abbas eghbalmehran; mohammad reza alam; Arsen Avagyan
Abstract
The church, as a symbol of the cultural and religious identity of Armenians, played a crucial role in preserving the language, culture, traditions, and continuity of life for Armenian villagers in Iran. This institution not only fulfilled religious needs and organized special ceremonies but also functioned ...
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The church, as a symbol of the cultural and religious identity of Armenians, played a crucial role in preserving the language, culture, traditions, and continuity of life for Armenian villagers in Iran. This institution not only fulfilled religious needs and organized special ceremonies but also functioned as a social, educational, and supportive center. Clergy members of the church acted as spiritual guides and social advisors, aiding the villagers in addressing various challenges. This close connection between the church and the Armenian community allowed villagers to maintain their identity and endure challenges and crises. This study aims, through a descriptive-analytical approach, to answer the following questions:1- What role did the church play in the continuity of Armenian rural life in Iran? 2- What role and function did Armenian villagers have within Iranian society? The findings of this research suggest that the church, as a religious institution within Christianity, was the sole unifying factor among Armenian villagers and served as a mediator between them and the Iranian government. Throughout different periods, despite the structural and supervisory weaknesses of the central government, local landlords and rulers exploited and plundered the properties of Armenian villagers in the provinces of Azerbaijan and Isfahan. To improve living conditions and ensure the survival of Armenian villagers in these regions, the church implemented specific policies. These policies were designed to foster sustainable coexistence between Muslims and Christians while also ensuring the support of Iranian governments.
Vahid Riahi; seyyed mohammad hosein musavipur
Abstract
The history of site selection and the establishment of the first settlements, including new villages and new towns with pre-designed layouts, dates back to the Iranian engineering system and subsequently to the Islamic era’s engineers. This process began centuries ago in the Iranian Plateau and ...
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The history of site selection and the establishment of the first settlements, including new villages and new towns with pre-designed layouts, dates back to the Iranian engineering system and subsequently to the Islamic era’s engineers. This process began centuries ago in the Iranian Plateau and Mesopotamia through intelligent site selection, purposeful planning of neighborhoods, and a neighborhood-centered approach. Initially applied in villages and later in cities, this approach is considered the first notable example of planning for new settlements. Inspired by the unifying actions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in organizing Mecca and Medina, the concept of neighborhood-centered planning was further expanded and adapted after his passing. The present study aims to review the early experiences of site selection and the establishment of new villages and towns in Iran and Mesopotamia, as well as to explain the focus of early Islamic-era Muslims on neighborhood-centered planning in rural and urban settlement development. The findings demonstrate three key points. First, reports by Muslim geographers and historians regarding field studies of neighborhoods (Khettat-writing) present a rich body of literature on site selection and settlement establishment during the Islamic era. Second, long before the modern European experiences of planned cities, settlements in Iran and Mesopotamia were designed and built based on proximity to water resources and ecological foundations. Third, neighborhood-centered planning laid the foundation for security, access to services, improved quality of life, and development in rural and urban areas during the early Islamic period.
Abbas Panahi; reza Alizadeh
Abstract
The peasant movement in Gilan during the Constitutional Era was rooted in the region’s geographical structure, land tenure system, and social awakening in the years leading up to the transformations of the Constitutional Revolution in Iran, especially in Gilan. Gilan’s prosperous agriculture ...
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The peasant movement in Gilan during the Constitutional Era was rooted in the region’s geographical structure, land tenure system, and social awakening in the years leading up to the transformations of the Constitutional Revolution in Iran, especially in Gilan. Gilan’s prosperous agriculture and economy drew significant attention from governments during the Safavid and Qajar dynasties. However, instead of improving the livelihood of rural communities, the dominance of landlords over peasants and the government’s heavy taxation contributed to their increasing poverty and deprivation. Moreover, Russia’s political influence in Gilan and the activities of merchants under Russian protection attracted Russian capitalists to the region. Consequently, Gilan became the only province in Iran that repeatedly witnessed significant peasant movements against landlords and the government. The establishment of parliamentary governance and the declaration of the constitutional system failed to liberate peasants from the oppressive feudal system. Nonetheless, the social awakening of that era led to increased awareness of their rights among peasants. After losing hope in the effectiveness of their protests, peasants initiated numerous movements aimed at improving conditions and abolishing the feudal system along with its related customs. This article seeks to answer the following questions: What were the factors leading to the failure of Gilan’s peasant movements during the Constitutional Era? And how did the National Consultative Assembly respond to the demands of Gilan’s peasants? The findings of the research indicate that the primary cause of repeated uprisings in Gilan was the harsh living conditions imposed on peasants by landlords.
