Images of Iran and Iranian Culture January 2018
Iran…Iranian…Persia…Persian •
“Iran” [ ]ایرانis the indigenous name for the country and denotes “of/relating to Aryans.
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“Persia” is a Western coinage, based on the Persian word “Pârs” [ ]پارسor “Fârs []فارس, the name of the ancient central Iranian land in the south/southwestern part of today’s Iran and the name of the province of which the city Shirâz is the capital.
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The words “Iranian” and “Persian” are likewise used synonymously. “Persian” is used more than “Iranian” in talking about the country’s art, e.g., “Persian carpets.” The word “Iranian” is used more than “Persian” in talking about history and politics, e.g., “the Iranian government.”
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“Persian” is also the name of the national language of Iran called «»فارسی [Fârsi] in Persian.
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The phrase “Persian Iranians” refers to Iranians whose native language is Persian and/or who think of themselves as descended from Indo-European speakers of Persian, as opposed to (Âzarbâyjâni) Turkish, Kurdish, Bakhtiyâri, or Torkaman Iranians. Persian Iranians are called «[ »فارسFârs] in Persian.
Perso-Arabic script has been in use in Fârsi Persian for 1,100 years
Persian is written from right to left and is mostly cursive even in “printing.”
آستین تگزاس آمریکا
جج چچ حح خخ ا د ذ ر ز ژ و شش صص ضض سس ط ظ عع غ غ فف قق ثث بب پپ تت لل مم نن کک گگ هه یی ۱ ۲ ۳ ۴ ۵ ۶ ۷ ۸ ۹ ۲۰۱۸ = 2018
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kh q r …h
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Linguistic Map of Contemporary Iran
Farsi Persian Azerbaijani Turkish Kurdish
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Iranian ethnicities and religions
Iran • land bridge • crossroads • high plateau • mountains • mountain foothills • plains • salt deserts • Caspian littoral • Gulf littoral • scarcity of water • brown landscape • wide, forbidding vistas _____________ • springtime greenness • gardens
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Iranian New Years Stamps 1975 Shâh ‘Abbâsi motif, cypress trees, botehs [bush]
Why study Iran?
1. Iran is the world’s 18th largest country by area. (1,648,000 sq.km. TX 695,662 sq.km. CA 423,970 sq.km.) 2. Iran is the world’s 18th most populous country (88,000,000 million). 3. Iran is perhaps the most stable and powerful larger Middle Eastern country. 4. Iran seems a problematic polity to the USA. 5. Iran is or will become a nuclear power. 6. Iran has significant natural resources. 7. Iran is the largest Shi’ite Muslim country in the world. 8. A land bridge, crossroads country in the Middle East, Iran has a strategic location and geopolitical significance. 9. Iran has more influence in and on Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, and Iraq than any other country in the region. 10. Iran has some control over the Persian Gulf. 11. Iran played significant roles in world history during the Achaemenid Empire (559-330 BCE) and the Sāsānid Empire (224-651 CE). 12. Iran played a significant role in the Middle Eastern world during the Safavid Empire (1501-1722 CE). 13. Iran has played a significant role in the Middle East since the early 20th century. 14. Iran has been home to world-significant modes of artistic expression, for example, Persian Persian poetry, miniature painting, and Persian carpets. 15. ………………………………………………………………………………………… 16. ………………………………………………………………………………………... 17. ………………………………………………………………………………………... 18. ………………………………………………………………………………………...
Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1979-
Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi (ruled 1941-1979), deposed in the Iranian Revolution 1978-9
Protests in Iran, late December 2017/early January 2018
Culture: ”The aggregate of knowledge/learning and historical monuments/works/traces and legacies left behind and characteristics of the historical legacy/heritage of every nation/people, consisting of: knowledge/learning, language vocabulary, literature, religion and beliefs, crafts/techniques/industries, style(s) of architecture and city planning, folklore, customs and manner of social intercourse, style/method of education and manner of living, kinds of melodies and subjects of painting and other arts, and, likewise, characteristics of behavior and disposition, and kinds of clothing and food, and all of the manifestations of a people's life. From the viewpoint of anthropology, culture is a human creation and humanity transfers it in a nonliving way to its to descendants. Culture is the most mutual/shared characteristic of human beings. The majority of theoreticians presumably consider language, tool making and regulation of sexual rules as the important determining qualities of the superiority of human beings over other higher mammals.” Quoted from: The Complete Persian Dictionary, compiled by Gholâmrezâ Ensâfpur. Tehran: Zavvâr Publishers, 1373 [1994/5]. 783 pages.
A Checklist of Cultural Characteristics/ Features
adaptability, flexibility candor, frankness capitalism circumspectness competitiveness compromise conspiratorialism cultural conservatism courage/bravery national cuisine and foods decorum, dignified comportment respect for elders ethical principles, morality privileging of a specific ethnicity Eurocentrism exceptionalism fair play family acceptance of fate family history formality friendship frontier spirit future orientation globalism/anti-globalism national history national language love of homeland honesty, fair dealing hospitality at home idealism Embracing/wariness of foreignors individualism individuality
industriousness informality innovation jingoism materialism militarism moderation modernity monotheism indigenous movies/feature films popular music cultural nationalism political nationalism nationality openmindedness, freethinking optimism orientation toward the past patriarchy polite/deferential speech politeness, courtesy patriotism living in/for the present realism religious beliefs religious bias, intolerance reputation, good name resoluteness, will social media spirituality sports spring season summers traditional/classical music traditions leisure travel and vacationing
Persian Language and Literature • Ferdowsi (940-1020) • Omar Khayyam (1041-1137 • Hāfez (c. 1320-c. 1390) • Sādeq Hedāyat (1903-1951) • Forugh Farrokhzād (1934-1967) • Jalāl Āl Ahmad (1923-1967)
Persian Art • architecture • calligraphy • ceramics • gardens • graphic arts • interior design • manuscript illumination • metal work • miniature painting • painting • wall murals • photography • postage stamps • posters • textiles, e.g., Persian carpets • woodworking
A Torkaman weaver weaving a Tekkeh Torkaman repeat gol carpet
Village Persian carpet weavers in KalÄ rdasht
A city weaver in TehrÄ n
Esfahân Arabesque Medallion Carpet
Contemporary Persian Carpet Designs
Tekkeh Torkoman Gol Carpet
Typical Iranian Plateau Mountain Foothills Countryside
Typical Iranian Plateau Countryside
• On the plains of Iran, trees and greenery mostly grow only where irrigation takes place.
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Paintings by Parviz KalÄ ntari (b. 1931) 22
Seal of Achaemenid Emperor Darius the Great
Cyrus (ruled 559-529 BCE) Cylinder
Persepolis Entryway and Apadana Platform Persepolis, 518 BCE–
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Sasanid Emperor ShÄ pur I with captive Roman Emperor Valerian 270 CE at Naqsh-e Rostam
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Architecture during the Pahlavi Era, 1921–1979
Tomb of Omar Khayyām, Nishāpur, 1963
Tomb of Hāfez, Shirāz, 1935
Mt. Dam창vand, north of Tehr창n Mil창d Tower, Tehr창n
MilÄ d Tower, Tehran, 2007
Tehran skyline
Khomeini Airport
Pol-e Tabi’at [Nature Bridge] Tehran
Modern Residential Architecture
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Iranian Postage Stamp Commemorating Week of the Child
• mosque • mosque dome • minarets • chador
‘Attar Mausoleum
Madraseh-ye Shâh, Esfahân
Ne’matollâh Vali Mosque, Mâhân, Kâshân
• Church steeples reach toward heaven, while mosque dome designs bring heaven down to earth.
