and his proficiency over the Persian language is unprecedented” (Shafi’ei Kadkani, 2006, p.39). One of the methods used for processing the story in Shahnameh is the utilization of words that play a considerable role in indirectly demonstrating the indecencies and beauties in such a way that the reader perceives the actions and deeds of some characters and responds to them upon being confronted with these words. These binary words “have stepped into the area of existence and parallelly left behind the path of perfection and promotion like twins” (Mo’tamen, 1985, p.107). On the other hand, Shahnameh scholars and researchers believe that “the description and illustration are excellent in Shahnameh as compared to all the old Persian texts because the finest images are observed in the form and state of classical Persian poetry in Shahnameh” (Hamidian, 1993, p.401). therefore, it is well evident that Ferdowsi has been well capable of presenting such descriptions and illustrations in such a way that “no other poet has been able to keep pace with him in this regard in Persian language” (Safa, 1999, p.238). A group of highly repeated words in Shahnameh includes the terms symbolizing goodness or evilness; these words will be investigated and discussed herein under the title of Ahurāean and Ahrimanian words. “Ferdowsi generally keeps a constant look on the position and situation of the heroes and heroines hence tries articulating words and expressing sentences in proportion to their moods and states” (Shamisa, 2018, p.700). DISCUSSION Shahnameh has been written and composed based on ancient Iranian beliefs so there is a belief that the world has two poles and two sources, namely good and evil. On the one hand, there is Ahura Mazda (Sepanta Minu) and, on the other hand, there is Ahriman (Angra Minu) and the world is continuously the arena of struggle and fight between these two forces. 2539 JOURNAL OF CRITICAL REVIEWS ISSN- 2394-5125 VOL 7, ISSUE 10, 2020 It has been stated in Gaats that “the onset of a twin was in the thoughts. One represents goodness and the other represents badness in thought, speech and deed. Out of these two essences, the sage chooses truthfulness and correctness and insane and unwise one does the otherwise; so, Sepanta Minu is the incrementing force adding to the universe and Angra Minu is the reductive or destructive force” (Hajizadeh, 2006, p.90). A. Ahura Mazada and Ahriman: Ahura Mazda is an Avestan word and one of the God’s names and it means the great existence-bestowing sage. Zoroaster’s Ahura Mazda is the sagest lord and the loftiest and the most superior quintessence deserving worshipping. In Gaats, Ahura Mazda is the only mighty God and the sole sage creator. He resides the peak of the sky. He has not been born and nobody resembles it. There is nothing beyond him and without him. He is the most superior existence and every other living being borrows his or her or its existence from him. He is the most superior of them all. He is the very one God who adores truthfulness and detests lie. Nobody is superior or identical to him. Nobody denies his superiority and no one claims his position. On the contrary, Ahriman is a malicious and filthy existence that makes efforts for destroying the goodness. In opposition to Ahura, Ahriman always intends to drag mankind to inferiority and abjectness and make him go astray from the right path. Ahriman loves darkness and, in opposition to Ahura who is the sole omniscient and creates sagacity, it supports ignorance, insanity and wastage. In Bundaheshn, Ahriman has been introduced as the generator of badness of any kinds. Based on the ancient beliefs of the Zarvāni creed and other religions after it like Manichaeism, Ahura Mazda and Ahriman are both the children of Zarvān (god of time) and the world has always been the arena of the battle between these two good and evil forces; however, it is Ahura Mazda who will eventually dominate the world and, since Ahura Mazda is the absolute purity and badness has no way to enter into him, every bad thing is Ahrimanic. Based on what was mentioned, in Ferdowsi’s opinion, as well, some elements of epic feature Ahurāean manifestations and some others feature Ahrimanic embodiment and their related words have been