https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/ Historical Sciences Studies en daily 1 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0330 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0330 https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107318.html The present study examines the relationship between “living memory” and “official history” in the context of intellectual, cultural, and identity developments in modern and postmodern societies. The central issue of the research is the conflict between lived memories and informal narratives of marginalized groups and official memory organized by political and cultural institutions; a memory that, in the process of modern nation-building, has transformed history into an ideological tool for representing a homogeneous past and marginalized diverse memories. The present study, drawing on Pierre Nora’s theoretical framework of “lieux de mémoire” (sites of memory) and employing the method of critical discourse analysis, offers a new perspective on history. It explores the relationship between memory, history, and sites of memory, and examines the capacity of these sites to represent, revive, and sustain suppressed memories. The results show that the memory-making policies of modern states-nations have turned history into a tool for consolidating power and dominant discourse by marginalizing the memories of minority groups.in response to this trend," sites of memory"can provide a means to grasp the true past and maintain continuity with it. In addition to reconstructing collective identity, the sites can also offer the opportunity to resist historical amnesia, revive neglected narratives and marginalized voices,thereby preserving plural collective memory against dominant official histories. The main achievement of the research is to highlight the role of memory sites in reviving multilayered narratives, confronting historical homogenization, and providing a critical framework for reinterpreting cultural identity and fostering polyphonic historiography; which allows for a deeper and multidimensional understanding of the process of memory-making and historical representation https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107319.html The present study, entitled “A Comparative Study of the Narrative of Shah Abbas’s Confrontation with the Nuqtavis in Safavid Sources,” seeks to compare the accounts of Khuzani and three other historians of this period, in order to reveal the unique information contained in their reports as well as the aspects of similarity and difference among their narratives. The aim is to determine how the comparative analysis of these sources leads to the emergence of diverse interpretations concerning the Nuqtavi affair and to the formation of contradictory understandings in the reader’s mind. The Nuqtavi order was founded in 800 AH by Mahmud Pasikhani, and its activity continued during the Safavid era; as signs of their cooperation with the Nizari Muhammad-Shahi sect can be observed during the reign of  Isma‘il and The reign of Tahmasp was accompanied by his violent treatment of the Nuqtavis. regarding the reign of Shah Abbas, it must be said that each historian of this period reflected the story of the Shah’s confrontation with the Nuqtavis in his own manner. Among them, Khuzani’s narrative has not been considered in any of the previous scholarly studies. The findings of this research indicate that Khuzani offers a unique narrative in such cases as the key role of ‘Inayat-Kal Isfahani in dealing with the Nuqtavis, mentioning the scholars present at the trial of Darvish Khosrow, and depicting the massacre of the Nuqtavis of Qazvin. Furthermore, with regard to the introduction of their narratives and issues such as Shah Abbas’s alleged inclination toward the Nuqtavi order, the way in which he became aware of their deviations, the chronology of related events, the method of proving Darvish Khosrow’s guilt in court and the selection of Yusufi Tarkeshdoz for kingship, there exist similarities and differences between Khuzani’s account and those of other historians. Ultimately, the author of this study argues that the fading of ideological prejudices over time and Khuzani’s lack of fear of the Safavid political apparatus—due to his residence in India—gave him the opportunity to present the event with a more realistic and independent perspective compared to the other three sources. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107320.html This study offers a critical discourse analysis of the 1953 Iranian coup through Foucault's power-knowledge framework, examining how three competing narratives_the Pahlavi regime's official version, the American political establishment's classified accounts, and revolutionary counter-narratives_constructed fundamentally different historical truths. The research demonstrates how each discourse developed distinct mechanisms for producing and legitimizing knowledge: the Pahlavi state employed institutionalized history-writing committees and educational censorship to promote its "national uprising" narrative; American authorities utilized sophisticated document classification systems and strategic disclosure timelines to frame events within Cold War geopolitics; while revolutionary forces created alternative epistemological spaces through underground cassette tapes and samizdat publications that reinterpreted the coup as anti-imperialist resistance. These findings reveal how historical truth emerges not from objective facts but from complex power struggles