Shrine to Shi’ite Emâm Reza (d. 818), Mashhad, 993-1418+
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Shrine to (8th Shi’ite) Emâm Reza (d. 818), Mashhad
Esfahân’s Royal Square, early 17th century Shaykh Lotfollâh and Shâh Mosques Âli Qâpu Pavilion
• From the outside, Iranian mosque shapes, colors, and designs bring the sky down to earth and promise a safe haven from the harsh outside world within their courtyards and precincts. Their designs seem to be images of the gardens of heaven and infinite, indefinable divinity.
Contemporary mosque in TehrÄ n
modern mosque in TehrÄ n
• Islam is visible everywhere in Iran. • Since 1979 Iran has been an Islamic Republic run by Muslim clerics.
• The profession of faith in Islam, the first of the five pillars of the Muslim faith: “There is no [lâ] god [‘ilâhi] but God [al-lâh] Mohammad is the [final] prophet/messenger [rasûl] of God [al-lâh]”
lâ ilâhi illa llâh muhammadan rasûlullâh (The Arabic text is written from right to left.)
The Five So-called “Pillars” of Islam
1. Profession of the Muslim faith 2. Multiple daily ritual prayers in Arabic 3. Observance of a fast every Muslim year during the month of Ramazân 4. Obligatory almsgiving 5. Performance of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca
• Abrahamic “Islam” [hanif monotheistic submission to God] • Muhammadan Islam
North Tehrân apartment building, 2008 A mural depicting in miniature painting style Muhammad’s mi’râj
Tehrân Wall Mural, 21st century
• A painting inspired by ‘Attâr’s Sufi allegory called Conference of the Birds. • Conference of the Birds tells the story of a group of birds who undertake an arduous voyage to find their eternal, phoenix-like bird king called Simorgh. At the end of the trip, they find themselves in a mirrored hall where the thirty remaining birds [= si morgh] discover they have Simorgh within themselves.
The Koran [= recitation] the Prophet Muhammad’s only miracle, according to Muslims
The opening chapter of the Koran (book page, 1817, Iran)
Muslims derive Islamic law • from the Koran [qur’ân = recitation], • from hadith the sayings of and reports about the prophet Mohammad (c. 570-632 • from qiyâs [analogy], and • from imjâ’ [community consensus].
K15:88: “We have given you the seven oft repeated verses and the Glorious Koran.�
K1:1-7
In the name of God, the compassionate, the merciful
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Praise be to God, Lord of the Universe, the Compassionate, the Merciful, Sovereign of the Day of Judgment! You along we worship, and to You alone we turn for help. Guide us to the straight path, the path those whom You have favored, not of those who have incurred Your wrath, nor of those who have gone astray.
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Eight Muslim Groups/Sects Population of Iran: 88,000,000
• Sunni Islam…Arabia, etc. • Twelver Shi’ite Islam…Iran Imâmate ‘Ali (d. 661)…Mohammad’s son-in-law Hosayn (d. 680)…martyred at Karbalâ Rezâ (d. 818)…buried at Mashhad Hidden Imâm (disappeared 873/4) • Isma’ili Shi’ite Islam…Pakistan, India, etc. • Muslim Brotherhood…Egypt • Taliban…Afghanistan • Al-Qaeda…Afghanistan, global • ISIS…Syria and Iraq • Sufism…global = Islamic mysticism
An Iranian postage stamp image of Friday community prayer at Tehrân University
• K17:78–“Recite your prayers at sunset, at nightfall, and at dawn…” Wherever they are, Muslims face the Kaaba in Mecca when they prayer, that prayer direction called qibla in Arabic.
Called hejâb (= hijab), this stamp depicts one sort of ideal Iranian woman in 61 the eye(s) of the Islamic Republic.
Tehrân After hearing news of the Nuclear Agreement
Shahyād Tower, Tehrān, 1972-1979 Āzādi Tower, 1979-2018