Iranian Studies
Year:2011 | Volume:1 | Issue:1|Papers Count:7

It seems that characteristics of utopias have been inscribed in the most ancient Iranian myths on the one hand, and drawn in Shanameh book by Toos Sage (Ferdowsi) on the other hand. Apparently, theme and pattern of utopia were included in Var Jam Kard (a garden built by King Jamshid) at first place that is the most ancient one of such towns and according to Vandidad (Chapter of Avesta), it was constructed by king Jamshid in order to take care of a type of Ahuraic beings at this place. Ethernity is one of the characteristics of this Var (or bulwark) and rather than it, no sign of coldness, warmth, darkness, illness and mortality could be seen there. An example of this type is a construction that has been built by Izad Mehr (God of Light) over the top of Hara (Alborz) a legendary mount based on Mehr-Yasht (10th chapter of Avesta) where there was no sign of coldness, warmth, darkness, illness and mortality.From author’s view, by representation of Kang Dej (Zahak’s castle) as celestial type of ethernal utopia, Toos Sage has also looked at its ancient patterns. For this reason, he depicts it as:I) it is alarge city including beautiful gardens and buildings;II) It has a temperate climate where there is no room for heat and coldness.III) Its water is salubrious where there is no sign of illness and mortality.Writing of the paper was intended to compare kang Dej as ethernal town of Shahnameh with mythical samples in ancient texts thereby a beam of light to be cast on origin of Toos Sage’s toughts.

During different historic periods, Land of Iran has been invaded by alien tribes and Iranian written works such as religious, scientific and historic books have been subjected to detruction and demolition for several times.Many historical evidences have referred to background of this issue and at the same time they testified that Iranian cultural written hertage has been subjected to recovery and revival by rewriting or repeated compilation and translation. And also during Islamic period, many scientific, historic and cultural writings and translations were intellectual heritage of great civilizations like Iran and Greece where Greek heritage, of course, has also included Iranian teachings because of Mecedonian Alexander’s Invasion to Persia. In this paper, we intend to consider historical documentations in this regard by exploration into cultural developments in the field of written works.

On the one hand, the vacant position of study about impact of Achaemenid Empire on eastern states is due to silence by classic authors in dealing with these lands; and on the other hand, it is reffered to shortage of archeological artifacts relating to Achaemenids at the given region. In the present essay, by the aid of reminiscent works and economic and administrative evidences obtained from emperial centers such as royal epigraphs, memorial embossed reliefs and official documents as well as archaeological artifacts, it has been tried to reconstruct position of eastern states in achaemenids’ imperial, official, political and economic system. A list of affiliate lands in imperial reliefs may reflect position of any state in imperial administrative system. After reference to imperial centers in most of state lists, these are eastern states that mentioned; it may be a sign for their status in imperial administrative system. Such attitude was also reflected in memorial embossed reliefs. In and embossed relief, carriers of imperial flag that inscribed on tombs of Achaemenid kings, agents from eastern states have been represented after representatives from imperial centers and even in some embossed reliefs, agents of eastern states were displayed as armed people. Since the representatives from other states lacked such a privilege so this might signify their status in imperial political system. In clay epigraphs from Takht-E-Jamshid, we witness a constant and interrelated connection between imperial centers and eastern states while such relation might be faded away highly regarding western states. The constant relationship between eastern states with given centers and thus with other imperial points has definitely a dramatic impact on thriving and prosperity of economy and commerce as well as life progress for the people in these areas.

