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110 Passaic Ave., Passaic, New Jersey 07055 Persian Heritage Persian Heritage Vol. 15, No. 59 Fall 2010 Persian Heritage, Inc. 110 Passaic Avenue FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK 8 Passaic, NJ 07055 LETTERS TO EDITOR 10 E-mail: [email protected] Telephone: (973) 471-4283 Dorood bar Hame Dustan Iran, ... 10 Fax: 973 471 8534 War on Iran 11 (Brian Appleton) EDITOR Ok I Have to Say This 12 SHAHROKH AHKAMI

EDITORIAL BOARD Dr. Mehdi Abusaidi, Shirin Ahkami NEWS 13 Raiszadeh, Dr. Mahvash Alavi Naini, Mohammad Bagher Alavi, Dr. Talat Historical Kingdoms and Dynasties 14 Bassari, Mohammad H. Hakami, Ardeshir Lotfalian, K. B. Navi, Dr. Kamshad Raiszadeh, Farhang A. Sadeghpour, Mohammad K. Sadigh, COMMENTARY Dr. David Yeagley. Persians: The Prototype Americans 15

MANAGING EDITORS (David Yeagley) HALLEH NIA

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* The contents of the articles and adver- Origin of Pre-Imperial Iranian Peoples 17 tisements in this journal, with the exception of the editorial, are the sole works of each (Dr. Oric Basirov) individual writers and contributors. This maga- zine does not have any confirmed knowledge Book Reviews 21 as to the truth and veracity of these articles. all contributors agree to hold harmless and Interview with Shahrnush Parsipur 22 indemnify Persian Heritage (Mirass-e Iran), Persian Heritage Inc., its editors, staff, board (Brian Appleton) of directors, and all those individuals directly associated with the publishing of this maga- So Long Friends ... 25 zine. The opinions expressed in these articles are the sole opinions of the writers and not the (Majid Kafai) journal. No article or picture submitted will be returned to the writer or contributor. All articles Iran Darrudi to Establish Museum in Tehran 25 submitted in English must be typed. * The appearance of advertising in this maga- Iran: Whose History Is It Anyway? 26 zine does not constitute a guarantee or en- dorsement of the products by Persian Heritage. (Mehdi Baghernejad) In addition, articles and letters published do not reflect the views of this publication. Kiss me, Farewell 28 * Letters to the Editor should be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to the above addresses and numbers. (Mahrokh Pourzynal) The journal reserves the right to edit same for space and clarity or as deemed appropriate. Interview with DR. NASROLLAH SHAHIDI 31 * All requests for permissions and reprints must be made in writing to the managing editor. (Shahrokh Ahkami)

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Fall 2010 7 FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Each time I sit down to write my editorial I get Constantly the public is reminded of the images of anxious. Will something else happen, in the world, that the hostage takers in 1979 and therefore they continue would be more appropriate to write about? Most of the to be leery of Iranians. In June of 2009 the world saw a times it does, but every September, since September 11, different image of Iranians unfold in the streets of Iran. 2001, emotions and events in my life cause me to reflect It had to be reported, it was world news. The young and back on how the world has changed since that horrific old sacrificed their lives and their freedom in protest and tragic day. The events that unfolded on 9/11/01 did against the suppressive government of Iran. As fast as not only affect the lives of those who lost loved ones. those images appeared and began to change the world Those events, like forceful waves affected the lives of wide opinion of Iranians, they disappeared as quickly the world ideologically, emotionally, physically and of and with their disappearance their plight was forgotten. course financially. They continue to ripple with each It is unfortunate that we, the public in general, are so passing year, but those ripples rise again to a storm wave easily manipulated. I guess it is because of the power as September 11 draws near. of the media and our laziness to become disinterested It would be ignorant for me to state that the anger in issues that seem not to affect us. We see the horrors sparked from those events is baseless for we all have and destruction of floods, hurricanes, earthquakes etc. reason to be angry at the animals that completed the While on the screen they draw our emotions, but when physical task and the organizations behind it. I do not replaced by a new story they become a distant memory. believe, however, that I should be considered ignorant Does anyone still think about the victims of these events, in saying that much of that anger is directed at innocent their plight is not over? Their lives are still in a state of people, those who became guilty by association rather disrepair. How many of us have already forgotten about than by fact. Surprisingly today, most of the world prob- the Chilean miners? ably would not remember the names of the hijackers nor Some might say what I am about to write is “old would they be able to remember their country of origin. news.” Some might question the reasonableness of my They remember only that they were Moslem terrorists feelings. But the events I will discuss happened to me and that these mindless individuals completed their and have had a profound affect on my life. I am certain acts in the name of Islam. I remember the countries of many other Iranians have experienced the same thing. origin, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt Yemen, Perhaps, had I and others stayed focused on our disap- NOT IRAN. But these criminal, misguided individuals pointment on how we were treated, Iranians would today could have also been from the United States, Germany, be in a different place. Instead Iranians, like a beautiful England, Canada etc. Is their origin as important as their piece of fabric, are left with a stain almost impossible mind set? Did their cause represent the majority of those to remove. practicing Islam, or are they as misguided by the words I am a proud citizen of the United States since 1975 of the leaders they followed, as we are misguided by the and have traveled extensively with my U.S. passport. incorrect labeling of Iranians, as terrorists? How or can Every time I return from a trip and see The Statue of these injustices be corrected or reversed? How hard can Liberty I recognize how lucky I am to have this citizen- it be to educate ourselves with facts rather than fictions? ship. Yet on so many occasions I, as I am sure many of How and why are we so ready to accept what we hear you, have experienced demoralization by customs of- as truth rather than investigating and finding the facts ficials. Since 1979 having Iranian origin has instantly for ourselves? We live in an “internet” world. With a caused some officials, at customs, to be less courteous few simple clicks of a mouse we can communicate with and untrusting of my U.S. citizenship. With our open the world. But I fear we are often lazy and allow those, borders other ethnicities coming in and out of the U.S. with their own, deeply rooted radical ideas to make for business, culture, education, vacation or to see loved decisions for us. ones do not face the level of scrutiny that we, as Iranians,

8 No. 59 F R O M T H E E D I T O R ’ S D E S K coming from that part of the world face. Cubans fled its people with respect over the past thirty years, but our enemy, Fidel Castro, yet they are welcomed without instead chose to rule with a fist that is all too slowly insult. And, though the U.S. has fought wars protecting weakening. Why have they not changed the shaking fist this soil from the arms of communism etc. those seeking into an open hand reaching out to the world for friend- asylum from the Soviet Union, Vietnam, China or just to ship and partnership? I read the news every day hoping visit for whatever reason do not face the same level of to see some hint that things are changing for Iran and scrutiny that Iranians face. Why is it that Iranians wether its younger generation, but each day the news brings writers, scientists, artists, teachers, producers, students an ugly reality. and just relatives go through such great lengths in order As I write this to you, it is the eve of the ninth an- to visit the United States? Is it because we have been niversary of 9/11. With tears I remember those who linked to a terrorist group? Only we have the power to lost their lives and those they left behind. With tears I remove this stigma. cry over how different the world has become since that Recently I was reunited with a dear friend of mine, day. With tears I cry for the Iranians who were the first who I had lost contact with for thirty years. He called to light candles and extend words of sympathy to the to tell me that he was in Canada. Without question I United States on that ugly morning. With tears I think jumped on a plane to share a weekend visit. We, of and wonder why we as a world cannot get along? As course, were unable to catch up in two days, so I invited I wrote on the first anniversary of 9/11, I repeat those him to come to the United States to stay with me a while. words again “Dictatorship, imprisonment, NEVER, He was very excited about the offer. I wrote a letter to friendship, kindness and respect, FOREVER. the consulate stating that he would be my financial and personal responsibility while here. The trip was planned. Unfortunately, he called to tell me he was declined be- cause of the Canadian visa he had, which allowed only one entry into Canada. I told him that he could leave from the United States. This also did not help since it would take too many weeks to obtain a visa to come to the United States. My heart is broken. I know, at this age I will never see him again. On another occasion, a dying mother was turned down from a request to see her Sotheby’s children and grandchildren one last time. Why is it so dif- INTERNATIONAL REALTY ficult? Who is to blame for these insurmountable hurdles and hoops? What have Iranians, as a people, done to 516.883.2900 deserve this treatment? How long will this punishment ext:174 prevail? When will Iranians be looked at without hatred and animosity? Why are those who seek to escape the oppression of the present Iranian government not given Direct: the same courtesy as the Cubans, Chinese etc? I wonder who is to blame for this injustice that falls 917.567.8294 on the Iranian people. Is it because of Iran as a country or is it because of its rulers? Is it because of an order from the US government or just an uneducated reaction Nasrene Arabi, LSP Pt. Washington Office of hatred by an individual custom agent? Or, as I stated SD #7. MLS# 2142768. $1,649,000 earlier is it our own complacency to such actions? I don’t know the answer. I just know I want things to change! GREAT NECK, NY It hurts my heart to see Iran and Iranians, a country and people, so filled with natural and individual re- sources fall, to a level lower than China all because of its location in the world. Iran is only second to China in the number of executions and has the highest amount of baseless holidays, the highest level of unemployment and the highest level of addictions. . The Iranian government had an opportunity to rule