accordingly used as symbols of goodness and badness in Shahnameh. Words with Ahurāean Manifestations: Sorush (call): it means obedience and submission and, especially, complying with the God’s commands. It is also the name of an angel which is the manifestation of obedience and submission to the Ahurāean commands. In the latest Zoroastrian books and Persian dictionaries. Sorush is a God’s messenger and carrier of the revelation. It is the angel that brings the good news and messages and it is actually the guide of the mankind in the life’s meandering paths: “By the command of the God, the blessed messenger showed its face to me in sleep last night” (Shahnameh, 2/199) Farr (glory): it is a concept in Iranian myths and it means the divine blessing or light. Besides what is believed in the myths, Farr represents the existence of hope in the superego of Iranians regarding their and their land’s stability and impermeability and it is actually an Ahurāean gift. In Shahnameh and from the story of Kiymarth to the Sassanids’ era, the sovereignty glory and the divine affirmation are the secrets of the persistence and continuation of the sovereigns and heroes and Iranians’ esteem and victory: “When the blessed Fereydun was born, the world was provided with another sovereign” “He was fostered into a straight cedar; the kingship glory was radiating from him” (Shahnameh, 1/247) Or, about Kaykhosow: “The divine glory emerged in him and wisdom’s flag was waving above him” Kherad (wisdom): Ferdowsi has begun Shahnameh by the name of the God who owns the souls and wisdom and it can be understood consequently that he gives a lot of value to the humanity, sagacity and magnificence of the words and credibility of the discourse. “In the name of the God of souls and wisdom for nothing more superior than him can be thought” (Shahnameh, 1/5) Wisdom is of a great importance in Hakim Tus’s idea and Ferdowsi has adopted a scrutinizing and subtle look at the wisdom and astuteness and sagacity of the kings and heroes: “Wisdom is the guide and wisdom is the cheer of the heart; wisdom can help you get your hands to both of the worlds” (Shahnameh, 1/5) Ātash (fire): at the time of Hushang, fire (the divine light) is visited and it is in this way that a huge evolution is created in the human beings: “He said that this god is a light and one should worship it if s/he is wise” (Shahnameh, 1/12) Jamshid commissions a group to the protection of fire and validation of this divine blessing.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Mah Tir, Mah Bahman & Asfandarmad 1 Mah Asfandarmad 1369
    Mah Tir, Mah Bahman & Asfandarmad 1 Mah Asfandarmad 1369, Fravardin & l FEZAN A IN S I D E T HJ S I S S U E Federation of Zoroastrian • Summer 2000, Tabestal1 1369 YZ • Associations of North America http://www.fezana.org PRESIDENT: Framroze K. Patel 3 Editorial - Pallan R. Ichaporia 9 South Circle, Woodbridge, NJ 07095 (732) 634-8585, (732) 636-5957 (F) 4 From the President - Framroze K. Patel president@ fezana. org 5 FEZANA Update 6 On the North American Scene FEZ ANA 10 Coming Events (World Congress 2000) Jr ([]) UJIR<J~ AIL '14 Interfaith PUBLICATION OF THE FEDERATION OF ZOROASTRIAN ASSOCIATIONS OF '15 Around the World NORTH AMERICA 20 A Millennium Gift - Four New Agiaries in Mumbai CHAIRPERSON: Khorshed Jungalwala Rohinton M. Rivetna 53 Firecut Lane, Sudbury, MA 01776 Cover Story: (978) 443-6858, (978) 440-8370 (F) 22 kayj@ ziplink.net Honoring our Past: History of Iran, from Legendary Times EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Roshan Rivetna 5750 S. Jackson St. Hinsdale, IL 60521 through the Sasanian Empire (630) 325-5383, (630) 734-1579 (F) Guest Editor Pallan R. Ichaporia ri vetna@ lucent. com 23 A Place in World History MILESTONES/ ANNOUNCEMENTS Roshan Rivetna with Pallan R. Ichaporia Mahrukh Motafram 33 Legendary History of the Peshdadians - Pallan R. Ichaporia 2390 Chanticleer, Brookfield, WI 53045 (414) 821-5296, [email protected] 35 Jamshid, History or Myth? - Pen1in J. Mist1y EDITORS 37 The Kayanian Dynasty - Pallan R. Ichaporia Adel Engineer, Dolly Malva, Jamshed Udvadia 40 The Persian Empire of the Achaemenians Pallan R. Ichaporia YOUTHFULLY SPEAKING: Nenshad Bardoliwalla 47 The Parthian Empire - Rashna P.