over representation, where control of narrative production becomes instrumental in shaping collective memory and political legitimacy. The study highlights the dynamic interplay between dominant knowledge systems and resistant counter-memories, showing how marginalized groups can challenge hegemonic historical accounts through innovative dissemination strategies. By comparing these competing truth regimes_their validation criteria, authentication protocols, and dissemination channels_the research provides a nuanced understanding of how power operates through knowledge production, offering broader insights into the political nature of historical consciousness and the contested processes through which societies construct meaning from past events https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107321.html Investigating ancient musical traditions, specifically within the Elamite civilization, is inherently complex due to the paucity of extant textual documentation. Despite Elam’s two millennia of profound cultural synthesis with neighboring powers—including Sumer, Babylon, Assyria, and the Achaemenid Empire—it remains an under-represented domain in the historiography of Iranian music, with prior research largely confined to organological descriptions and basic functional roles of instruments. Adopting a descriptive-analytical framework and comparative methodology, this study integrates material culture—such as reliefs, glyptic arts (seals), inscriptions, and surviving artifacts—with archival data and cross-cultural analyses. This research scrutinizes fundamental inquiries into instrument morphology, plectrum techniques, tuning systems, ensemble configurations, and the prevailing musical textures of Elam. By postulating hypotheses regarding melodic texture (monophony vs. heterophony), potential scalar systems (tetrachordal and heptatonic), and the occurrence of the tritone interval within Mesopotamian modal structures, this paper seeks to reconstruct a nuanced perspective of the Elamite soundscape. The findings demonstrate that Elamite music was a highly structured, ritualistic practice; through a rigorous re-interpretation of iconographic and archaeological evidence, a viable reconstruction of this ancient musical heritage is achieved. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107322.html In the mid-twentieth century, as state archaeologists unearthed Persepolis and the Pahlavi regime cast the site as a symbol of Iran’s pre-Islamic grandeur, the director of Shiraz’s National Library was composing a different kind of monument. Ali-Akbar Basiri’s Secrets of Persepolis, a lengthy narrative poetry written in Persian, reframed the Achaemenid site not as a symbol of secular nationalism, but as a spiritual landscape animated by Sufi metaphysics. In Basiri’s poem, the architectural layout of Persepolis becomes a spiritual topography: each palace represents a distinct stage on the path toward perfection. Darius, imagined as an embodiment of the insān-i kāmil, serves as the poet’s guide along this journey, which is illuminated by the Prophet and Imam ʿAlī. Written after the 1953 coup, during a period of ideological fracture and renewed debates over national identity, Basiri’s work quietly challenged the dichotomy between Iran’s Islamic and pre-Islamic pasts. Drawing on his connections to Shiraz’s literary and intellectual circles, as well as his proximity to ongoing archaeological discoveries, Basiri composed a vision of Iranian identity that neither glorified ancient kingship nor dismissed it, but sought to reconcile it with the language of mystical unity. This article situates Secrets of Persepolis within the larger landscape of Pahlavi-era cultural politics and examines how the poem embodies a syncretic effort to bridge divided temporalities. The article thus contributes to three overlapping fields: first, the study of nationalism and identity in twentieth-century Iran; second, the reception of antiquity in Islamic cultural contexts; and third, the role of mystical literature in modern Iranian intellectual history. By situating Secrets of Persepolis alongside both earlier Islamic texts and contemporaneous nationalist projects, the study highlights the poem’s role in mediating a longstanding cultural tension between two overlapping but often compartmentalized pasts https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_103659.html The historical sources rarely mention music and instruments during the Parthian period. Archaeological evidence reveals the existence of several musical instruments in the Parthian period. The influence of Achaemenian and Greek art and culture can be seen in the music of the Parthian period. yet, there is no precise information about female musicians and their position. But, archaeological evidence shows women as musical instrument players. Depictions of female musicians in archaeological evidence are sources for studying the position of women in music. The purpose of this research is to understand the position of women in the music and society of the Parthian period and their instruments. Another goal of this research is to identify the instruments used by women during this period. The most important questions of this research are: What musical instruments did women use during the Parthian period? What was their status and role in Parthian society? This research has a descriptive-analytical approach. its data gathered from various library resources. The results of this research say that women played an active role in musical activities. According