Fall 2010 9 L E T T E R S T O E D I T O R

T H A N K S F O R YOUR EFFORTS DoroodDorood BarBar HameHame DustaneDustane Irani,Irani, Thank you, you are doing a wonderful job. I InsteadInstead ofof SalamSalam have always loved your am not Iranian, but I ity and hence the refined lan- competing on equal levels. magazine. I learned Persian (not Farsi, guage is not en vogue. And o it must have something to Best regards, Amil as I have learned) because I as a conclusion the stronger Sdo with this very particu- have married into a Persian (non) culture suppresses the lar form of Islam which nowa- ON TARGET family. My wife is an artist and weaker culture. Nobody be- days shows it’s ugly face to the Your editorial was culture is a very important part sides some purists fuss about world presented and towards right on target. I have of our life. I admire Persian this. Why, because America is the Arab language leaning taken liberty of for- poetry, love Persian music. I liked and the American way of Mullahs (by the way a politi- warding it to a number am aware of all the important life seems to be desirable. cal party in Holland has intro- cultural accomplishments of n the other side, when I duced a bill to the parliament of friends for their better ancient Persia, which Europe Owas a toddler in my home to take the religious status of understanding of current has adapted. Hence I always country, Hitler was in power as Islam away with the argument situation in IRAN. try to persuade my Persian the spear head of a general na- that it is an aggressive ideol- Your line “...So I relatives and friends to be a tionalistic movement based on ogy which aims to control the will continue to pray ev- bit more sensitive towards over exaggerated patriotism. world and not a religion). ery night, as I have done their language and try to keep He was the result of a weak aking all this into account since the day I left Iran, it pure. aristocracy which lost power TI think realistically one ut I have learned I am and has turned the countries has to wait until a change in that Iran will be spared Bfighting a losing battle, into poverty in the aftermath government occurs. Until then, from division and that history proves this. Look at the (same in Italy ==’ Mussolini, do not waste your time and en- the Iranian people, who strong influence French had and in Spain ==’ Franco). Dur- ergy to fight a losing battle by I love, will live in peace during the rule of the French ing this time it was forbidden trying to keep your language and free from suppres- speaking Normans in England to use foreign words. This clean. But please never give up sion....” brought tears to or Latin had on German during approach is also not what we trying to influence your kids my eyes. the early middle ages, when want, I assume. to learn Persian and softly the entire clergy spoke Latin ut coming back to the lead them into Molana’s and Thank you for and the holy service was cel- Bproblem of your beautiful Hafez’s poetry. Because your speaking for so many ebrated in Latin. language. Why is it that a (I as- kids, like mine, will be pulled of us. owadays, it is even worse. sume small, more intellectual) into the swamp of commercial Respectfully, Hamid NEnglish takes over and group of Persians care about America’s “unculture” and has a strong influence on ev- the purity of their language. than they will lose the sensitiv- OUTSTANDING ery European language. You It cannot be because Arabs do ity to enjoy Persian culture. So God bless you for Persians can be happy because not have a high culture. They spread the word (I sound like the medical and social for every Arabic word in your had a much higher culture than a preacher) about this wonder- languages there exists a Per- entire Europe in the middle ful heritage of mankind to the services you provided to sian word. But now, for several ages. Greek, Persian and Arab people who surround you people all these years. words in German there is no philosophers, astronomers, po- Ruze shoma bekher J.R (SIDNEY) German word like “soft ware.” ets and mathematicians were Ernst Nor do we have a “rendevous” WRONG AUTHOR (French), we have a “meeting” (English) and nobody goes to Thanks for sharing ALI A. GHORASHI, D.D.S the latest issue (# 58) of a “Treffen” (German). On top Mirass Iran with me. of this the strong influence of Restorative, Implant the American media pulls in & Cosmetic Dentistry Congratulations! I all this vulgar English impres- read it with interest and sions and they are used without for the Entire Family pleasure. thinking. Twenty years ago it The poem on page 9 would have been unthinkable Telephone: is not by Molavi. 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10 No. 59 L E T T E R S T O E D I T O R Dear Dr. Ahkami, Iran (IRI) is that they recognize some of these issues of national I am also deeply troubled by what appears to be the war- sovereignty and maintaining an Iranian identity. like intentions of the USA and it’s economically coerced allies I agree with you that the main agenda and concern of the against Iran. Iran is completely ringed by US military in every regime is its own survival at this point and the Iranian people country on its borders and in the Gulf. As you say, the West be damned. So the Iranian people have two enemies, one is waiting for an excuse to attack Iran. The sovereignty and within and one outside. You have raised another spectra, which independence of Iran are at stake and are the very problem is the dismemberment of Iran which I hadn’t really focused that the US has so much trouble accepting. on but in the past the CIA was trying to foment separatist The US wants to control the world with its military might movements in the two richest oil provinces Azerbaijan and which is really the only power it has left. Witness how dis- Khuzestan by playing on ethnic separatism. pleased the US administration was when Iran, Brazil and The USA only has its military might which is seven times Turkey made a side deal on the uranium. Like the build up to larger a force than any other on earth to claim as unique and the war on Iraq, a peaceful solution was not an objective of 3,000 military bases abroad, 50 in Iraq alone. We have become the USA nor is it now for Iran. The USA wants nothing less the 21st century Mongols. than restoring or reducing Iran once again to a vassal client The world has become a very different place from what state with a US puppet in charge with SOFA, etc where once I personally wanted. It is full of conservatives and far right again Americans will be first class citizens in Iran and Irani- religious fundamentalists on all sides. I have always felt ans second. It is Iran’s misfortune to have the second largest that any foreign relations between two nations should be petroleum deposits in the based on policies which world and access to that is benefit the majority of the more important to America people in each nation and than any civil rights which WAR ON IRAN!! not serve only the interests are being used as a pretext of narrow elite. Every inter- to make invasion more pal- action must be a win situa- atable to the American pub- America will not be satisfied until Iran has tion for both parties or it is lic. I believe that the Iraqi a government which serves their interests creating political instability. casualties so far are over which is access to petroleum and access to The worldwide struggle of 1.2 million. The destruc- their market place to sell them American the communists and the so- tion of non American life finished goods... cialists was for a more equi- is a matter of indifference table distribution of wealth that is what global economy really means, ... to Americans. Iraq also has which butted up against the the misfortune to have large Brian H. Appleton capitalism of the West and oil deposits and now with created the Cold War which an estimated trillion dollars was a tremendous waste of worth of precious metals in resources and humanity and Afghanistan, it will become proxy wars fought by third a desolate pit mine with a million crater holes after the greed world countries on behalf of the super powers at a great loss of of the multinationals is done there and moves on to the next human life. The West didn’t win the Cold War; the USSR just feast leaving some elitist war lord puppet in charge of the went broke first. It has come to the point where the consumer Lithium with his small share of the ill gotten gains... way of life is not environmentally sustainable. Like a giant America will not be satisfied until Iran has a government snake in its death throws thrashing about for hunger, the giant which serves their interests which is access to petroleum and furnace must be stoked at the expense of the “third world.” access to their market place to sell them American finished I would ask every American what they would do if they goods... that is what global economy really means; reducing all woke up one day in Iran and found themselves to be an aver- world populations into one consumer entity for giant multina- age Iranian citizen saddled with the IRI regime and then I tionals to sell the same stuff to and along with that comes the would ask them as an average American what they would do end of indigenous culture and diversity. I see the stagnant lack if they came to realize that their military industrial complex is of entrepreneurial ship and invention that is a result of the cor- actually a bigger and less benign form of dictatorship which porations running our lives in America which built its reputation makes war for a living. on ingenuity. It is ironic that as bad as the Islamic Republic of Sincerely, Brian H. Appleton

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Fall 2010 11 L E T T E R S T O E D I T O R Dear Editor: I think there is a greater plan! I have been recently re- Why? Because if it was about ceiving a great deal of e-mail nuclear proliferation why are with complaints about this OK I Have to Say This we encouraging Hanoi to de- administration’s handling of velop nuclear energy? And, the imminent strike on Iran Department. Large numbers funds and take informative why do we not propose to by Israel. To this I have to make a statement. Writing to advertisements out in the NY Iran and Israel the follow- say, that as a group we are our “so called Iranian Ameri- Times, et al. Not accusatory or ing.... Both nations give up ineffective with any other can politicians” to help out is political positioning but strong nuclear capability with a weapon except a pen. There a waste of time and energy. and informative. If you were guarantee by the US to pro- was so much momentum Why? Because they will also able to get all the editors of tect them against any strike. established by the protests. make deals and those deals ALL Iranian-American pub- If true peace in the ME is the Yet once we saw we made the will not include freedom as lications in one room and if actual goal it won’t be from a news we again rushed back we want it for Iran. they put aside their egos and divided Iran. to our computers and started Yes, it is a delicate mat- for once joined forces, not to Thank you for listening. writing about what a great ter, but in my heart if we are march down a street or be in- You can do with this piece job we did and who was and truly against a potential strike vited to a party, we could show what you want, but I really feel wasn’t there and who will be on Iran you have to play in the the White House, the world that there needs to be an end to the next invitation we receive big league and counter with and the beautiful citizens of small round table discussions to a political fund raiser. the same public coverage as the United States that a war that are simply a catharsis for If we, as Iranians in the other side is getting. I ask with Iran, by anyone, is despi- frustrated ex pats. Take that this country, are in fear and that you, as the editor of the cable not to mention potential energy and push forward. against the present direction great Persian Heritage pub- a catalyst for WW III. There is so much money and of Israel and Iran, then every lication, get together with all Why are we so afraid to intelligence in this group that day of the week we should the other editors and in lieu of ask the big question, “is the I am shocked by the actions be demonstrating in front of printing one issue of all your nuclear issue truly the rea- of immaturity! the White House and State publications commingle the son behind this strike?” No, Anonymous

12 No. 59 N E W S

HUMAN RIGHTS HERO AWARDS PERSIAN CARPET OF PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP OF 2010 TO FOUNDERS OF WAALM WRAPS UP IN TABRIZ The Executive Founders of The Persian Carpet of WAALM and WAALM – SCD, World Peace and Friendship Prof. M. Dorbayani, PhD and was unveiled Wednesday dur- his spouse Marjan A. Dorbay- ing a ceremony in the presence ani, PhD have been the recipients of several Iranian, foreign and of the 2010 Human Rights Hero UNESCO officials in Tabriz. Awards at the 7th Annual Inter- The project began at Teh- national Human Rights Summit ran’s Sadabad Historical Com- in Geneva, the seat of European plex in 2008 and took two years headquarters of the United Na- to accomplish during which tions. This has been awarded for their outstanding tenacity representatives of over 100 and dedication in the promotion of human rights to students, countries visited and symboli- artists, writers, scholars and in their success on reaching mil- cally tied a knot on the carpet, lions more through the media. WAALM’s ‘School of Cultural the Persian service of Mehr Diplomacy provides educational courses, study programs, reported on Wednesday.”This seminars, research and strategies to promote international carpet is actually a means of promoting peace and helping place peace, learning, dialogue and human rights. a high value on world peace and friendship and strengthening relationships among nations,” said Sadabad director Eshrat Shayeq.”The 2 x 1.5 meter carpet will act as Iran’s cultural IRANIAN HARDLINER JUSTIFIES SATELLITE Olympic torch that will travel through different countries to AND INTERNET CENSORSHIP finally arrive and go on permanent display at UN Headquar- Iran’s former culture minister, Mohammad Hosein Safar ters in Paris.”So far, the book covering the lengthy process of Harandi announced that if foreign satellites and sites threaten weaving the carpet as well as notes inscribed by high-rank- us, we must stop their spread by blocking them.Harandi said ing international officials about the project in three different in a speech at Qazvin International University: “Where danger languages has been published,” he added. He mentioned that is felt from external satellites and sites, clearly we need to Persian carpet weaving has been dormant and has not achieved stop the spread of corruption through these waves by filtering its rightful status despite its worldwide fame and we hope these them.”While the former culture minister criticized Ahma- new ideas would help revive this traditional art.A ceremony dinejad administration of inconsistent cultural policies, he is also being arranged to pay tribute to master carpet design- especially focused his criticism on the cultural policies adopted ers Mahmud Farshchian and Mirza-Taqi Khiabani in the near during the reformist government of Mohammad Khatami in future, he concluded. the 1990s.He maintained that “deviations” in the arts oc- curred when the debate over “commitment versus expertise (Report by Mehr News Agency; photos by Meghan Nutttall) was put forth.”He cited prominent Iranian filmmaker, Mohsen Makhmalbof as an example of this deviation saying that to WEAVING PEACE IN TEHRAN start with, he was a proponent of “Revolutionary art” but later A report by author & Tapestry Weaver, Meghan Nutttall changed his path.He condemned the attempt to draw upon the Easter Sunday I awoke to Tehran traffic outside my hotel expertise of pre-revolutionary artists saying: “The result of window. Some wrestled the tangle of cars and pedestrians on their such exchanges was that individuals like Makhmalbof who way to mass at the nearby Orthodox Church. I prepared for my subscribed to ideological art in the eighties, are now making own spiritual journey, the reason I had traveled through eleven films that are akin to pornography.” time zones and half way around the world: to weave a knot on Source: Radio Zamaneh Iran’s World Peace Carpet, a project sponsored by UNESCO and the Cultural Heritage,Tourism and Handicraft Organization of Iran. For a tapestry weaver and author (my first novel was inspired by an Afshar tribal rug), tying a goodwill knot on this SHEILA BAHADORI, D.D.S., M.A. carpet, along with 700 others from 89 nations, seemed every bit as reverent as attending Easter Mass... Practice Limited to Orthodontics Weaving Peace in Tehran Click here to read the rest of this for Children and Adults essay about Meghan Nutttall’s journey to Iran in spring 2009 Telephone: to weave on their first World 201.818.6565 1.866.NJNYDDS Peace Carpet. Fax: 201.818.6525 Author Meghan Nutttall Sayres seated at the World Valley Dental Group, LLC Peace Carpet beside Head 545 Island Road, Suite 1A, Ramsey, NJ 07446 Weaver Jafar Shahabi and Museum Curator Fahimeh WWW.RAMSEYSMILE.COM Naderinajad in the Saad