    [Show full text]
  • Displaced Narratives of Iranian Migrants and Refugees: Constructions of Self and the Struggle for Representation
    Displaced Narratives of Iranian migrants and Refugees: Constructions of Self and the Struggle for Representation. Submitted by Mammad Aidani Submitted in total fulfillment of the requirements of the degree for Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts, Education and Human Development School of Psychology at the Victoria University, December 2007 1 “I Mammad Aidani declare that the PhD thesis entitled Displaced Narrative of Iranian migrants and refugees: Construction of Self and the Struggle for Representation is no more than 100,000 words in length including quotes and exclusive of tables, figures, appendices, bibliography, references and footnotes. This thesis contains no material that has been submitted previously, in whole or in part , for the award of any other academic degree or diploma. Except where otherwise indicated, this thesis is my won work”. Signature Date 2 Abstract This thesis discusses the multiple narratives of Iranian migrants and refugees living in Melbourne, Australia. The narratives are constructed by men and women who left Iran immediately after the 1979 revolution; the Iran – Iraq war; and Iranians who are recent arrivals in Australia. The narratives of the participants are particularly influenced and contextualized by the 1979 revolution, the 1980-1988 Iran – Iraq War and the post 9/11 political framework. It is within these historical contexts, I argue that Iranian experiences of displacement need to be interpreted. These historical periods not only provide the context for the narratives of the participants but it also gives meaning to how they reconstruct their identities and the emotions of their displacement. This thesis also argues that Iranian migrant and refugee narratives are part of a holistic story that is united rather than separated from one another.
    [Show full text]
  • Classical Persian Literature Bahman Solati (Ph.D), 2015 University of California, Berkeley [email protected]
    Classical Persian Literature Bahman Solati (Ph.D), 2015 University of California, Berkeley [email protected] Introduction Studying the roots of a particular literary history enables us to better understand the allusions the literature transmits and why we appreciate them. It also allows us to foresee how the literature may progress.1 I will try to keep this attitude in the reader’s mind in offering this brief summary of medieval Persian literature, a formidable task considering the variety and wealth of the texts and documentation on the subject.2 In this study we will pay special attention to the development of the Persian literature over the last millennia, focusing in particular on the initial development and background of various literary genres in Persian. Although the concept of literary genres is rather subjective and unstable,3 reviewing them is nonetheless a useful approach for a synopsis, facilitating greater understanding, deeper argumentation, and further speculation than would a simple listing of dates, titles, and basic biographical facts of the giants of Persian literature. Also key to literary examination is diachronicity, or the outlining of literary development through successive generations and periods. Thriving Persian literature, undoubtedly shaped by historic events, lends itself to this approach: one can observe vast differences between the Persian literature of the tenth century and that of the eleventh or the twelfth, and so on.4 The fourteenth century stands as a bridge between the previous and the later periods, the Mongol and Timurid, followed by the Ṣafavids in Persia and the Mughals in India. Given the importance of local courts and their support of poets and writers, it is quite understandable that literature would be significantly influenced by schools of thought in different provinces of the Persian world.5 In this essay, I use the word literature to refer to the written word adeptly and artistically created.
    [Show full text]
  • Compare and Analyzing Mythical Characters in Shahname and Garshasb Nāmeh
    WALIA journal 31(S4): 121-125, 2015 Available online at www.Waliaj.com ISSN 1026-3861 © 2015 WALIA Compare and analyzing mythical characters in Shahname and Garshasb Nāmeh Mohammadtaghi Fazeli 1, Behrooze Varnasery 2, * 1Department of Archaeology, Shushtar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shushtar, Iran 2Department of Persian literature Shoushtar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shoushtar Iran Abstract: The content difference in both works are seen in rhetorical Science, the unity of epic tone ,trait, behavior and deeds of heroes and Kings ,patriotism in accordance with moralities and their different infer from epic and mythology . Their similarities can be seen in love for king, obeying king, theology, pray and the heroes vigorous and physical power. Comparing these two works we concluded that epic and mythology is more natural in the Epic of the king than Garshaseb Nameh. The reason that Ferdowsi illustrates epic and mythological characters more natural and tangible is that their history is important for him while Garshaseb Nameh looks on the surface and outer part of epic and mythology. Key words: The epic of the king;.Epic; Mythology; Kings; Heroes 1. Introduction Sassanid king Yazdgerd who died years after Iran was occupied by muslims. It divides these kings into *Ferdowsi has bond thought, wisdom and culture four dynasties Pishdadian, Kayanids, Parthian and of ancient Iranian to the pre-Islam literature. sassanid.The first dynasties especially the first one Garshaseb Nameh has undoubtedly the most shares have root in myth but the last one has its roots in in introducing mythical and epic characters. This history (Ilgadavidshen, 1999) ballad reflexes the ethical and behavioral, trait, for 4) Asadi Tusi: The Persian literature history some of the kings and Garshaseb the hero.