to terracotta, wall paintings, Nisa rhytons and reliefs, women played music alone or with men. Women were more active during the Parthian period than in previous periods (Elamite, Achaemenid and Seleucid period). Archaeological evidences have been discovered from of Susa, Bard e Neshāndeh, Nisa, Dalverzin Tepe, Airtam, Nippur, Babylon, Uruk, Hatra, Dura-Europos, Seleucia, and Olbia. They in playing stringed instruments (harp, string, and lute), percussion instruments (tambourine, cymbal and castant), and wind instruments (flute, reed and double reeds). It also seems that female musicians are only shown playing certain instruments, which could indicate that women are more skilled in those instruments than male. According to available sources, women played instruments as musician, singer, and dancer in religious ceremonies, feasts, and celebrations after victories https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107323.html The book Mirsad al-'Ibad by Najm al-Din Razi is a mystical work encompassing ethical and political themes. Drawing inspiration from the concept of divine charisma (farr-e izadi) and Islamic political thought, Razi presents the king as the shadow of God and His divine vicegerent on earth, who, through mystical practice, attains the ethical and spiritual qualities necessary to achieve divine approval. Unlike the world-rejecting approach of some Sufis, Razi emphasizes the king’s role in reconstructing socio-political order amid the crises of the Islamic Middle Ages, particularly the Mongol invasions. In pre-Islamic Iran, the concept of kingship, centered on farr-e izadi, portrayed kings as representatives of God, granting them political legitimacy within the framework of Iranshahri thought. After the advent of Islam, Iranian elites integrated this concept with Islamic intellectual and political principles, adapting and perpetuating it. This study, focusing on the first chapter of the fifth Baba of Mirsad al-'Ibad and employing a descriptive-analytical approach, examines Razi’s politico-mystical thought within the framework of Islamic epistemology, the Ash'ari school, and Iranshahri traditions. The findings indicate that Najm al-Din Razi, by synthesizing religious and mystical concepts, proposes an idealized model of kingship that not only addresses the administration of justice and the establishment of social order but also redefines the ruler as a spiritual wayfarer on the path to divine proximity https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107324.html Toponymy, as a key branch of historical geography, plays a significant role in analyzing spatial and cultural transformations in human societies. Place names serve as essential tools for gaining deeper insights into the complex relationship between humans and their environment throughout history, reflecting cultural changes, population movements, and socio-political transformations over the centuries. Focusing on the toponyms Suraq, Duraq, Falāḥīyeh, and Shādegān in southern Khuzestan, this study highlights, on the one hand, the capacity of toponymic studies to reconstruct spatio-historical developments and, on the other, their value in revealing the inseparable ties between spatial identity, natural factors, and socio-political processes. The main goal of this research is to reassess part of Khuzestan’s territorial history by tracing the historical background, spatial changes, and semantic connections of these four toponyms, in order to answer whether they refer to distinct locations across different historical periods or to a shared geographical context. The study employs a comparative analysis of Syriac, Greek, and Arabic geographical-historical texts, travel accounts, geographic coordinates, historical maps, and archaeological evidence. The integrated data indicate that these place names have undergone multiple spatial and temporal transformations from antiquity to the present. Based on archaeological, linguistic, historical, and geomorphological evidence, four key locations have been identified: Tel Tendy and Ja Nišīn (as the probable sites of ancient Suraq and Duraq in present-day Rāmshīr County), the village of Madīneh (as Old Duraq in Shādegān County), and Falāḥīyeh (as New Duraq and the original nucleus of modern Shādegān). These areas appear to have shifted gradually from east to west and then southwest along the Jarrāḥī River over time, due to environmental changes—such as the evolution of alluvial fans—and human interventions. While the available data shed partial light on these transformations, the limited extent of previous research and the destruction of many sites in recent decades underline the need for targeted archaeological surveys, satellite imagery analysis, and interdisciplinary approaches to either confirm or revise these hypotheses. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107329.html This study investigates the process of transition and the adoption of modern smallpox treatment methods in Qajar-era Iran. Prior to the introduction of Western medical practices, understanding, prevention, and treatment of smallpox were predominantly grounded in humoral theory, religious doctrines, and popular traditions. Practitioners attempted to manage the disease by integrating theoretical medical knowledge with practical experience; however, these approaches demonstrated limited effectiveness in controlling the spread and mortality of smallpox. The introduction of cowpox vaccination from Western countries represented a novel intervention that challenged the traditional medical paradigm, eliciting resistance from multiple societal groups, including traditional physicians, religious authorities, and segments of the general population. Gradual acceptance of this modern method necessitated physician education, public awareness initiatives, and observation of successful outcomes in patients. Governmental measures played a pivotal role in promoting and ensuring the implementation of vaccination, thereby mitigating public fear and social resistance. Analysis of this transitional process reveals that the shift in treatment practices extended beyond medical techniques, catalyzing transformations in societal attitudes, cultural beliefs, and health-related social structures. This historical experience offers a compelling example of the complex interplay between science, culture, social norms, and political authority in the adoption of medical innovations https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107325.html In the narratives of Aristotle's life, it is mentioned that he traveled and stayed in the cities of Atarneus and Assos in northwest Asia Minor, under the rule of a local ruler named Hermias, after the death of Plato. At the end of the Achaemenid period and after the changes of the era of Artaxerxes III (359/58 - 338 BC), Hermias was able to gradually expand his power in that region and through Aristotle and some other students of Plato's Academy, he became an important factor in Philip II - the ruler of Macedonia - becoming aware of the internal condition of the Achaemenid Empire; to the extent that his political alliance with Philip faced a harsh reaction from the Persians and he lost his life over that pact. Although Aristotle praised Hermias and slandered Persians in his writings, by carefully examining the political and diplomatic developments between the ruler of Atarneus and the king of Macedonia, it can be concluded that the Achaemenid Empire had accurate and clear information about the political events of the Greek city-states and Macedonian kingdom and by removing Hermias, and probably Philip himself, has helped the Greeks a lot to gain their lost independence. However, the Greeks did not take advantage of the opportunity for unity and lost the independence of their city-states to Philip's son, Alexander, shortly after. In this research, it has been tried to show, based on the analytical method and using library sources, that the Achaemenid Empire, to strengthen the Treaty of Antalcidas, made its efforts to maintain the independence of the Greek city-states against the Macedonian hegemony before the emergence of Alexander by removing the Macedonian-oriented elements, but the conflicts among the Greeks and Alexander's promptitude and violence in suppressing his Greek opponents caused the loss of this historical opportunity. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107326.html Since the emergence of newspapers in Iran, the publication of historical materials has constituted one of their most prominent thematic domains. Historical content in the press reflects prevailing societal attitudes toward the past and its interpretive frameworks. Employing a descriptive–historical approach, the present study seeks to identify and classify the historical content published in Iranian periodicals from their inception to the end of the Qajar era. An examination of 226 periodicals from the Qajar period identifies 227 items of historical content, a finding that highlights the significant presence of historical writing within the press discourse of the time. At a historical juncture marked by emerging political and intellectual transformations, the press assumed an educational and reform-oriented role, and history functioned as an effective instrument for promoting public awareness and legitimizing political and social reforms. The rearticulation of the historical past was conceived as a strategy for consolidating national identity and responding to external threats. By foregrounding historical heritage, periodicals actively contributed to the construction of cultural cohesion. Furthermore, the appeal of historical subjects enhanced readership and strengthened the economic viability of the press. Taken together, these factors enabled the Iranian press of the Qajar era to generate a wide and diverse range of historical content and to exert a formative influence on the shaping of collective historical memory.  https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107327.html Parthian Stations, written by Isidore of Charax, a first-century BCE geographer, is a distinctive work that systematically records roads, stations, and strategic points across the Parthian Empire. More than a geographical text, it serves as a vital primary source for analyzing the military and political dynamics of the era. The book provides detailed data on distances between cities, locations of caravanserais, and key commercial and military routes that shaped power relations between Rome and the Parthians. While previous studies have emphasized its economic value—viewing it as a guide to East-West trade routes—this research argues that the work should be seen as an intelligence tool for understanding Roman military and security strategies against the Parthians. The “Stathmoi” style, with its focus on precise distances, frontier fortresses, rivers, mountains, and natural barriers, reveals a tactical function: it likely served as an operational map for troop movements and logistical planning. The book’s emphasis on western regions and Mesopotamia highlights Rome’s efforts to