ORTHODONTIST Office Hours by Appointment Abad Historical Complex, Tehran, Iran

Fall 2010 13 N E W S HISTORICAL KINGDOMS AND DYNASTIES (AS REPORTED BY WIKIPEDIA) From the list of countries reunification of Iran happened in chronological order of their Date: 3300 BC in 1501 by the Safavid dynasty. statehood we pulled Iran, first Iran was referred to in the West on the list.. as Persia until March 21, 1935 Nation-building is a long Nation: Iran (Persia) when it was officially recog- evolutionary process. It is nized as Iran which has been therefore practically impos- paganda than for scientific In Europe, this often co- the local name. The modern sible to come up with a single reasons. For many ancient incides with the ruler’s con- Islamic Republic of Iran was date for a nation’s “birth” in and medieval nations these version to Christianity. For established on February 11, most cases. However, most starting points are usually post-colonial nations, start- 1979 after revolution toppled nations have accepted some the dates when a nation was ing with the United States, Pahlavi dynasty. Iran has had dates in their respective histo- mentioned in a written docu- the beginning of statehood is roughly the same geographical ries as their symbolic starting ment for the first time or sim- usually considered to be the boundaries since its inception points. This is usually done ply a date from their national date when independence was and has been using Persian as more for nationalistic pro- mythology. declared, granted or recog- the official language in addi- nized. tion to Iranian calendar as of- The situation is further ficial calendar as well as the Tabriz Traditional Bazaar complicated by the confu- name of Iran for the nation sion between the terms na- since Median Empire tion (generally considered an In the fifth century B.C., ethnic or cultural grouping) Darius the Great of the Ach- and state (an independent aemenid dynasty called the political entity). (These two Persian Gulf “Draya; tya; words are commonly used as haca; parsa: Aitiy”, meaning, synonyms.) “The sea which goes from Persian”. In this era, some of The first state consist- the Greek writers also called it ing all of western Iran was “Persikonkaitas”, meaning the founded by the Proto-Elamite Persian Gulf. Claudius Ptol- with their capital at Susa & emaues, the celebrated Greco- Anshan which lasted from Egyptian mathematician/as- around 3200 BC to 2700 BC tronomer in the second century and had a significant influence called it “Persicus Sinus” or The Tabriz Bazaar is one of the main trade centers on the on later Iranian dynasties, they Persian Gulf. In the first cen- Silk Road which is located in the city of Tabriz in East were followed by Elam (2700 tury A.D., Quintus Curticus BC-550 BC) and Indo-Euro- Rufus, the Roman historian, Azerbaijan Province, northwest Iran. During the 34th pean Medes who created the designated it “Aquarius Per- session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in first Iranian empire, which sico” – the Persian Sea. Brasilia, the bazaar was registered on the UNESCO World encompassed all of Iran and Flavius Arrianus, another Heritage List. lasted from 728 to 550 BC, Greek historian, called it “Per- Photos by Mahsa Jamali, Mehr News Agency Cyrus The Great, founded the siconkaitas” (Persian Gulf). first Persian Empire, the Ach- During the Sassanian dynasty aemenid Empire in 550 BC and the time of the Prophet (the Achaemenids had ruled Muhammad and the 4 caliphs, Anshan for about a century the name invariably used was before that). the “Persian Sea”. This was The Achaemenids con- continued by the Ummayyads quered the neighboring Mes- and Abbassids, while during opotamian Civilization, and the Ottomans used either “Per- was the world’s first super- sian Gulf” or “Persian Sea”. state, stretching from Greece At the Twenty-third session of to India. Persia was conquered the United Nations in March- by the Greeks under Alexan- April 2006, the name “Persian der the Great, Arab Islamic Gulf” was confirmed again as Caliphate and the Mongol the legitimate and official term Empire with subsequent reuni- to be used by members of the fications afterwards. The last United Nations.

14 No. 59 C O M M E N T A R Y The ancient Persian government took what was before him, and made it taken in as a fixed (i.e., annual) tribute. was very much like the modern Ameri- more efficient, effective, and valuable Darius was known as an exacting trades- can government. It appears to have been to Persian people. His was the zenith of man, or, businessman, according to even psychologically similar. It might be that Persian talent of doing a cultural Herodotus (III, 91), whereas Cyrus had said that the ancient Persians were the “make-over” on whatever comes before been known as having the kind heart, prototype of modern Americans. that synthesizing Persian mind. and being occupied with “plans for the In 2002, I delivered a paper at the But Darius presented some of his well-being” of the people, always. How- Iranian Studies Conference in Bethesda, own innovations, his own tricks of the ever, one must note that 1,120 talents of MD, entitled, “David and Darius: An- imperial trade. And these have been silver is a fraction of that which David cient Internationalism.” (This paper is matched only by modern American in- had amassed some five hundred years presently being translated into Farsi, genuity. Beyond Xerxes’ appeal to the before—7,000 [Babylonian] talents and will be available for Persian read- pride of women, Darius appealed to the of “refined silver,” from his personal ers eventually.) I noted the way in which prowess of men. He brought in skilled fortune, and another 10,000 from the imperialists managed their foreign sub- labor from every part of the vast realm. people, for the one simple, rather small jects, and how Darius greatly expanded He wanted everyone to participate, and building, the temple of God at Jerusa- on some precedents set by the early Jew- in a sense, to own, a piece of the impe- lem. (IChron.29:3-7). Cyrus had oper- ish king, David. rial cities, a literal piece. “I made that,” ated on no fixed revenue, but gifts only. Ultimately, Darius set the standard would be the pride of every ethnicity in Darius needed more financial security, for wisdom in international manage- the empire. for the empire was much larger, and ment. He encouraged active participa- Indeed, Darius represents one of growing. Darius was also was a great tion of the foreign groups in central the most avid architects in the history lover of law, and, more importantly, of Persian affairs, no matter how geo- of the world. There were various royal publishing the law, in writing, so that graphically remote in the those required to abide by empire that foreign group it were fully informed of happened to be. Of course, it. He employed permanent there is that famous story of PERSIANS: boards of judges in the the first Miss Universe con- provinces, and they were test, which Ahasuerus (Kh- comprised of natives, not shayarsha, or Xerxes) held The Prototype Americans superimposed Persians, in in order to find a new queen most cases. to replace Vashti. (The story In the matter of non- is in the Book of Esther, in DAVID YEAGLEY idolatrous, communicative the Hebrew “Old Testa- statuary, the Persian ver- ment.”) Xerxes encouraged sion was marked by stun- each of the 127 provinces of ning innovation of style. the empire to send to Shushan their most apartments and palaces built at Sadrakai, The Persians found world precedent beautiful young woman, from whom he Semiramis (on the Middle Euphrates), distasteful. The ancient Babylonian and would select the next Shahbanou. This Babylon, Pasargadai, Persepolis, Susa, Assyrian intent in statuary was always was a rather creative way of soliciting Agbatana, to mention but those known intimidation and overwhelming threat, the genuine interest of each ethnicity to date (and not to mention the first or, more plainly, it was designed to bully from Hindustan to Ethiopia. And it sur- international highway billboard in the beholder; but this was abandoned passed the tactic of Solomon, who made history—Behistun, 520 BCE.) Darius for the superior Persian style. The new multiple wives of the different ethnici- amassed wealth and materials from Persian style was about grace, natural ties under his rule. Instead, Xerxes put provinces all over the empire, and then ascendance, and beauty—an appeal to all the glory on one. That way, he gave brought in specialists to work their fi- the soul, not the baser emotion of fear. more meaning to ethnic beauty in each. nesse and wonders on buildings, interior At Persepolis, for example, the reliefs on (That the winner happened to be a Jew- design, and statuary (--which always the “stairway to the throne” are clearly ish girl is no doubt incidental.) educational, functional, and instructive not designed to impress with muscular The Persians had even managed of historical record, and never idola- tension, or to intimidate with superior to tolerate a pestilential people they trous, never for religious worship). physical strength. The exposed legs and found in their midst, the Medes, with- Silver was the apparent metal to arms are almost tubular, smooth as pos- out genocide, without enslavement, nor be had, for all are listed as contributing sible, and so stylized as to eliminate assigning them any too humiliating a some amount, anywhere from as low as muscular definition altogether. Even the status, indeed. The Persians were simply 150 Babylonian talents, to 360 talents definition of the ankles is completely artists at social management. And one of Hindustan gold dust, valued at 4,680 lacking, (as in almost all Persian relief). might even say that Zoroaster was an Euboic talents. In total, the figure is The figures are amazingly “modern” in example of religious management. He some 1,120 talents of silver, apparently their appearance, almost 20th century, if

Fall 2010 15 C O M M E N T A R Y elements of simplification, abstraction, figures are again are all fully robed. all, if the emperor was the messiah, the and symbolism can be understood in the The impression is one of elite perfec- mahdi, appointed of the Almighty, then elite grandeur of the impressions thus tion, the absence of superfluity, and the aggrandizement of military oppression created. The archers in the palace of utility of grandeur. The preëminence would have been most inappropriate. Susa, in relief—yet somehow on highly is not derived from a preponderance The simple beauty of Persian relief is colored enameled tile, are most decora- of detail, intimidation, or the depic- a testimony to a superior spirit. tive. They stand in the distinct Persian tion of physical superiority; rather, the In a way, Persian culture was actu- posture, and display no exposed arms truly imperial evolves from superior ally superior to the modern American or legs, but rather, elaborately deco- concepts, superior ideas, and superior ethos. Persia was like an adult gentle- rated robes and quivers. The eastern purpose. man, whereas America has always been staircase of the Apandana (from the In terms of Persian art, then, not a lusty adolescent. As historical irony time of Xerxes, 486-465 BCE) depicts only do we find a new, modern style, would have it, modern Persians have some Babylonians bringing tribute to suggesting even the principles of 20th found a home in the West, particularly in the emperor. They are not presented as century art, we also find an innovative America, their ideological descendent, oppressed, but as standing in the Per- purpose for it. Formerly, the war and and now it remains for Persians to bring sian posture, in the modernized style, intimidation depicted in art was to cel- some cultural maturity to the Ameri- and fully robed. ebrate the victory of the powers which can scene. Are they up to the task? Can The Audience of Darius, in the ordered such records. The Akkadians, they work their magic in someone else’s Treasury Chamber of Persepolis, is the Old Babylonians, the Assyrians, the house? Their genetic coding commands perhaps the greatest work to be consid- Egyptians, all aggrandized their victo- superior style. ered. Here is depicted a Median guard, ries for future generations. The Jews, I have a Persian friend who put it standing behind the throne, with the however, made only written records, succinctly. “I first moved from Iran to stylized anatomy. There is apparently and recorded both their victories and Sweden. Sweden was difficult. But then another Mede, standing immediately in defeats. The Persians made no artistic I came to America. America was a piece front of the throne, in a slightly bowed record of either victories or defeats, but of cake. I love America.” Of course. It posture before the emperor. He also rather, depicted the superiority of the felt more like home. For the Persians, displays the stylized legs. The Persian emperor, in sublime simplicity. After America is a déjà vu.