Ali Rostamnezhad Nesheli
Abstract
One of the key methods for representing the familial and tribal history of villages is conducting oral history interviews. Oral narratives are valuable resources for depicting the multidimensional social history of villages, particularly the history and genealogies of tribes. However, these narratives ...
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One of the key methods for representing the familial and tribal history of villages is conducting oral history interviews. Oral narratives are valuable resources for depicting the multidimensional social history of villages, particularly the history and genealogies of tribes. However, these narratives are sometimes influenced by tribal rivalries or local discourses, leading to myth-making, exaggeration, or trivialization of certain figures and events. To assess the accuracy of such narratives, cross-validation with documented sources, such as familial and household records, is essential. The village of Neshel consists of eight tribes and nine independent households. This article, using a descriptive-analytical approach and through the examination of documents and oral narratives, seeks to answer two key questions: What is the role of documents and oral evidence in representing the historical background and genealogy of the Jurseri tribe of Neshel? And how can cross-verification of these sources contribute to a more accurate depiction of the Jurseri tribe’s genealogy? The Jurseri tribe—the largest of the eight tribes in Neshel—comprises twenty family lineages. The oral narratives related to this tribe mostly provide limited information, only tracing back three generations and mainly extending to the late Qajar era. In contrast, documents such as endowment deeds, purchase deeds, marriage contracts, and settlement agreements confirm the presence of the Jurseri tribe’s ancestors in Neshel as far back as the Afsharid era. These records have also rectified inconsistencies and errors in oral narratives. Furthermore, data within these documents clarify the genealogical relationships among the Jurseri family branches at the upper levels of the tribal tree.
Behzad Vasigh
Abstract
Natural and human factors, including climatic characteristics, cultural contexts, livelihood types, and various other elements, have led to the formation of two types of rural layouts in Iran: flatlands and foothill settlements. The spatial organization in foothill villages in Iran is predominantly terraced, ...
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Natural and human factors, including climatic characteristics, cultural contexts, livelihood types, and various other elements, have led to the formation of two types of rural layouts in Iran: flatlands and foothill settlements. The spatial organization in foothill villages in Iran is predominantly terraced, characterized by roof-yard layouts. However, some foothill villages exhibit unique features that differ from this dominant pattern. This study, focusing on the village of Dashtak, examines the ratio of mass to space in buildings, as well as their spatial organization, to analyze the differences compared to prevalent examples. The research method is based on field studies, with data collected through library research and direct observations. The objective of the study is to identify the factors shaping the distinctive architectural layout of Dashtak village. In the initial stage, a map of the village houses was created through field observation. Among the existing houses, only those with historical value, valid documentation, and the possibility of repeated visits were selected and analyzed. The analysis of architectural organization, the arrangement of mass and space, and access types revealed that the presence of a central courtyard in addition to the roof-yard layout indicates a unique spatial organization in foothill villages. This arrangement can be attributed to factors such as blocking undesirable winds, creating a private boundary against the public area of the roof-yard, and providing secondary access during emergencies through eastern and western balconies.
fateme shabani asl
Abstract
The study of the role of the Khans and rulers of villages in the development of development and prosperity measures, including the construction of the Tahuneh or, in common parlance, the water mill, has been of great importance. Therefore, this article examines the role of the Khans of Sarpanj in the ...
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The study of the role of the Khans and rulers of villages in the development of development and prosperity measures, including the construction of the Tahuneh or, in common parlance, the water mill, has been of great importance. Therefore, this article examines the role of the Khans of Sarpanj in the establishment and development of the Tahuneh in the village of Sarbandan. This research explains that the Khans of Sarpanj, with a correct understanding of the development and prosperity indicators, contributed to the economic, socio-cultural growth of the village. In this research, qualitative methodology, and specifically the ethnographic method, was used to conduct the research operations and the entire fieldwork process. The findings of this research were the result of observations and interviews with 16 indigenous people of the village of Sarbandan in the years 1399 to 1401. This study, which was conducted with the approach of social capital in rural development, shows that Tahuneh as a water structure has been a part of the historical monuments of this village in terms of its role and application in the field of traditional architecture. On the other hand, it is manifested in cultural examples (proverbs). As a result, it can be said that the Khanin Sarpanj were able to grow and develop the village by increasing social capital (participation, trust and social cohesion).