identify and control critical border zones. Its data were later used in Roman campaigns, especially during Trajan’s wars (53–117 CE), enhancing operational efficiency, troop mobility, and resilience against Parthian cavalry tactics. Thus, Parthian Stations is not merely a dry geographical record but a reflection of Roman intelligence and security policy aimed at balancing power and expanding influence in the ancient East. Its significance lies not only in mapping Parthian Iran but also in revealing the strategic networks of the Roman Empire https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107328.html This study examines the nature, functions, and objectives of endowments (waqf) established by state officials in the province of Mazandaran during the period of the Qajar dynasty (1210–1344 AH). By employing qualitative content analysis of surviving waqf deeds, the research seeks to uncover patterns in the types of endowed properties, their intended uses, and their temporal and spatial distribution. The study identifies fourteen waqf deeds created by officials holding various titles, including brigadier generals, sardars, khans, beglerbegis, a kalantar, and a mustawfi. The findings reveal considerable diversity in the types of endowed assets, including agricultural lands, shops, caravanserais, pastures, gardens, qanats, coffeehouses, castles, and residential buildings. These assets reflect the economic resources available to officials and their strategic use of productive property to ensure sustainable revenue streams. The purposes of the endowments were equally diverse, ranging from financing religious ceremonies—particularly mourning rituals for Imam Husayn—to supporting descendants, aiding the poor and needy, funding educational activities, and promoting public welfare. Temporal analysis shows that 36% of the endowments were established during the reign of Naser al-Din Shah, 50% during Mozzafar al-Din Shah, and 14% during Ahmad Shah Qajar, indicating a peak in endowment activity during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Geographically, the highest concentration of waqf deeds is observed in the cities of Sari and Nur. Overall, the study demonstrates that state officials played a significant role in sustaining and expanding the waqf institution, contributing to the social, religious, and economic fabric of the region https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_102227.html The fifth century witnessed fundamental changes in the inscriptions on Sasanian coins. From the late fourth century, the relatively uniform list of legitimizing Sasanian titles changed due to social, religious, and political changes. By the late fifth century, all of these titles had been eliminated and were replaced by titles that reflected the changing political ideology at the Sasanian court. This article examines the meaning and concept of the legend of “nwky” on the coins of Yazdgird II. Today, most numismatists believe it is the transliteration of Middle Persian (MP) nōg, meaning “new”, widely used in Zoroastrian and Manichaean Middle Persian texts. However, it seems that no convincing reason has been proposed for the minting of this legend. This article attempts to answer the question of what the concept of this legend is and what the purpose of the Sasanian court was in inserting it, using textual background and linguistic analysis. The author believes this legend is a part of the compound nōg xwarrah, which was struck on Yazdgird II’s coins as a legitimizing title due to political-military changes in his battles with the nomadic tribes on the eastern frontiers and After Yazdgird’s death, it appeared on the official seal of his son, Pērōz, as nōg xwarrah abzud. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_102874.html The Sasanian era marks a period of significant transformation in administrative, cultural, and religious frameworks. The interpretation of concepts such as sin, justice, and punishment was particularly crucial within the framework of religious and customary laws. An in-depth analysis of the sins and punishments of women offers a realistic view of the social and legal attitudes of the time. This study seeks to examine, analyze, and explain the most important sins of women and their punishments in Sasanian Iran, using historical and legal sources. The primary goal is to clarify what behaviors were considered female ‘sins’ in the Sasanian legal, religious, and historical texts, what factors determined the punishments, and what the social and legal consequences of these regulations were for women in the Sasanian social structure. The research method combines textual and historical analysis. The results show that in Sasanian society, the system of sin and punishment for women extended beyond religion and morality and was deeply influenced by social attitudes. This system served as a symbolic tool to maintain order and strengthen the structure of family and religion. Women’s sins ranged from minor disobedience, such as not observing the dāshtanistān ritual, to major crimes such as abortion, prostitution, and witchcraft. Punishments varied according to the severity of the sin, from flogging and fines to death or eternal torment. Ultimately, this system was more about gender control, the reproduction of social hierarchies, and the preservation of a ‘sacred order’ than legal rights. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_104149.html This article examines the development of archaeology as a discipline closely entangled with imperialism and nationalism during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Drawing on Edward Said’s concept of Orientalism, it employs a critical historical approach to analyze how archaeology was shaped by and contributed to the political agendas of expanding European empires. Far from a neutral pursuit of knowledge, archaeology emerged as a key cultural technology for legitimizing colonial power and constructing civilizational hierarchies that placed the West at the center of historical progress. The article explores how the formation of national museums and the classification of ancient artifacts became part of broader imperial strategies, turning archaeological discoveries into symbols of authority and cultural prestige. European powers often competed in this arena, using excavations, collections, and institutional displays to assert dominance over colonized regions and their histories. While brief reference is made to Iran to illustrate broader patterns, the article’s focus remains on the conceptual and institutional frameworks that connected archaeology to imperial governance and nationalist ideology. It considers how archaeological practices—through excavation, display, and scholarly interpretation—served to rewrite the past in ways that supported political objectives, whether colonial or national. By tracing these interconnections, the study argues that archaeology must be understood as a discipline with deeply political origins. Recognizing this legacy is vital to critically rethinking the role of archaeology in both historical and contemporary contexts, especially in relation to cultural authority, identity, and the representation of the past. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_104834.html Since the Treaty of Paris, which led to the separation of the Herat province from Iran and its annexation to Afghanistan, the downstream section of this river has been recognized as the water border between the two countries. This event coincided with the imperial ambitions of Tsarist Russia, aimed at extending its influence in the Central Asian and Khorasan regions. The Akhal Treaty between Iran and Russia established the continuation of the river's path from the Serkhs border point, incorporating the Kashf River and designating it as the water boundary between Iran and Russia. Consequently, the geopolitical and hydro political significance of this river was heightened at both national and international levels. After the collapse of the Tsarist regime in October 1917 and the establishment of the Soviet government, issues regarding the water borders of the two countries continued to be centered around the Turkmen region on either side of the river. main issues of this research involve examining the implications of changing the status of the Harirud River as a water border among three countries and the border challenges between Iran and Russia under the new conditions. also addresses both parties' negligence in accurately implementing specialized protocols and agreements related to water and border rivers, as well as the impact of these issues on the agricultural lives of the residents along the banks of the Harirud River. Additionally, it investigates the actions of local officials from both sides and measures regarding water governance in the rivers and water economy, https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_105595.html divine test refers to a kind of ritual verification was used in ancient civilizations like Iran, Mesopotamia, Egypt and Cاina. before Aryans arrival this ceremony was prevalent in ancient Elam under the influence of Mesopotamian courts. the oldest signs of the ceremony has been shown in Avestan texts. using library tools and historical analysis methods through a functionalist approach the author's goal is to conduct an analytical study of the role of divine test ceremony in proving claims against women in Sasanian judicial procedure. the main question is what divine tests were available in Sassanian jurisprudential texts for the evidence of a crime and what function did they have in Sassanian society? the functional study of legal jurisprudential texts showed that criminal offenses in the Sassanid era were divided into three general categories: crrimes against God, the King and others. women legal status had been improved. enjoying property and social rights women had the right to sue and testify in courts alone and own their own dowry. if a woman was accused of adultery and disobedience by her husband and she did not confess, the Judge would rule that woman was innocent. and also in this era women were exempt from divine verification ceremony. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_105881.html Evaluating the intellectual orientations, political conduct, and strategic actions of the leaders and combatants of the Constitutional Revolution constitutes a significant strand of modern Iranian historiography—one often shaped by polemics, apologetics, and partisan judgments. Within this context, Taqizadeh, as one of the prominent intellectual and political figures of the Constitutional movement, has consistently drawn the attention of scholars and thinkers, including Sayyed Ahmad Kasravi. In his works on the Constitutional era, Kasravi repeatedly assessed, analyzed, and criticized Taqizadeh’s political behavior, raising issues that prompted not only Taqizadeh himself but also a number of contemporary intellectuals and writers to respond and articulate their own views. This study aims to verify the accuracy of Kasravi’s critiques by identifying