16 No. 59 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E ORIGIN OF PRE-IMPERIAL IRANIAN PEOPLES

BY DR. ORIC BASIROV INTRODUCTION SKUDRA; the Saka probably As late as the closing de- The article below is by Dr. Oric Basirov. This originally appeared in did not call themselves exclu- cades of the 4th century B.C., the CAIS (Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies) venue and was part of sively by this name, some may the Iranian peoples were still the CAIS series of lectures at SOAS (School of Oriental and African have retained the use of the the largest and the most wide- Studies) on April 26, 2001. term Airya. spread group within the great The version printed below is different in that it has embedded Many Saka tribes left the Indo-European family; this po- photographs and captions used in Kaveh Farrokh’s lectures at the northern steppes intermittently sition must have been held for University of British Columbia’s Continuing Studies Division and to settle permanently in Cen- thousands of years by their no- were also presented at Stanford University’s WAIS 2006 Critical tral Asia, modern Afghanistan, madic ancestors, and was not World Problems Conference Presentations on July 30-31, 2006. and Persia; these tribes are the relinquished until well into the direct forebears of the imperial Roman period; during those Western Iranians, the Medes, distant millennia, they roamed THE AIRYAS roaster and is attested in non- Persians and lastly, the Parthi- the vast, limitless Eurasian We owe a great deal to Gathic Avesta; it appears as ans. steppes as pastoralist riders these pre-historical Iranians, airya, meaning noble; as airya Once converted to Zo- and charioteers; towards the one of whom, i.e, Zoroaster, is dainhava (Yt.8.36, 52) mean- roastrianism, however, such end of the second millennium generally regarded as the first ing the land of the Aryans; and became their religious signifi- B.C., some of them, lured by of the great prophets, and the as airyana vaejah, the original cance, that by the middle of the the great civilizations of the earliest of the great thinkers; land of the Aryans; this term, it 1st millennium B.C., the centre Indus valley, Elam, Mesopo- his people, in the holy texts, seems, was adopted in remote of the faith was neither in the tamia, and Asia Minor, moved are referred to as Airyas, and antiquity by Iranians as their homeland of its founder, nor southwards and made perma- their homeland, believed to national identity; hence other in any of the adjoining Eastern nent settlements; it didn’t have been somewhere in East- peoples were called Anairya, Iranian regions; it was firmly take very long for one group ern Iran, as Airyana vaejah; meaning non-Aryan, probably established on the western of these settled people, the the word Ariya, noble, is also a derogatory racial designation side of the great salt desert, Medes, to form the first of the attested in the Inscriptions of like the other, more familiar, amongst the people now called four Iranian empires, and less Darius the Great and his son, similar terms, such as, Greeks Western Iranians; from then than 500 years for the Persians, Xerxes; it is used both as a lin- & barbarians, Jews & Goyim, onwards, Eastern Iran fades to become the absolute mas- guistic and a racial designation. Arabs & Ajams and Germans & into the background; we now ters of the known world; their Darius refers to his Behistun Welsch. The fact that Iranians, deal almost exclusively with nomadic ancestors, however, inscription (DBiv.89) as (writ- Indians, and probably some Eu- Western Iran, and until very continued to roam the steppes, ten) in Ariyan; he and Xerxes ropeans also called themselves recently, were not even aware unopposed, for a very long state in their surviving texts by this name, suggests that the of the fact that Eastern Iran had time; it was not until the 5th in Naqsh-i Rustam (DNa.14), word Airya may have been an played such a vital part in the century A.D. that the invading Susa (DSe.13), and Persepo- old native designation for the genesis of the Iranian empires, Turkic tribes pushed them out lis (XPh.13): (adam) P~rsa, racial group now called Indo- and their great national faith; of their homelands into central P~rsahy~ puça; Ariya, Ariya European, Indo-Germanic, Eu- most scientific facts, such as, Europe and further west; by ciça; meaning: I am Persian, ropean, Caucasian, or simply, the recorded history and Near then, of course, vast numbers son of a Persian; an Aryan, be- White; it was indeed adopted in Eastern archaeological data, es- of them had merged with east- longing to the Aryan race. the middle of the 19th century pecially a large volume of de- ern Europeans to form the core We meet this word again as a collective designation for ciphered inscriptions, relate to of the modern Slavs; the rest in Pahlavi literature, and in the above racial group and their the four great Western Iranian were eventually assimilated in many Sasanian inscriptions, languages. empires of the Medes, Persians, western Europe, especially in coins, seals and other docu- Parthians & Sasanians; there is France; the intention of this ments; it is attested in Pahlavi THE SAKA only a small volume of clas- paper is to give a broad outline as _r, meaning noble or hero; as It seems that both nomadic sical sources, and more recent of the history and the culture Īrān, Iran; as Īrān-Shahr, mean- and sedentary Iranians referred archaeological data, which also of these fascinating warriors, ing the Iranian Empire; as Īrān- to themselves as Airyas; gradu- deal with the nomadic Iranians who for many thousands of vez, meaning the mythical orig- ally, however, this word became of the northeast, i.e., those Saka years remained the undis- inal land of the Aryans; as an‘r, a self-imposed designation for warriors who remained in the puted masters of the steppes; meaning non-Aryan, barbarian; the settled Iranians only, who steppes, and were never com- throughout their long nomadic and as anĪrān, i.e., barbarity and began to refer to their nomadic pletely subdued by the settled history, they are known to us ignobility. The earliest refer- cousins in the East, i.e., Zoro- Iranians of the imperial period; by a variety of names, both na- ence to this word in an Iranian aster’s people, as the Saka, and these warriors remained, none- tive and foreign. context, however, predates Zo- some of those further west as theless, a very formidable en-

Fall 2010 17 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E emy of their settled cousins; not the Assyrian Empire; the word Greek, Kashtariti in Akkadian) ert in China; this vast territory only did they conquer and rule GIMMIRI is attested in the and his Cimmerians allies; the includes now parts of Central the Median Empire for 28 years Old Testament (Genesis I.x.), Assyrians repelled the Medes, Europe, the eastern half of the in the 7th century B.C., but they as GOMER, the name given to killing Phraortes, and routed the Balkans, the Ukraine, northern also defeated and killed Cyrus one of Japhet’s sons (see below, Cimmerians; the real victors, Caucasus, southern Russia, the Great, founder of the Ach- Scythian/Ashkenaz). however, were the Scythians; southern Siberia, Central Asia aemenian Empire, in the fol- for the next 28 years, now al- and western China. lowing century; a generation SCYTHIANS lied with their erstwhile enemy, We know a great deal about later, they were still engaging This is by far the most the Cimmerians, they ravaged their physical appearance; they Darius the Great in many hard- important, and enduring des- most of the Ancient Near East, were long-headed giants with fought battles; two hundred and ignation given by the classical including Media; later they al- blond hair and blue eyes; this fifty years later, however, they sources to the nomadic Iranians lied themselves with Khshath- well-known fact is attested by became the saviors of the Ira- of the steppes; the name refers rita’s son, the Median emperor, various classical sources, and nian culture and religion, and to the entire non-sedentary Hvakhshathara II (Cyaxares in by their skeletal and other re- political integrity; they gradu- Iranians, both in the West, and Greek, Uaksatar II in Akkadi- mains in numerous archaeo- ally pushed the Macedonians in the East (the Saka). Greek an), and the Babylonian king, logical excavations, which give out of the Iranian homeland, records place them in southern Nabopolassar, taking Nineveh a fairly detailed description of and formed the Parthian Em- Russia in the 8th century B.C., in 612 B.C. and destroying these ancient Iranians; recently, pire, which lasted for another however, recent archaeologi- once and for all the mighty a large number of their mummi- 500 years. cal evidence testifies that they, Assyrian Empire. (beginning fied corpses were discovered in The nomadic Iranians Cimmerians, and other Steppe of the Kurdish calendar) western China; these mummies, of the north western steppes, Iranians may have been there The Scythians were called which are extremely well-pre- however, especially those far earlier. Greek geographers by the Assyrians Ashkuza or served in the arid conditions of settled in Europe, are exten- of the 4th century B.C. also Ishkuza (A/I/-k/gu-za-ai); as the Taklamakan desert, are now sively covered by the classical credit the Scythians with in- with the Gimmiri, this word on display at the museums of writers; they are also attested habiting the largest part of the also appears to have found its khotan, Urumchi, and Turfan in a very large number of ar- known world (map Red 16). way into the Old Testament; in Sinkiang; they are dressed in chaeological excavations in Like other Iranians, these one of Gomer’s (Gimmiri) Scythian costume, i.e., leather Eastern Europe; these Iranian nomads probably called them- three sons, in Genesis I.x.12, tunic and trousers, and are usu- peoples are known in the West selves by the generic term is called Ashkenaz, which has ally displayed in the sitting po- as Cimmerians, Scythians, “Airya”; this is testified in- given us the modern Hebrew sition, exactly as described by Sarmatians, Alans, and finally ter alia by the native name of word, Ashkenazi. Herodotus; what is extra ordi- Ossets; it must be emphasiz ed their descendants in the pres- The Scythians were nary apart from their northern that all these names refer to the ent day Europe (see below); it known by the Achaemenians, European features, however, is successive migratory waves of seems, however, that they, or as SAKA and SKUDRA, by their gigantic heights, well over the same people, who probably at least some of their powerful the Greeks, SKYTHIA, by the two metres as they are now, in called themselves by a name clans, also called themselves Romans, SCYTHIAE (pron. spite of the natural shrinkage derived from the word Airya, “SAKA” in the East, and SKITYAI), which has given expected during the past thou- as the Alans did, and the Os- SKUDA, or SKUDRA in the us the English word SCYTH- sands of years. sets still do. West. SKUDA is believed to IAN; they lived in a wide area The Scythians, and other be related to the German word stretching from the south and early steppe Iranians are be- CIMMERIANS “SACHS”, meaning a type of west of the River Danube to lieved to have been the first The earliest recorded no- throwing-dagger which the ep- the eastern and northeastern Indo-Europeans to use domes- madic western Iranians are the onymic Saxons used to carry edges of the Taklamakan Des- ticated horses for riding (as op- Cimmerians; they make their and shoot with; indeed, it is first appearance in Assyrian possible that like the histori- annals at the beginning of the cal Saxons, the Skuda derived 8th century B.C., where they their name from their ability to are referred to as Gimmiri; shoot. [cf. Franks]. Their first they came down from mod- appearance in recorded history ern Ukraine, and conquered is again in the Assyrian annals, eastern Thrace, and most of where they chase the Cimme- modern Turkey, being pushed rians, their own kinsmen, first westwards by another nomadic out of Europe, then out of Asia Iranian people, the Scythians Minor into the Median terri- (see below); they left behind a tory; in the 7th century B.C. wealth of archaeological mate- they allied themselves with rial, including a vast number of the Assyrians, and attacked the mound-burials in western Asia combined forces of the invad- Minor; they later allied them- ing rebellious Median vassal selves with the Medes against king, Khshathrita (Phraortes in Sohrab and Gordafarid

18 No. 59 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E posed to eating); this theory has it is by no means unusual to mentioned in Greek, Roman, sympathise with the frustration acquired fresh credibility after find remains of women warriors and Byzantine sources as late of the great Russian scholar; un- the recent discovery of horse dressed in full armor, lying on a as the middle of the fifth cen- like various German tribes and skeletons at the Sredny Stog war chariot, surrounded by their tury A.D. Slavs and hoards of Huns, Av- archaeological culture, east of weaponry, and significantly, ac- Alans, with an identical ars, Magyars and Bulgars, who the River Dniepr, a well-known companied by a host of male etymological origin with the dominate the historical literature pre-historical Scythian site in subordinates specially sacrificed word Iran, are extensively cov- dealing with the early Middle eastern Ukraine; these bones in their honor; nonetheless, ered, especially by Ammianus Ages, the Alans hardly receive were identified as belonging to these young Iranian warriors, as Marcellinus who states inter a mention; yet, they were in fact bitted, therefore, ridden horses evidenced by the archaeological alia, that “Almost all of the Al- the only non-Germanic people dating to 4000 B.C., at least remains of their costumes and ans are tall and good looking, of the migration period to make 2500 years older than the pre- jewelry, do not seem to have lost their hair is generally blond” important settlements in West- viously known examples. their femininity; they remained (AM, XXX,2,21); they once ern Europe, and for many years More recent excavations “feminine as well as female” as ruled a vast territory stretch- dominated the affairs of the late east of the Ural Mountains credit a great contemporary German ing from the Caucasus to the Roman Empire. them also with the invention of scholar puts it. Danube, but were gradually In 421, soon after their the first two-wheeled chariot; Archaeological excava- driven westwards by the invad- arrival in Constantinople, the such mobility, naturally, turned tions also testify to the amaz- ing Huns; however, unlike their Alan general, Ardaburius (Ar- them into a formidable fight- ing skill of these people in predecessors the Cimmerians, dapur), fighting for the Byz- ing force; they never willingly making jewelry; some of the Scythians and the Sarmatians, antine emperor Theodosius, fought on foot, and used armor finds are so dazzling in quality the Alans did not vanish from defeated the army of the Sasa- both for themselves and their and advanced in technique that the history; indeed they settled nian Emperor, Bahram V, and mounts; they also developed it is hard to imagine that they in the Byzantine Empire and took the fortified frontier city the famous steppe tactic of are produced by an unsettled, Western Europe, playing a vital of Nisibus; after several more faked retreat, and the “Parthi- nomadic culture; we are in- role in the subsequent European victorious campaigns in Italy an shot”, shooting backwards deed very fortunate that these affairs; nonetheless, one finds it he was made consul for the year while on mounted retreat; this early steppe Iranians practiced very odd that they are not given 427; his son, Asp~r (aspwar, tactic, named after their well- elaborate funerary rituals and the full credit they truly deserve Saw~r), in 431 commanded a known descendants, the Par- interred their treasures with for being an important force in large army against Vandals and thians, requires an amazing their dead in huge impreg- medieval Europe. Alans in Africa, and was made skill and balance in the saddle, nable burial mounds; hence, Rostovtzeff, the great consul for the year 434. Asp~r’s and a dazzling co-ordination of the vast majority of the steppe Russian expert in Iranians of son, Ardaburius (named after eyes, arms and breath without Iranians’ artifacts known to the the steppes, once complained his grandfather) was also made the support of stirrups. learned world is attributed to that “In most of the work on consul in 447; in 450 when the In this unique pastoral- the Scythians. As it has been the period of migrations, the emperor Theodosius II died, ist equestrian warrior society, emphasized throughout this part played by the Sarmatians Asp~r was offered the impe- women fought alongside their paper these two names prob- and especially by the Alans in rial throne by the senate of men; not only they were held ably refer to the same people, conquest of Europe is almost Constantinople; he declined in an equal status with men, but who, in all likelihood, called ignored; but we must never for- the throne, but gave it to his also periodically they actually themselves by a name similar get that the Alans long resided subordinate, Marcian. ruled them. This so called up- to the word Alan. in Gaul, that they invaded Italy, In 451 Attila the Hun side-down society both fasci- Herodotus, who has de- and that they came with the laid siege to Orleans the capi- nated and horrified the male voted most of his Book IV to Vandals to Spain and conquered tal city of the Alans in central dominated Greek culture; later, Scythians, is the earliest source North Africa”; one can easily Gaul; their new king, with the the Romans expressed the same on Sarmatians, whom he refers horror, when they encountered to as a branch of the Scythians; the Celtic and Germanic female by the 3rd century B.C., the Beauty-of-Loulan warriors. Greek writers called Sarmatians (Greek SARMA- the fighting Iranian women TAI), had replaced Scythians they met in the Ukrainian in Europe, and settled in west- steppes, the Amazons; later ern Ukraine, the Danube Valley Greek sources placed them and Thrace. further east, in northeastern The earliest known refer- parts of Iran. ence to the Alans (Greek ALA- This incredible social NOI, Latin ALANI), however, equality, at such an early age, is is not until the mid 1st century irrefutably attested, not only by a A.D; it appears that by then host of classical writers, but also the Alans, in turn, had taken by a wealth of archaeological the place of the Sarmatians evidence; in many mound- buri- in Eastern Europe; both these als in the former Soviet Union, Iranian peoples are frequently