    [Show full text]
  • Djam Lectures Programme.Indd
    The Kamran Djam Annual Lectures Centre for Iranian Studies, SOAS, University of London The Perils of Persian Princesses: Women and Medieval Persian Literature Lectures by Professor Dick Davis Ohio State University Friday 25 and Monday 28 October 2013 Kamran Djam Annual Lecture Series at SOAS In 2011 SOAS was awarded a gi of £2 million by the Fereydoun Djam Charitable Trust to promote Iranian studies. This generous endowment enables SOAS to build on its long and dis nguished tradi on of study into one of the world’s oldest and richest cultures. As part of this ini a ve, SOAS has introduced new scholarships in Iranian studies as well as an annual lecture series to promote diverse aspects of Iranian studies. The annual lectures are hosted by the Centre for Iranian Studies at SOAS and are named a er Fereydoun’s son, Kamran Djam, who predeceased his parents in 1989. We are delighted to announce the second in this series of lectures which will be given by Professor Dick Davis. Dick Davis is Professor Emeritus of Persian at Ohio State University, where he was chair of the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures from 2002 to 2012. He is the recipient of numerous academic and literary awards, and has wri en scholarly works on both English and Persian literature, as well as publishing several volumes of his own poetry. He is probably best known for his transla ons from medieval Persian: these include A ar’s Conference of the Birds (with A ham Darbandi), Borrowed Ware: Medieval Persian Epigrams, Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, Gorgani’s Vis and Ramin, and, most recently, Faces of Love: Hafez and the Poets of Shiraz.
    [Show full text]
  • Irreverent Persia
    Irreverent Persia IRANIAN IRANIAN SERIES SERIES Poetry expressing criticism of social, political and cultural life is a vital integral part of IRREVERENT PERSIA Persian literary history. Its principal genres – invective, satire and burlesque – have been INVECTIVE, SATIRICAL AND BURLESQUE POETRY very popular with authors in every age. Despite the rich uninterrupted tradition, such texts FROM THE ORIGINS TO THE TIMURID PERIOD have been little studied and rarely translated. Their irreverent tones range from subtle (10TH TO 15TH CENTURIES) irony to crude direct insults, at times involving the use of outrageous and obscene terms. This anthology includes both major and minor poets from the origins of Persian poetry RICCARDO ZIPOLI (10th century) up to the age of Jâmi (15th century), traditionally considered the last great classical Persian poet. In addition to their historical and linguistic interest, many of these poems deserve to be read for their technical and aesthetic accomplishments, setting them among the masterpieces of Persian literature. Riccardo Zipoli is professor of Persian Language and Literature at Ca’ Foscari University, Venice, where he also teaches Conceiving and Producing Photography. The western cliché about Persian poetry is that it deals with roses, nightingales, wine, hyperbolic love-longing, an awareness of the transience of our existence, and a delicate appreciation of life’s fleeting pleasures. And so a great deal of it does. But there is another side to Persian verse, one that is satirical, sardonic, often obscene, one that delights in ad hominem invective and no-holds barred diatribes. Perhaps surprisingly enough for the uninitiated reader it is frequently the same poets who write both kinds of verse.
    [Show full text]
  • Tribes and Empire on the Margins of Nineteenth-Century Iran
    publications on the near east publications on the near east Poetry’s Voice, Society’s Song: Ottoman Lyric The Transformation of Islamic Art during Poetry by Walter G. Andrews the Sunni Revival by Yasser Tabbaa The Remaking of Istanbul: Portrait of an Shiraz in the Age of Hafez: The Glory of Ottoman City in the Nineteenth Century a Medieval Persian City by John Limbert by Zeynep Çelik The Martyrs of Karbala: Shi‘i Symbols The Tragedy of Sohráb and Rostám from and Rituals in Modern Iran the Persian National Epic, the Shahname by Kamran Scot Aghaie of Abol-Qasem Ferdowsi, translated by Ottoman Lyric Poetry: An Anthology, Jerome W. Clinton Expanded Edition, edited and translated The Jews in Modern Egypt, 1914–1952 by Walter G. Andrews, Najaat Black, and by Gudrun Krämer Mehmet Kalpaklı Izmir and the Levantine World, 1550–1650 Party Building in the Modern Middle East: by Daniel Goffman The Origins of Competitive and Coercive Rule by Michele Penner Angrist Medieval Agriculture and Islamic Science: The Almanac of a Yemeni Sultan Everyday Life and Consumer Culture by Daniel Martin Varisco in Eighteenth-Century Damascus by James Grehan Rethinking Modernity and National Identity in Turkey, edited by Sibel Bozdog˘an and The City’s Pleasures: Istanbul in the Eigh- Res¸at Kasaba teenth Century by Shirine Hamadeh Slavery and Abolition in the Ottoman Middle Reading Orientalism: Said and the Unsaid East by Ehud R. Toledano by Daniel Martin Varisco Britons in the Ottoman Empire, 1642–1660 The Merchant Houses of Mocha: Trade by Daniel Goffman and Architecture in an Indian Ocean Port by Nancy Um Popular Preaching and Religious Authority in the Medieval Islamic Near East Tribes and Empire on the Margins of Nine- by Jonathan P.