At early period of Ghobad’s reign, Sassanid King (486-531AD), an important movement occurred, headed by Mazdak, for several social, economic and political reasons so that the king supported it in order to weaken the position of great figures and clergymen as well. Naturally, important people opposed the given movement and dethroned Ghobad King from power and he managed to resume his reign again only by the support of Hephthalites. Several years later, re-aliance of authorities and clergymen with Khosro- Ghobad third son- led to coup, Ghobad’s dismissal and killing of Mazdak and his adherents (531AD). As a result, some reforms were done to stabilize resumption of power and reputation to authorities and clergymen.After suppression of this movement, based on Khosro Anooshirvan, new king, an official narrative was recorded in KHODAY-NAMEH book (literally God’s scripture) as book of Sassanid official history by a negative perspective toward movement of Mazdak. At the same time, other several narratives were prevalent among people in written or perhaps orally. Some of these narrations were translated from Pahlavi to Arabic after fall of Sassanid (635AD) where they became very well-known during Islamic early centuries. The main narratives from Tale of Mazdak were included in some of historic, literary and political books.The authors in this essay are trying as possible to examine the probable political reasons for prevalence of these narratives in Sassanid periods and Islamic early centuries by adaptation of strong and weak points, legendary and real parts and their manipulations within books like Tabari History book, Shahnameh of Ferdowsi, Syasat- Nameh of Nezam-Al-Molk, Fars- Nameh by Ibn-Balkhi, Fostat-Al-Edalat Fi-Qavaed-Al-Saltanat book by Mohammad Ibn Mahmoud Khatib.

Izeh Plain is a sedimentary plain situated at northeastern part at Khuzestan Province, Iran where according to some partial investigations carried out in 2007, 54 settlements from Epipalaeolitic and early Neolithic ages were discovered there. Henry Wright, who had explored throughout this settlement before Islamic Revolution, implies that only 30 percent of piedmonts were completely investigated and as a result it was not possible for them to access Settlement Pattern in Epipalaeolithic age in this area. After Islamic Revolution, within several explorations that conducted in areas surrounding Izeh Plain, some of settlements from Stone Age were discovered. Topographical analyses done on the discovered settlements during exploration in 2007 and looking at ecological perspective of this region indicate that the presence of two lakes that have formed within internal basin in Izeh Plain as well as all seasonal streams which flow into these two lakes from outskirt of Izeh Plain plus geological characteristics of this region that led to formation of several caves and dales in this area are considered as very important factors in formation of settlements from Stone Age.

The foremost constant and incessant social development in history of Persian Gulf is “immigration and population displacement” at both sides of this region. This phenomenon is so important that no one may comprehend properly the events and incidents occurred in this region particularly at pre- petroleum exploration regardless of investigation and considering this issue in mind. If we divide Persian Gulf longitudinally in to northern and southern parts by drawing an assumed line, it is clearly obvious that direction of such immigration has been oriented from south to north of yore until the early period of 14th hegira century (20th cen. AD). In the present study, term “ north” stands for Iranian current beaches at northern side of Persian Gulf and term “south” denotes seashores at the present countries like Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman. Although social groups in Persian Gulf have frequently immigrated over the time in this region, but at some part of history and due to certain reasons and factors, a large wave of these immigrations has been brought about and deeply affected on social and political structure at this region. One of the most influencing examples of these immigrations has occurred in ancient period of Iran that is infact considered as “the first wave of south- to- north immigration”. In this study and based on main sources, the first immigration and population displacement in Persian Gulf has been characterized and evaluated as a historical subject.

Three Islands question is an important subject-matter in modern history of the Persian Gulf. A survey on rising of this question is very important due to its role in the establishment of a principle relationship between the regional countries. The British officials emphasized Iranian sovereignty over the Islands until late nineteenth century, but the intensifying of the political and economical rivalry between the European great powers, and the threat to the British interest in the late decade of the nineteenth century changed the British approach in the region while Britain was the protector of the sheikdoms. The occupation of the three islands at the entrance of the Persian Gulf at the beginning of 1903 was an important action of Britain in confrontation with others rivals. In 1971 the question ended by an agreement between Iran and English government, but by establishment of Islamic republic of Iran the question raised again. Hens for the historical recourses focused on difference and caused dimity and desperation of coastal countries. One of the most resources in this subject "The UAE three Occupied Islands" focused on Island dispute to discuss the historical and legal Arab sovereignty over Iranian three Islands and dimmed to propagate Iran Threat to Arabs. White analyzing the events occurred between 1895 and 1903 and occupation of Islands by English navy in 1903, we might understand about Identity of question and importance of Tomb & Abu Musa Islands in British policy in Persian Gulf.