Fall 2010 19 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E remarkably Modern Persian rope was saved from the ravage cluding the Battle of Hastings. Iranian Transcaucasia before it name of Sangiban, successfully of the Huns. Alans are also credited was lost to the Russians in the defended the city, and with the From the mid fifth centu- with teaching western Euro- 19th century and subsequently help of his Roman and Visigoth ry A.D. onwards, Alans, now peans the still popular sport renamed Azarbaijan. allies pushed Attila to Chalons fully Christianised, gradually of hunting on horseback with Ossets are mostly Chris- in eastern France; in the famous lost their Iranian language, and hunting dogs; a famous breed tian, speaking Ossetic, or as battle of Chalons Western Eu- were eventually absorbed into of medieval hunting dogs was they themselves call it “Iro- the population of medieval called Alan (med. Latin Ala- nig”, or “Ironski”, which is Europe; as late as 575 one still nus) which, according to a 19th classified as an Eastern Iranian comes across Iranian names, century authority on the history language. Ossetic maintains on such as Gersasp in southern and origin of canine breeds, the one hand, some remark- France, and Aspidius (Aspapati, “derived originally from the able features of the Gathic Asppat) in northern Spain, and Caucasus, whence it accom- Avestan, and possesses on of course the word Alan itself, panied the fierce, fair haired, the other, a number of words, which is still a very popular and warlike Alani”; the town such as, thau (tauen, to thaw, name in western Europe. of Alano in Spain to this day as in snow) and gau (region, Alans are credited for im- bears two Alan dogs on its coat district) which are remarkably porting into western Europe of arms. similar to their modern Ger- their steppe tactics of warfare; manic equivalents. these include never fighting OSSETS This modern Iranian na- on foot out of choice, having Fortunately for us, the tion, still provides a physical link armor both for men and their Huns could not push all the Al- between the Indo-Europeans of mounts, and most significant- ans out of their homeland; their the East, and those of the West, ly, the practice of tactical fake descendants, known as Ossets, that is, most people of Europe; retreat; these Iranian steppe are the only Iranians who still such a romantic link, it will be tactics were passed on to the live in Europe; they call their remembered, had already been Bretons, Visigoths and later, country “Iron”, which is a vari- established thousands of years to the Normans, who used the ation of Alan, Iran, as well as ago by their blond and blue- Alan-Warrior fake retreat at many battles in- Eran. Eran was the name of the eyed ancestors.

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20 No. 59 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E

BOOK REVIEWS and Beata Biedronska-Slota, on the use of fine goat hair in early Persian and Indian carpets and textiles by Steven Cohen, and on SCHOLARS AND HUMANISTS the Indian Ocean and international textile trade by Willem Floor Iraj Afshar and Touraj Daryaee and René Bekius. The book stands as a fitting tribute to the life (Mazda Publishers 2009) and pioneering scholarship of May H. Beattie. This book contains some of the cor- respondence between Sayyed Hasanm IRANIANS ON THE SILK ROAD: Taqizadeh, and Iranian scholar and politi- MERCHANTS, KINGDOMS AND RELIGIONS cian and Walter Bruno Henning, a notable Authors Touraj Daryaee, Khodadad Rezakhani, German Iranologist, who lived in England and Matteo Compareti to escape the Nazi Germany. Publisher: Afshar Publishing, Beverly Hills, California (2010) The book gives the reader the insight An excellent new book has been published pertaining to into how these two men thought and pro- Iranians and the Silk Road. cessed the events of their time. The cor- This informative text focuses on the respondence within, however, is only a role of the wider Iranian peoples who in- small portion of their exchange, as so much was lost. Those habited a wide swathe of territory in Central who love this type of history will be impressed with the pages. Asia along the ancient Silk Road. Iranian Unfortunately the individuals who need to learn about Iran and peoples such as the Sakas, Bactrians, Sogh- Iranian people are unlikely ever to pick up this treasure. dians, Persians, Khwarazmians and Par- thians played a cruial role in the trade and MEMOIRS OF THE ACTOR transport of goods from China and India to IN A SUPPORTING ROLE the Eastern Mediterranean. They were also A play by Bahram Beyzai responsible for the spread of ideas, espe- (Mazda Publishers 2010) cially the religions of Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, Buddhism, If you are looking for a message of Nestorian Christinaity and Islam throughout Asia. hope this is not the play to read. On the The text is a standard reference source for those seeking a other hand if you are looking to read some- clear and informative synopsis of Iranian peoples’ contribution thing extremely well written filled with to the development of trade and religious life in the time span of truth, not hope than you will embrace these the first millenium BC and the first millenium AD. 114 pages. While the book does not offer Dr. Matteo Compareti obtained his PhD from the University hope for a bright future it does give us of Naples, LÒrientale. He specializes in the art history of Iran pause to reflect how much we have failed and Central Asia. His latest publication is `Samaracanda Centro in the past. del Mondo – Proposte di Lettura del Ciclo Pittorico di Afrasiyab, Minesis, 2010`. Readers are also referred to Dr. Compareti`s ar- CARPETS AND TEXTILES ticle posted on Iranian.com entitled `Soghdiana: Iranian Culture IN THE IRANIAN WORLD 1400–1700 in Central Asia`. Edited by Dr Jon Thompson, Daniel Shaffer and Pirjetta Mildh FERDOWSI, A CRITICAL BIOGRAPHY (2010 The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford University, in association A. Shapur Shahbazi with the Bruschettini Foundation for Islamic (Mazda Publishers 2010) nd Asian Art, Genoa) Do not let the subtitle “ A Critical Bi- Carpets and Textiles in the Iranian ography” turn you away from reading this World 1400–1700 is a generously illustrated book. It is not critical in the negative sense, and meticulously produced scholarly com- just a bit more honest. What the author pendium of diverse papers on the general attempts to do, and does so for the most theme of the history of carpets and textiles part, is to provide the reader with more in- in the Iranian sphere. In the most signifi- sight into Ferdowsi’s life and times. While cant contribution to academic carpet studies Ferdowsi is, to most Iranians, a savior of since Oriental Carpet & Textile Studies II Persia, he was a man who had his own (1986), Dr. Jon Thompson, Prof. Walter short comings and difficulties. While most Denny and Christine Klose address certain who have written about him avoid these shortcomings (or they important theoretical questions relating to carpets in the 15th were lost in the translation,) this author and book gives the century and later. Their subject matter overlaps to some extent, reader an additional perspective. although all three adopt rather different points of view. A fourth paper, by Jessica Hallett, devoted to Safavid carpets, refers to original documents to survey the fashion in Portugal for ‘ori- ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE ental’ carpets during the 16th and 17th centuries, a notable gap in our knowledge. Wider academic interest in textile themes is (973) 471-4283 reflected in papers on the Pan Asian art historical background by Yolande Crowe, on Persian costume by Jennifer Scarce and the late Patricia Baker, on Safavid textiles by Mary McWilliams WWW.PERSIAN-HERITAGE.COM

Fall 2010 21 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E Where were you born?

I was born in Hafezi Hospital and our house was in Amirieh.

How many siblings do you have?

I had three brothers and one sister. One brother and my sister are still living. I got along well with all my siblings. I was the oldest.

Tell us about your parents.

I loved both my parents. They were beautiful.

I can see from your photos of her that she was a very beauti- ful woman. Tell me the most An Interview with beautiful memory you have from childhood?

Shahrnush Parsipur I was a girl of four or five years old, when my mother came in and announced that the doctor said she was pregnant. Author At that moment, I saw that my mother’s hands were so brilliant and beautiful. This By: Brian Appleton was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen in my life then and since.

Who was the most important Shahrnush Parsipur, Author, Recently Received an Honorary Doctor of Letters person in your childhood? (Litt.D.) Degree from Brown University, One of Eight Candidates Shahrnush Parsipur, an Iranian-born novelist whose books, though popular, has seen all of My mother’s mother was the biggest them banned in her native land and has been imprisoned for her writings four influence in my life. She was a dervish and times, once for nearly five years. The IRI found her dealing with issues such as a poet, very silent. She was reserved and virginity from women’s did not enjoy superficial activities...she perspectives, un-Islamic. would stay close to the door at parties and Brown conferred honorary degrees on Nobel laureate Nelson Mandela and seven leave after 30 minutes. She was a practic- other distinguished candidates during its 242nd Commencement exercises, Sunday, ing Sufi. She told me a lot about mysticism May 30, 2010. The eight candidates included author Shahrnush Parsipur. The and many stories about mystics. charge d’affaires at the Embassy of South Africa in Washington was present to accept the degree on Mandela’s behalf. Did your family approve of Parsipur’s writing career began in 1974 with the publication of her first novel, The your writing? Dog and the Long Winter, in which a tradition-bound young woman encounters My father was a poet, my grandmoth- the revolutionary activism of her brother and his friends. Parsipur’s later works, er was a poet and my aunt was the poetess, such as Touba and the Meaning of the Night (1989) and Women Without Men Lobat Volah. (1989), explore the condition of women in Iran. A bestseller in Iran, Touba, like many of Parsipur’s books, remains banned. In all, she has written 13 works of What was your most dramatic fiction and memoir. Translations of some of Parsipur’s stories appear in Stories childhood memory? by Iranian Women since the Revolution (1991) and Stories from Iran: A Chicago Anthology (1991). When I was one year old I was kid- Imprisoned by both the Shah’s security agency and the Islamic Republic in turn, napped from right in front of my door by the author now lives in exile in Northern California. Ms. Parsipur was the first a strange woman, my nanny ran after her recipient of the International Writers Project Fellowship from Brown University in for one kilometer and saved me but the 2003-04. She also has received a Lillian Hellman/Dashiell Hammett Award from kidnapper got away. the Fund for Free Expression. I noticed in your novel Touba