    [Show full text]
  • Yezdistan Versus Kurdistan: Another Legend on the Origin of the Yezidis
    Iran and the Caucasus 21 (2017) 376-380 Yezdistan versus Kurdistan: Another Legend on the Origin of the Yezidis Victoria Arakelova Russian-Armenian State University, Yerevan Abstract The paper focuses on the analysis of the term Yezdistan (Ēzdīstān) attested in a Yezidi leg- end, having obvious parallels with the Shahnameh’s “Tale of Zahhak”. It is particularly in- teresting that this plot does not occur in any of the Kurmanji versions of the Shahnameh ever recorded in Armenia and represents, in fact, a separate legend out of the epic context. Keywords Yezidis Origin, Yezdistan, Kurdistan, Shahnameh The syncretic nature of Yezidism, revealed in its various aspects (see, e.g., Arakelova 2004; eadem 2015; Asatrian/Arakelova 2014: 121-132), is particu- larly obvious in the fact of coexistence of several legends on the origin of the Yezidi people in the tradition. Two of them—one of the pronounced Abrahamic background, and the other, going back to an Old Iranian my- thologem—have been previously discussed in detail (Kreyenbroek 1995: 182-192; Spät 2002; Asatrian 2007; Asatrian/Arakelova 2014: 72-76). However, the Yezidi lore attests one more ethno-genetic myth, going back to a Shahnameh plot, which occurs in a text written down in Arme- nia, in the 40-s of the last century, by the prominent Yezidi pandit Amine Avdal. His informant, Ahmade Čolo from the village of Alagaz, Ashtarak region, was a well-known story-teller and an outstanding connoisseur of the Yezidi oral tradition․ Originally from historical Western Armenia, he moved to Eastern Armenia after the 1915 Genocide in the Ottoman Em- pire.
    [Show full text]
  • On the Modern Politicization of the Persian Poet Nezami Ganjavi
    Official Digitized Version by Victoria Arakelova; with errata fixed from the print edition ON THE MODERN POLITICIZATION OF THE PERSIAN POET NEZAMI GANJAVI YEREVAN SERIES FOR ORIENTAL STUDIES Edited by Garnik S. Asatrian Vol.1 SIAVASH LORNEJAD ALI DOOSTZADEH ON THE MODERN POLITICIZATION OF THE PERSIAN POET NEZAMI GANJAVI Caucasian Centre for Iranian Studies Yerevan 2012 Siavash Lornejad, Ali Doostzadeh On the Modern Politicization of the Persian Poet Nezami Ganjavi Guest Editor of the Volume Victoria Arakelova The monograph examines several anachronisms, misinterpretations and outright distortions related to the great Persian poet Nezami Ganjavi, that have been introduced since the USSR campaign for Nezami‖s 800th anniversary in the 1930s and 1940s. The authors of the monograph provide a critical analysis of both the arguments and terms put forward primarily by Soviet Oriental school, and those introduced in modern nationalistic writings, which misrepresent the background and cultural heritage of Nezami. Outright forgeries, including those about an alleged Turkish Divan by Nezami Ganjavi and falsified verses first published in Azerbaijan SSR, which have found their way into Persian publications, are also in the focus of the authors‖ attention. An important contribution of the book is that it highlights three rare and previously neglected historical sources with regards to the population of Arran and Azerbaijan, which provide information on the social conditions and ethnography of the urban Iranian Muslim population of the area and are indispensable for serious study of the Persian literature and Iranian culture of the period. ISBN 978-99930-69-74-4 The first print of the book was published by the Caucasian Centre for Iranian Studies in 2012.