22 No. 59 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E and the Meaning of Night and Punishment, The Pos- I didn’t write for 8 years. I lived with my , that you wrote a lot about sessed, The Gambler? What in boyfriend for one year and then married at two decadent old Qajar particular did you like about 21. We were married 7 years. He worked at princes given the names Gil Dostoyevski? NIRT and produced Daijan Napolon. I left and Feraydun Mirza and from Tolid Daroo (pharmaceutical compa- their debauchery and how Each and every book of Dostoyevski ny.) Then I worked at NIRT. I started as a they justified it with intellec- , in a way has affected me somehow. Yet typist then became producer. My program tual dishonesty. Did you have the important points of The Possessed are was Barnameh Zanheye Roostai (Rural some direct experience with in my head. Straverogin has turned into Women’s Journal.) I produced that for four the old royalty? I wonder in a part of my personality and character. years. It was a weekly program. Touba, how much of the story Dostoyevski, in my understanding, opens Then I resigned in 1974 from my job is autobiographical? a door to the dark side of the world. With because two poets were executed: Gole him you can go to the very depths of the Sorkhi and Daneshian. This helped spark This story is more or less the story events. The strange thing that I have no- the revolution. They were against the of my grandmother, Touba, but at the ticed most recently that has mystified me Shah’s regime. They were rebels and very same time is really a fiction. My mother is his passion for the hegemony of the famous. I was not opposed to the regime was the daughter of Prince Zahir Soltan Slavic race. I must say that it was a great but I was opposed to these executions. descendant of Abbas Mirza, son of Fath blow to me because I did not think that As a result of my resignation in protest of Ali Shah...unlike Fath Ali Shah he was a someone like him could be prejudice. these executions, the Savak arrested me nationalist and fought against the Russians and I was in prison for 54 days in Evin. and was well loved by the people.My fa- What other writers do you ther was Ali, son of a doctor. He was first like who have influenced your You got divorced? a judge and then a lawyer. He didn’t like work? sentencing people to death and so he didn’t Yes, I got divorced and moved to like being a judge and became a defense Sadegh Hedayat from Iran, Mark France in 1976 and studied Chinese lan- attorney instead. Twain from America, Gabriel Garcia guage and philosophy at the Sorbonne We went to live in Kharamshahr from Marquez from Latin America and many and wrote my first novel; The Dog and my 5Th grade until 9th grade. After that others. The Long Winter. I had it published in I went to school only part time because I Iran. It was successful but the revolu- worked. I worked for the water and power I noticed a similarity to Mar- tion stopped it. After 4 years, in 1980 I company of Khuzestan until age 20. Our quez in your magical realism returned to Iran. I looked for work and it high school only had science not literature. style especially in Women was impossible. In 1981, my entire fam- Dad said I had to marry or work if I was Without Men. ily went to prison. My brother had given not in school. It was unusual for women Did you always write in the some communist journals to my mother to work in those days in Iran. magical realism style? Why and asked her to destroy them but she did you choose this style? Like had forgotten them in her car. Apparently When did you start writing? other Iranian writers and film someone saw them there and reported it makers, were you using sym- to Savama. I had no political affiliation I loved literature starting from the age bolism to avoid censorship? with the Tudeh. I was socialist and had of 8 years old. Were some of the characters a strong belief in democracy and I liked in your novels based upon Bakhtiar. What did you do after age 20? real people you knew? You were imprisoned twice I worked for a pharmaceutical com- There is an innate tendency in me why and where? pany for 8 years and went to Tehran Uni- towards magical realism. I think this style versity and got a degree in Sociology. I should be called the method of One Thou- I was in jail for two months. They started writing when I was 12. I tried to sand and One Nights. Marquez also has released me with bail. I wanted to leave write some short stories. imitated this method from One Thousand the country but I would have forfeited and One Nights. Of course I also use sym- the bail. Since it was based on my aunt’s Who is your favorite writer? bols to conceal matters. Yes, some of my house, I went back to prison so that my I know you told be Sadegh characters in my books are derived from aunt wouldn’t lose her house. The IRI Hedayat was an influence on real people. regime imprisoned me in Evin and Ghe- your writing and everyone zel Hesar. They couldn’t figure out what else’s in modern Iran. What was the first story of I was. I wasn’t communist, I wasn’t a yours that got published? prostitute. I wasn’t married. I worked My favorite writer was Dostoyevski. and so they didn’t understand me. I I am “Dostoyevski’s daughter.” I published my first story at age 16 didn’t pray. Out of 700 women prison- in Etalat Banavan. It was a story about a ers, I was the only one who didn’t pray. Which of Dostoyevski’s novels young man who couldn’t decide between They didn’t like that. I went to prison two did you like the best? Brothers two girls. I wrote my first novel, The Dog more times. Both times were for writing Karamozov, The Idiot, Crime and the Long Winter when I was 20. Then Women Without Men. They didn’t like

Fall 2010 23 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E my writing about virginity. It was not por- Which of your novels do you How is it you never trayed graphically and was very innocent like the best? remarried? but they said it was un-Islamic. I like them all. I married my work. Did you write while you were incarcerated? How did you like Shirin Did you write any more novels Neshat’s movie based on your after you left Iran? I wrote half of Touba in prison. They book? How did you like acting? confiscated the manuscript and after one I have written three novels in Amer- year they gave it back but I burned it I liked her interpretation. They told ica that have all been published in Farsi because I felt that I had been subjected to me to act so I did. and have been very successful. self censorship and had not really written it the way I wanted it to be so I rewrote Well I think you played your But only three of your novels it later after I was out of prison. I also role as a Madame, quite have been translated. Are you wrote Blue Reason in 1989 about the convincingly. What are you looking to get more translated period of the Iran Iraq war. I have two writing these days? and published in English? translations of it. I can’t decide which is better. I am still trying to get it published I write for Radio Zamaneh and my Yes, I am very interested in getting in English. Autobiography. them published in English too.

You had one son from your Why did you come to Would you like to go back to marriage. Tell us about California? Iran some day if the motherhood? government changes? I came to California because there I love my son very much. Unfortu- were so many Iranians here. Only two Of course, if there is a place for me in nately in recent years for several reasons of my 13 novels have been published in Iran, I would go back. But notice there are I have to live far from him. This is a prob- English. I get no royalties because they 14 million people living in Tehran now. My lem that saddens me very much. were published by university presses. relatives are mostly dead or have left.

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24 No. 59 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E PARIS-BASED PAINTER RAN ARRUDI So long friends.... I D Majid Kafaï TO ESTABLISH MUSEUM IN TEHRAN How quickly seventy years went by Alas Add five to it They are all gone And behold They are all over. How your life has gone with the wind.... Look Whatever joy which was there In these days Has now vanished The days are cold and empty And from the fire of youth The nights very dark Only smoke remains in the chest There is no passion in my head and in the eyes. No love in my heart No fun and enjoyment in my life Alas That roaring river has dried up Since long That river which was always full of I see that Devil in front of our home pure water That Devil The water of hope, love and desire Which easily takes away your life And now that dried up waterway and mine. Has become ugly And its muddy face Iranian surrealist painter Iran Darrudi, He hints to me in different ways that Is covered with many stones who lives in Paris, recently transferred all Your cup is filled up and chips her works to Iran to establish a museum in her homeland. She also plans to set up a It is time for you to leave this nest Which are reposing in it’s untidy lap. foundation to pursue her works in Iran, the To leave this house. Persian service of ISNA reported. Time has come for us to leave “I have brought all my works, includ- All that desire and lust To leave this fabulous palace ing nine tableaus, to Iran,” she said. “I Which one day I had The palace of life want to set up a large museum and dedi- They are all gone In which cate the artworks to the Iranian people.” As well as that ardent love Are beloved ones resided “I will pursue my goals together with the members of the board as long as I am And that beautiful sweetheart Alas alive,” said Darrudi, who celebrated her Alas They have all left the house 74th birthday. All flowers have now withered And have become silent “Persepolis” is one of Darrudi’s spe- Alas Alas cial works painted on a door that once That colorful note-book is closed. They have died decorated the entrance to the bedroom of The way a candle dies in the passage her Paris home. Depicting a rain of flow- Father and mother have passed away of winds ers on a part of Persepolis, the work will be showcased at a gallery in Tehran. It is to Sister and son too And in these days be auctioned to raise funds for establishing And those friends What remains from them her museum and foundation. Who were my companion and sup- Is just an image a reminiscence She had trouble transporting “Perse- porter. A far away souvenir . polis” to Iran due to its large size and had to ship it by truck. “It is not appropriate for It was like a dream In a couple of days this tableau to be in a private home, so I The gone with the wind life Grave will be insisted that it should be unveiled in Iran. I hope a cultural organization will purchase Alas is finished My lasting resting place the work to keep it in Iran, because the That job that challenge that work But before I go tableau belongs in this country,” she said. That friendly warm gatherings I would love to say She said that if the tableau doesn’t sell Laughter jokes and good times So long in Iran, it will go under the hammer in a All those romantic murmurs To my friends...... foreign auction. Mehr News Agency, Tehran; photos by ISNA

Fall 2010 25 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E is close to Tehran mayor Mo- tra are claimed by Iraqis and Iran: hammad Baqer Qalibaf. Kurds, respectively. Hassan Bolkhari, di- Iranian officials react to rector of the Art Research all this by saying their cul- Whose Centre, part of Iran’s Na- ture is being encroached on tional Academy of Arts, also by others. History responded, asserting that al- Hassan Bolkhari argues Farabi flourished as part of that “foreigners are trying to the Persian cultural world, hijack Iranian identity”. He Is It and was thus an inseparable uses the term “cultural inva- part of Iranian history. sion”, an expression coined The dispute was only the by Iran’s Supreme Leader Anyway? latest expression of Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. resentment at other nations “Examples of this cul- Abu-Nasr-e-Farabi MEHDI BAGHERNEJAD, “misappropriating” their cul- tural invasion include claims TEHRAN tural icons. that Rumi is Turkish, Farabi the site in Tad,” said Heyda- SOURCE: MIANEH One of the best known is Kazak, and Avicenna is rai. “Ganjavi’s home is on examples of this is the 13th- Uzbek, as well as calling the verge of ruin, and many century mystic poet Jalalu- the Persian Gulf the ‘Ara- Iranians are unaware that his ddin Rumi, born in the Kh- bian Gulf’,” said Bolkhari. home is even in Iran. warezmian state that encom- Critics say the Iranian gov- “This is at a time when passed modern Iran and parts ernment is not doing enough hundreds of thousands of dol- of Central Asia. He ended up to address the problem. lars are spent every year on in Konya in western Turkey, Saman Heydarai, an ar- renovating religious sites in where his tomb is visited cheology student in Tehran, Iran, and even on places of by millions of people every says Iran’s rulers have failed pilgrimage in Iraq and other year. His poetry was in Per- to defend their cultural heri- parts of the world.” sian, but the Turks claim him tage internationally. Another Mahjoob Zweiri is a as their own. factor, he said, is that mod- professor of modern Mid- Other figures from ern Iran has not yet resolved dle Eastern history at the Farabi on Iranian stamp the greater Persian cultural the question of whether its University of Qatar. Of Jor- world of the Middle Ages identity is national or Is- danian origin, he lived and There is increasing include Ibn Sina, perhaps lamic, and this colours the studied in Tehran for many concern among Iranians that better known as Avicenna, way cultural matters are pri- years, and explains that dis- their cultural icons are been one of the founders of mod- oritised. putes over cultural owner- claimed by other nations in ern medicine. Born in the “Contrary to its own pro- ship stem from the fact that search of an identity. Persian- then great cultural centre of paganda, the Cultural Heri- the geographical borders of speaking poets, scientists Bukhara, now a provincial tage Organisation doesn’t today simply did not exist and thinkers from days gone town in Uzbekistan, Ibn Sina make much of an effort to hundreds of years ago. by are routinely claimed as is claimed variously by the register and promote many The Persian cultural national heroes by modern Uzbeks, the Tajiks, the Turks of the country’s historical world extended eastwards states like Uzbekistan and and the Arabs. figures and national heritage across Afghanistan into In- Kazakstan, on the basis of The 10th century all- sites,” he said. dia, northwards into Central geography. round scientist Abu Rayhan As an example, Heyda- Asia, and westwards to in- When the head of Ka- Biruni and mathematician rai cited 13th-century Persian clude parts of the southern zakstan’s National Acad- Muhammad ibn Musa al- poet Nezami Ganjavi. While Caucasus. The thinkers and emy of Arts, Arystan Beik Khwarizmi, who developed it has traditionally been held writers of that time - many Mohammadi, visited Tehran algebra in the 9th century that Nezami was born in of them multi-talented scien- in February, he announced and whose name gives us Ganja, a town in present-day tists and poets - often moved that the 10th century scholar the word “algorithm”, have Azerbaijan), some Iranians around and ended up a long Abu al-Nasr al-Farabi was a also been posthumously now believe he was really way from their birthplaces. “Kazakstani” because he is been turned into citizens of born in the village of Tad In places like Central believed to have been born in modern Uzbekistan and Ta- in the Iranian township of Asia and Azerbaijan, the what is now that country. jikistan. Tafresh. creation of “national” poets This sparked a furious Over on the western “Azerbaijan has made and other historical figures front-page rebuttal from the side of Iran, the two Persian Nezami into an Azeri. Yet no stems from the deliberate So- Tehran Emrouz daily, which prophets Mani and Zarathus- efforts are made to publicise viet policy of equipping the

26 No. 59 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E USSR’s constituent repub- until Islam’s golden age came lics with a sanitised version to an end with the fall of the Islam & The Mental Immune System of history, complete with Abbasid Caliphate in 1257, their own approved cultural Baghdad was the centre of Our beliefs and ideas make us who we are and the icons. This policy was car- science and knowledge. At qualities of those beliefs and ideas determine the kind of ried over into the post-Soviet that time, “Arabic culture” person we are. We shield and fiercely defend our beliefs states as they embarked on was a much broader and all- and ideas for good reason: without both integrity and in- nation-building and sought encompassing concept. ternal harmony, the mind becomes disorganized and even historical legitimacy. Thus, He argues that such dis- dysfunctional. While our inborn immune system fights off Ganjavi has been incorpo- putes over cultural legacy viruses and bacteria that aim to kill us, another immune rated into the historical nar- are a feature of societies in system, the mental immune system—MIS—gradually rative of modern-day Azer- search of an identity, based formed after birth, protects the mind and takes every measure to keep the mind’s ideas and beliefs on the same baijan. around historical events or page. In general we inherit our opinions. We are the heirs Many of the figures figures that support this. of habits and mental customs. Our beliefs, like the fashion whom Iranians regard as When an article about of our dresses, depend on where we were born. We are their own are also described Rumi’s tomb in Konya ap- molded and fashioned by our surroundings. by blanket terms such as peared a year or so ago on the Amil Imani & Dr. Wafa Sultan “Muslim scholars,” or even Iranian website Tebyan, one portrayed as Arabs because of the comments posted ex- some of their works were pressed regret that the poet’s written in Arabic, the lan- grave was not in Iran. guage of religion and science Yet as Rumi himself said, HOW TO STAY YOUNG of the day. “When we are dead, seek not 1. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, Iranians are dismayed our tomb in the earth, but find gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. ‘An when the likes of Ibn Sina it in the hearts of men.” idle mind is the devil’s workshop.’ And the devil’s are presented as Arabs. The About the author: Me- name is Alzheimer’s. well-known Tehran Univer- hdi Baghernejad is the pseud- 2. Enjoy the simple things. Laugh often, long and loud. sity professor of philosophy, onym of an Iranian journalist Laugh until you gasp for breath. Gholam Hossein Ebrahimi based in Tehran. 3. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it’s Dinani, sees this as a part of This article is an abridged family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, what- an “Arab plot” to rewrite Per- and translated version of the ever. Your home is your refuge. 4. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is sian history. full original text published on unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can “Many of these scientists the Farsi pages of Mianeh, improve, get help. produced works of literature with editorial adjustments 5. ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the and science in both Persian agreed with the writer made number of breaths we take, but by the moments that and Arabic,” he said. to provide clarity for English- take our breath away. Zweiri points out that language readers.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF PERSIAN HERITAGE

Farabi on Kazakhstan currency Dr. Mehdi Saghafi (Parma, Ohio) About Mianeh: Dr. Ali Khojasteh (Colombia, Missouri) Mianeh is a new independent web-based initiative run as a project by the Institute for War & Peace Reporting (iwpr.net) the award-win- Dr. Mehdi Ahmadi ning non-profit media development organisation that works across (Murray Oncology Associates, Kentucky) the globe to platform local voices and promote international learning and engagement. Mianeh aims to be an open space for ideas, news Dr. David Yazdan and debate where writers in Iran can reach out to each other as well as to those outside the country who are interested in learning more (Ocean Neurosurgical, New Jersey) about the vibrant and dynamic society that is Iran today.

Fall 2010 27 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E

It was deadly cold outside. I put “There is a nail in this tire and my coat on so not to catch another they couldn’t repair it. I got to take the cold. The wind though still was blow- Kiss me, other one out,” he said with a rather ing hard, was not as hard. I looked tired voice. Then he got the other one around. The whole length of the empty Farewell out and the same round was repeated street was stretching before me. I had again, without my consent. This time, no choice but to walk and face the pos- part two it took him more than half an hour. sible dangers of the road, such as the When I checked the time, it was quite falling branches off the oak trees or MAHROKH (MIMI) late, around 3:30 pm. some other unpredicted disaster. POURZYNAL My heart was beating faster and Finally, with a sense of insecurity, I was confused more than ever. The I started to walk past the school, which see what?” I questioned him, with the same thoughts came into my mind. He was already closed. There was no liv- tone of anger. “Do you know that you fooled me this time for sure. The other ing soul in sight. My watch indicated got a flat tire?” tire was not good enough, so he got the the time: 2:30 pm. Like a coward, who tries to show new one to sell it for better price. My The rush -hours in D.C., were di- bravery, I jumped out of the car, to see mind was busy with crazy ideas, when saster hours, so I rushed toward my car. what was going on? We were face to I noticed he was approaching again. I Finally, after I put the school’s fences face then. He tried to calm me down was so ashamed of myself. behind me. I joyfully said: “There, it by showing his concern. He was right, “Everything is ok now, before is, thank God, that is my car.” I had a flat tire how and why? It was you know it you’ll get home,” he said I tried to be as fast as I could, all right when I left, did the children joyfully. got the key out, unlocked the door, do it?” I asked myself. “Please don’t “Thank God, thank God, “ I jumped behind the wheel, locked the worry Mam, I’ll take care of it. Just praised the Lord out of fear and mo- door again, and turned the engine, in open the trunk and give me the tools mentarily I felt relieved. a wink I was ready to run away from and leave the rest to me. I’ll fix it in The car was ready at sunset. I that weary neighborhood. no time.” asked him, “How much shall I pay I took a deep breath to recuperate. “No, No, thanks, I’ll call my in- you?” “Oh, my God, nothing at all Suddenly, a strange feeling of chill and surance,” I answered. “At this time? this is my good deed for today, the anxiety came over me. Perhaps my It’s too late, the telephone booth is far angel will ride on my right shoulder, extra sensory perception warned me away. It takes at least two hours for the he said in a sarcastic way, then added, to be alert to something unexpected towing truck shows up. Trust me and “Actually, I was in my way to go to and unknown. When I was about to lean upon me.” The Kennedy Stadium, to a football leave, someone knocked the car’s win- He finally, convinced me to agree game. My friends are waiting for me dow. I jumped up, out of fear. There with him. In no time, he started to there I’m so late now. Could you do he was, standing behind the window, work on it. The temperature was al- me a favor and take me there? with a dirty smile. I could detect his most reaching the freezing point, that How could I say no to such a dirty teeth through the spaces of his was probably the reason that he had question, after he went through such lips. I pulled myself together not to his gloves on. Then I thanked him for a problem and wasted so much time, scream. Here we are again, am I fac- giving me help and added, “I thank to help me? I was late to get home, ing another distress? I swallowed the God that you are here to help me.” He too. In wondering what to do, I heard words, which were about to come out barely smiled. Such a foolish comment him say, “Never mind, I’ll walk, if you of my mouth. I wasn’t religious in my entire life. won’t. “ He walked away. I felt so bad He was a short, heavyset young He got the jack and tools out of for being inconsiderate and unfair, so man with deep dark skin, keen eyes the trunk, and took the wheel with the I followed and stopped him. and kinky hair. How I felt that moment, flat tire out. Before leaving, he said, “Get in please. Although I am only the God knows. “You sit in the car and wait for me. late, I’ll take you there,” I told him. I tried to control my emotion and I’ll be back soon.” He rolled the wheel He accepted my offer and thanked stay as cool as I could. “What do you over the paved ground. My eyes were me for giving him a ride, with a smile want, what’s the mater?” I asked him following him until he disappeared at of triumph. beyond the closed window. He couldn’t the curve of the road. “Since I’ m not familiar with this hear me, but with body language (turn- I waited impatiently for a while, area, please tell me how to get there,” ing his hand around) he was trying to then my mind started to think of what I asked. “ No problem, it isn’t too far, say “pull your window down.” might be the reason. I reached so many a few blocks away, keep going, I’ll “Why? Why?” I said, with dis- negative conclusions. He is not return- tell you how to get there and where to comfort. “Open the window, I’ll tell ing, he stole the wheel, I shouldn’t turn,” he was chewing the words. you why,” he shouted. I pulled the have trusted him and so forth. But then We went through several streets window down hesitantly. “Come out, he showed up with the wheel rolling on in silence. We were about to run into and see it,” I heard his rough voice. “To the ground. I felt so embarrassed. a downward hilly road so I got upset

28 No. 59 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E

again and said with anger, “Where is “Who are they?” I screamed so ference now. We eventually die any- this damn stadium then? Where are you loud, when I saw four tall men in blue way,” and I added taking me? I have to call my husband. over all outfits. I hardly could see their “Dear heartless, what goes around My children are waiting at school. He eyes through their masks, as they were comes around. So, what you do to has to go to pick them up.” approaching us it is impossible to ex- me someone else will do to you. But I stopped the car, to go to a phone plain how frightened and shocked I please tell me what I have done to you booth, an excuse to get out of the car was at that point. His laughter disgust- to deserve this punishment. Perhaps I and find out what he was up to. At ed me.” Wow, you amaze me, and what hurt someone unknowingly or the tear that point I had no trust on him. I was are you afraid of now? Do you know of my mom dropped you down, on watching his every move. He pulled who they are? The park attendants. my way. I must have done something his arm so close over the back seat, that They collect the trash and pick up the wrong in my lifetime to deserve this!” I hardly could move my head and eas- dead leaves. The outfits protect them He didn’t answer. ily felt the touch of his fingers on the from the bugs and microbes. Do you Then, I followed with this thought, skin of my neck. “Oh, no. You don’t understand?” “Please before you start could you do need to call anyone. Be patient. We’re I didn’t, but I said I did. me a favor?” almost there. Keep going,” he said “Now that you know you’re safe “Why do you need now? To sip “Then, please take your arm away come closer to me. Give me a big hug. the water before you die? Demand it,” from my seat and give me the room to Hold me tight. Kiss my lips passion- he said. move and drive,” I was so pissed off, ately, so they think we are lovers and “Oh no, not the water but the that I wanted to choke him. He pulled are about to make love.” The doors and time,” I answered. his arm away and I took a deep breath, windows of the car were locked and “What do you need the time or to stop feeling suffocated. closed, and I was a helpless captive in to play with me?” he said with a sa- He was absolutely right. At this his trap. What other choice did I have tanic look. time we entered an unpaved and but to surrender! “I need the time to talk. You see, bumpy road by the riverside. Under Only after he released me from for taking my whole life away, don’t the dim light of the sunset, I saw, the his arms and only when I got rid of his you think it’s fair to give me just an iron gate of the stadium. bad breath, with the moonlight scatter- hour of your life?” I said in a convinc- Thank God! There it is. I stopped ing the golden powder over the surface ing tone. the car by the gate. Surprisingly, I found of the river, I realized we were alone “O.K., you got it what do you not one single soul there. “Where are again and there were no traces of the want to talk about?” they, I mean your friends?” I ques- park attendants anymore. “What else do you think?” I said tioned him puzzling He demanded me to drive still fur- sarcastically, “about you and I.” “Oh, yea, beyond the overpass ther to get him to his friends. When I “Wow! I dig it, Lets talk about of the bridge,” he added, “you see, drove as far as I could where no one real love making.” when the stadium is closed, they set could see us, from far, above the hill, I ignored his foolish remarks. the game far from the bridge, so please he stopped me. Then it was clear. “Not like this.” keep on driving. There was no game, no play, noth- “Like what? “ he said. I drove down cautiously, then ing was there but the agony and pain, “Please put your gun and knife stopped a few yards away from the which awaited me. away and let me die in peace.” bridge, and demanded him to get out. I never believed in destiny but at Tears were running on my cheeks. “What’ s the matter now? What’s both- that very moment, I knew it clearly. I watched him put his knife and gun ering you? Do you see the police car The end was near and struggle was aside. Then trembling I took a deep under the bridge? You may blow the useless. Anyhow, where could I run or breath trying to think how and where horn right now to warn the police for escape? I felt like a drowner in a whirl- to start, trying to forget the time and help.” When I saw the car, I felt mo- pool, floating uselessly in the belly of the place in which I was caged. Due to mentarily secure. Then, with a tumbled the waves until he or she drowns. I darkness, I decided to turn the inside heart, confused mind and uncleared vi- was also hopelessly drowning in the light of the car on, but he stopped me sion, I drove down along the riverside whirlpool of destiny. by saying, “We don’t need it.” while still thinking. The end is near. Lost in the world of despair, sud- The best way to open a useful and At that point, I wasn’t aware of denly, he took a sharp long knife and logical conversation, I thought, is a the time or the weather. All I wanted a gun out. He turned to me and said, friendly way. “My name is Mina, what was to get rid of him and run a way. “I’m gona rape you and chop you into is yours? I asked. Would I ever? How I wished! We past the pieces for fun and revenge?” His “Never mind, but if you insist, several rows of old oak trees of the horrific actions horrified me. I’m Ray.” Then we shook hands. park. I could detect the dead leaves “What do you think?” Do you do this for a living?” through the light and shade of the sun- “Nothing, nothing at all. I just feel He didn’t respond. set. Out of my good luck, the sun was sorry for you “What do you do for living? Are moving as slow as I wished. and me. It doesn’t make any dif- you working?“ I asked again.