    [Show full text]
  • Horses As Heroes in Medieval Islamicate Literature
    2015 HAWAII UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES ARTS, HUMANITIES, SOCIAL SCIENCES & EDUCATION JANUARY 03 - 06, 2015 ALA MOANA HOTEL, HONOLULU, HAWAII HORSES AS HEROES IN MEDIEVAL ISLAMICATE LITERATURE WILKS, JUDITH M. NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY Dr. Judith M. Wilks Northwestern University Horses as Heroes in Medieval Islamicate Literature Synopsis: Samples from Turkish, Persian and Arabic literature describe the place of horses in the societies of the time. Excerpts from the Turkic Kurogli-nama, the Persian Shahnameh, and the Arabic Sirat Antar will be used to show how horses function not only as support for their masters, but often as heroes in their own right. 1 Judith M. Wilks, Ph.D. Horses as Heroes in Medieval Islamicate Literature “The horse is to the man as the wing is to the bird.” With these words, taken from his 11th century Turkish-Arabic dictionary, Mahmud Kashgari tries to express the importance of the horse in human life.1 Certainly the economic and political importance of horses in the history of most parts of the world is undeniable, and the Middle East is no exception. The ancient Persian empire of the Achaemenids used horses in a “pony express” system to facilitate communication across their vast territories. The rapid Arab conquests of neighboring lands in the 7th century following the advent of Islam, which were largely achieved on horseback, changed the area forever, and later waves of Turkic migration from Central Asia, also on horseback, followed by the Mongol invasions, had a lasting influence on the culture of the entire region. But Kashgari’s analogy of a horse being like the wings of a man goes beyond the practical uses of horses.
    [Show full text]
  • Persian 2704 SP15.Pdf
    Attention! This is a representative syllabus. The syllabus for the course you are enrolled in will likely be different. Please refer to your instructor’s syllabus for more information on specific requirements for a given semester. THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY Persian 2704 Introduction to Persian Epic Instructor: Office Hours: Office: Email: No laptops, phones, or other mobile devices may be used in class. This course is about the Persian Book of Kings, Shahnameh, of the Persian poet Abulqasim Firdawsi. The Persian Book of Kings combines mythical themes and historical narratives of Iran into a mytho-historical narrative, which has served as a source of national and imperial consciousness over centuries. At the same time, it is considered one of the finest specimen of Classical Persian literature and one of the world's great epic tragedies. It has had an immense presence in the historical memory and political culture of various societies from Medieval to Modern, in Iran, India, Central Asia, and the Ottoman Empire. Yet a third aspect of this monumental piece of world literature is its presence in popular story telling tradition and mixing with folk tales. As such, a millennium after its composition, it remains fresh and rife in cultural circles. We will pursue all of those lines in this course, as a comprehensive introduction to the text and tradition. Specifically, we will discuss the following in detail: • The creation of Shahname in its historical context • The myth and the imperial image in the Shahname • Shahname as a cornerstone of “Iranian” identity. COURSE MATERIAL: • Shahname is available in English translation.
    [Show full text]
  • Encyclopaedia Iranica
    KINGS, WHORES AND CHILDREN www.mehripublication.com www.mehripublication.com www.mehripublication.com www.mehripublication.com TOURAJ DARYAEE KINGS, WHORES AND CHILDREN Passing Notes On Ancient Iran And The World That We Live In www.mehripublication.com www.mehripublication.com MEHRI PUBLICATION Research * 1 Kings, Whores And Children Passing Notes On Ancient Iran And The World That We Live In By: Touraj Daryaee British Library Cataloguing Publication Data: A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library | ISBN: 978-1-64255-267-6 | |Second Edition. 224.pages | |Printed in the United Kingdom, 2018 | | Book Design: Christian Rezaie | | Cover Design: Parsua Bashi | Copyright © Touraj Daryaee, 2018 © 2018 by Mehri Publication Ltd. \ London. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photograpying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system without the prior writen permission of Mehri Publication. www.mehripublication.com [email protected] www.mehripublication.com CONTENTS Introduction 9 1 On the Earliest Reference to Stoning in 13 Iran 2 Šābuhr I’s New Gold Coin Depicting the 17 Roman Emperor 3 Dura-Europos, Jews, Middle Persian 21 Graffiti and the Sasanians 4 How to Banquet in Late Ancient Iran 25 5 The Caspian World: Borj-e Lājīm and a 43 Post-Sasanian Tomb Tower with Pahlavi and Arabic Inscriptions 6 Cyrus & Mithra: On the Religion of 47 Teispids 7 Dancing in Sasanian
    [Show full text]