Fall 2010 29 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E USHTA ALL “Must I answer these silly ques- I tried convincing him. tions? Yes and No. I work part time “By the way, did you flatten my The central thought is that Darius want- at the Safeway. What else you want tire?” I asked. ed to rule according to justice: “It is not to know?” “Who else? Who else? Who my desire that a man should do harm, “Do you catch any shoplifters?” else?” nor is it my desire that he goes unpun- “Yes mam, the children who die His voice gradually disappeared ished when he does harm.” for a bite of an apple. I catch, but later into the dusty night. Then a raindrop I release them while still eating the melted on the surface of the dash- As the sun settled stolen apples. The children are hungry. board. In the for the night Do you know?” He surprised me with I was about to leave. Suddenly his concern. someone knocked the window. I was All of a sudden “Yes I do, but how about you,? startled and thought he came back In the distance Are you hungry too?” I questioned again. Fortunately, it was a police of- There was a orange him ficer who warned me to leave that area Red light “Sure am that’s why I caged before I got a ticket. After she looked Shooting towards you.” at me under streetlight, she said, “You The inky sky I tried to use what I learned in look upset. Anything wrong? Do you Department of Social Service in Bal- need help? Are you alright?” Word wildy spread timore. Using the same method of “Thanks officer, I’m OK, just That Persepolis therapy, which I used to give to the tell me how to get to Pennsylvania Is on fire clients. So I led the conversation. “But Avenue.” Flames shooting you caged the wrong person,” I warned She gave me the right directions Higher & higher him. plus told me to be careful and walked Before help would arrive “ I don’t think so,” he answered. away. I gathered myself together. I It was already engulfed in flames “Hear me then. The fact is I am wanted to get home as soon as pos- Alas! all that remained married. I met my husband at Howard sible to wash off the horrific memory (Except for a few columns University.” During the conversation I of that day under the pleasure of a hot And the stairway) searched my wallet and told him I had shower. Were the charred remains only six dollars. It wasn’t easy at all. Up to this day “I know it’s not enough, I left my that I’m writing about it, the emotional They were aware of their mortality checkbook at home too. Give me your turbulence is still there. For months They played the game full name and address I ‘all send you I was dealing with insecurity, anxi- some money for your priceless help.’ ety, loss, fear, insomnia and so forth. The way it was meant “Don’t you bother. Just give me But time is the best healer. I also try To be played what you got, your gold, your watch, by using my own knowledge to erase Ruled with humility rings, bracelet, everything you got.” that awful dream off of my mind and As well Civility He sounded like a robber. overcome those problems. Treating people “Who taught you robbery?” I said Time has rolled on. Although With utmost repect sarcastically. the remembrance of that nightmare Knowing they lived “Who you think? An empty stom- is still painful, the past is past, but Only once ach. Shut up and give me what you the scars of the past always remain. Nagging feeling: got woman.” My late father God blesses his soul “What if tomorrow never comes” So, I did I handed him all my once told me, “If you break a valu- valuable jewelry, including the remem- able bowl and you wish to save it It was Love’s Labour Lost brance diamond ring of mom, which by stitches, you always see those I don’t doubt for a moment was heart breaking to loose it. stitches.” Indeed father was right, I History ever forgot “Now, kiss me good by,” he said. still see the stitches which mended This event in history Then I pressed my lips on his ugly me together, deep in my bone. Some- Of these Noble Persian kings cheek. times I blame myself for not report- Who called their home with Pride Not like that. Hurry up. Kiss me ing him to the police especially after Persepolis! with love and passion on the lips.” he I saw him at the Fountain Cafeteria, demanded. fifteen years later with that young PS: Persians seem to be the noblest part of Did I dare disobey him? In that blond hair girl. the Iranian Race. Their bravery temperance deadly moment, I kissed him farewell Is he a professional criminal now, love of truth extorted the admiration of the with hate and disgust. When he was I wonder. Was he really the same man Greeks. (History of Greece) By J.R Bury leaving. I heard him say, “Remember that, I thought he was? I keep asking page 227. what I said?” myself. The sound of “Kiss Me Fare- “Yes, for sure, as long as I live,” well” is still echoing in my ears. Ushta! Farida Bamji, (Ontario, Canada)

30 No. 59 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E Please tell us about your father Amin Daftar.

My father and grandfather and other ancestors were the key holder of Imam Reza’s tomb and managers of his endow- ments for 250 years. My father helped create the multi- disciplinary hospitals that when first built was called Shah Reza Hospital and later renamed Imam Reza Hospital. He was also instrumental in connecting the popular re- sort Kooh Sangi to the city by building wide boulevards lined with large Chenar trees. Today Kooh Sangi Boulevard is one of the most scenic and desired residential areas in Mashad. My father was also responsible for a large number of endowments and gifts to the Rezavi Foundation during his tenure. He also made certain that the deeds for all endowed lands were registered and that the gifts of antiques, precious metals and stones were properly and timely catalogued at the museum. In 1936 your father’s best An Interview with friend Mr. Mohamed Vali As- sadi, the governor of the state of Khorasan was executed by DR. NASROLLAH SHAHIDI the order of Reza Shah how did that change him? Physician and Researcher

It did not only change him it also by: Shahrokh Ahkami changed the direction of the Shahidi fam- ily. My father resigned from his position Dr. Shahidi is a world reknown physician and researcher. His accomplishments thus ending our family’s involvement with in medicine and research were instrumental in pediatric diagnosis and in the reduction the Razavi Foundation. of toxic chemicals used commerece. This interview would not have been possible without the help of Dr. Manuchehr Javid, Dr. Shahidi’s friend and colleague. We Are you married? thank him for introducing Dr. Shahidi to us.

Yes, to Mary Alice Vandervoort. I thought that would be beneficial to my acute hemolytic anemia after ingestion career. I was fortunately accepted for this of uncooked fava beans. I discussed this Children? residency. with his mother and she concurred that he had been eating them that evening. I My son lives in Texas and my daughter I understand that during your transferred the patient to the ward and in Illinois. We have five grandchildren. residency at City Hospital one gave him multiple small red cell transfu- particular case truly impacted sions and hydration fluids. His recovery Tell us about your higher the direction of your medical was very quick. Because of the eating and education? career. correlation of the boys illness to the fava beans they called the illness “favism.” I went to Paris to study in 1946 and Yes, a seven year old boy was brought At his rounds the next day Dr. Harrison then later to Montpellier, France but re- to the Emergency Room at midnight with asked the other residence if they heard of turned to Paris to complete my education. a presumptive diagnosis of hepatitis. Af- “favism” and when they said they hadn’t During my residency at ‘Hopital Des En- ter a thorough examination and tests I he credited me with the discovery, fast fants Malades’ I met a number of American found the boy to have a severe case of and successful treatment of the boy as pediatric doctors who kept telling me to hemolytic anemia. When I explained well as given the honor of educating the pursue my pediatric career in the United my findings to his parents I noticed his other physicians. States. I made the decision to apply to City mother had an accent. I asked her where Hospital in Baltimore with Dr. Harold E. she was from and she told me Greece. Im- After your residency at Balti- Harrison who also taught at Johns Hopkins. mediately I remembered studying about more City Hospital what did His interest was in metabolic disorders and certain Mediterranean people developing you do?

Fall 2010 31 T H E A R T S & C U L T U R E I became more and more interested in Scholar. over the world, but the results of my academics specifically Pediatric Hematol- research made me more interested in ogy and applied and was accepted for a Did you go? research. I choose Wisconsin Medical post –doctoral at the Children’s Hospital at School for its excellent program and Harvard Medical School under Dr. Louis Oh yes. In fact it was there that we basic science department. I was then K. Diamond. During my six years there I found the connection between, phenetidin fortunate to receive the nomination for managed to pursue an active research pro- as a potential oxidizing agent in the body the Dean of the Medical School at the gram and published articles and made four with hemoglobin and its cause of nephropa- University of Wisconsin when Dr. Arnold major discoveries. thy and urinary tract cancer. As a result brown resigned, but respectfully declined 1.We demonstrated that is some pa- of our findings phenacetin was labeled a because I wanted the time to read and tients, the chronic non- spherocytic he- carcinogen by The Food and Drug Admin- research. molytic anemia was the consequence of istration. Its use therefore declined. I would the absence of markedly reduced amount like to note that this was found as a result of When did you accept your po- of the enzyme, glucose-6-phosphate defi- a 17 year old girl who was overtly cyanotic. sition in Madison, Wisconsin ciency dehydrogenase. These efforts led She denied the use of drugs and within 10 and what was your title? to the discovery of other red cell enzyme days she appeared normal, however she deficiencies. was readmitted with the same symptoms. In 1966 I accepted my position at 2. For reasons described in an article I During her second admission I asked the the Department of Pediatrics as an Asso- wrote on the subject other discoveries were nurse to search her. She discovered mul- ciate professor and head of the Division made on cell enzyme deficiencies and I tiple phenacetin suppositories in a sanitary of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the began to treat patients with aplastic anemia napkin and that is when our investigation University of Wisconsin. (such as Fanconi anemia) with testosterone. of phenacetin began. I noticed that many patients became trans- Besides your position as a fusion dependent. (article 3 & 4) You were also responsible for professor you had a number of 3. I also was able to show that under the banning of DDT in the other accomplishments please hematopoietic stress, the fetal hemoglobin United States. tell us about some. (2a2y chains), which declines steadily after birth to 1-25, begins to rise. This indicates Well I had noted that many of my pa- I established a first class research lab that under erythropoietic demand, the y tients with acquired aplastic anemia had which was initially funded by the Medi- chain pathwat reopens again. Subsequently, been exposed to toxic chemicals, particu- cal and graduate Schools and the by the other investigators have reported the rise larly those containing aromatic hydrocar- NIH (National Institution of health) and of other embryonic protein during protein bons (benzene and derivatives.) Among other private foundations. I also was able synthesis demands as in cancer. them, DDT and chloramphenical had to obtain a government grant for a post- 4.This was the first report of heredi- been the main culprits. As early as 1958, I doctoral fellowship program for research tary error of iron metabolism, now referred noted that several of my patients had been and clinical training in Pediatric Hemotol- to as “Shahidi, Nathan and Diamond syn- exposed to DDT. When Rachel Carson’s ogy/Oncology. drome. (article 10) book, “Silent Spring”, was published I was also asked by the Editor of the the toxicity of DDT in humans became What do you believe are your New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. more convincing. Some of my patients greatest accomplishments? Franz Ingefinger to write an a review on had been given chloramphenical for fe- “Androgens and Erythropoiesis.” I did ver of unknown origin. While in Madison, I can say every success I had in my and in the article I summarized all of my I received an invitation in early 1976 to medical career was a great accomplish- research on how androgens stimulate eryth- organize a meeting in Kyoto, Japan with ment, but I am also very proud that the ropoiesis by directly acting on stem cells some leading hematologists from Japan results of my research has led to the es- and indirectly by stimulating the production and other eastern countries. Two leading tablishment of research funds such as the of erythropoietin by the kidneys. Japanese hematologists, Drs. Hibano and Fanconi Anemia Research Fund and the Takaku and I, edited the Proceeding of the naming of a fellowship in my honor at the After Harvard where did you Congress and a book was published by Department of Pediatrics at the University go? University Press in 1978. When I returned of Wisconsin. to the US I got in touch with Senator Nelson These accomplishments opened doors of Wisconsin and asked him to testify in Is there anything else you for me. In the fall of 1963 the new chair- front of Congress. He did and as a result of would like to say? man of the Department of Pediatrics at the this testimony the use of chloramphenical Kindred Hospital in Zurich was visiting was markedly restricted. Yes I am very grateful for the life I Harvard’s Children’s Hospital and asked have. I am proud to be in America and am to see me. He told me that Dr. Franconi With all of these wonderful ac- also proud of my Persian ethnicity. I want had treated a number of his patients us- complishments I am sure you to thank you and your magazine, Persian ing my regime and had successful results. were in high demand but why Heritage for giving me the chance to in- As a result of this they asked me to come the University of Wisconsin? troduce myself, through this interview, and visit them for one year. I would be the to other Iranians. This is very important first foreign Swiss National Foundation Yes, I had wonderful job offers all to me.

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