the key issues he raised and examining them in light of Taqizadeh’s documented activities during the Constitutional years. Based on the preliminary hypothesis, Taqizadeh—contrary to Kasravi’s assertions—sought conciliation with Mohammad Ali Shah in the days preceding the bombardment of the Majles, largely due to threats issued by the Russian and British envoys. He urged restraint, discouraged the mobilization of armed constitutionalists, and on the eve of the bombardment chose seclusion and ultimately took refuge in the British Legation rather than joining the resistance. The findings suggest that, despite Kasravi’s claims, Taqizadeh was neither an agent nor a collaborator of British policy; rather, Kasravi’s misperception stemmed from an exaggerated belief in British support for the Constitutionalists. This research, drawing on library sources, journals, and relevant studies, employs a descriptive‑analytical method to reassess these contested interpretations. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_105883.html The irrigation network of the Mianab Plain in Khuzestan represents a unique example of ancient local efforts to optimize water resources, embodying a long-term interaction between humans and their environment. In certain periods, extensive irrigation systems led to significant expansion in both the area and number of settlements. Most previous research emphasizes unprecedented expansion of irrigation infrastructure during the Sassanian period and assumes its collapse following the empire’s fall. The aim of this study is to examine the trajectory of irrigation network changes in ancient Iran (from the proto Elamite to the advent of Islam) and to analyze their relationship with political developments and settlement patterns, using a descriptive–analytical approach and drawing on three main categories of sources: archaeological data, historical texts, and remote sensing datasets. The findings of this research indicate that significant transformations in water management—marked by the construction of complex man-made canals—began in the Parthian period, with the Dariun canal, and continued into the Sassanian era through the maintenance and optimization of the existing network. Contrary to the traditional assumption of collapse in irrigation systems following the Islamic conquests, evidence of agricultural prosperity during the Islamic period and the continued use of irrigation infrastructure underscore the prominent role of elites and local communities in sustaining and preserving those systems. These results emphasize the need to revise classical models of civilization collapse caused by regime changes and to recognize the social adaptation mechanisms within communities in relation to hydraulic networks. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_105949.html Facing a structural decline in the traditional Iqta system and recurrent exogenous shocks—including plague, famine, and external military threats—the Burji Mamluk state increasingly relied on non-territorial revenue streams to sustain its military hegemony. Utilizing an 'extractive political economy' framework, this study analyzes the mechanisms through which Mamluk sultans exerted control over six primary non-agrarian financial sources: endowments (Awqaf), arbitrary levies (Makūs), state monopolies, the sale of offices (Bay’ al-Waza’if), the Diwan al-Mufrad, and monetary manipulation via the mint. The research evaluates the extent to which these fiscal practices diverged from the normative principles of Islamic political economy, specifically regarding justice, anti-hoarding injunctions , and administrative probity. Employing a descriptive-analytical methodology grounded in primary historical chronicles, the findings demonstrate that sultans (notably Barquq and Barsbay) transformed these resources into instruments of state capture . While practices such as the institutionalization of corruption , strategic monopolies on sugar and spices , and the sale of high offices (reaching up to 32,000 dinars) provided short-term liquidity for the military elite, they triggered long-term systemic pathologies . These included artificial inflation , capital flight, and a profound loss of public legitimacy, which ultimately accelerated the economic and political collapse of the Mamluk Sultanate . https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_106163.html The issue of labor movements in the oil industry has been one of the most important issues and at the same time the challenges facing this industry in its history of the last two centuries. The Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, had a wide range & scope of activity from Iraq to Oman. The company's relationship with workers and interact with the problems of the modern era and the extent to which they benefit from social and labor rights, and at the same time the nature of the relationship between the workers' communities involved in the company's activities throughout the region, is an issue that has received less attention so far due to the lack of documents and resources. The fundamental question in this context is what was the nature of the relations between the oil industry workers in the form of the labor community of the countries of the Persian Gulf and the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company? The prevailing assumption is that although there were signs of a connection between the labor community in the oil-rich areas of southern Iran and the company's area of activity on the southern shores of the Persian Gulf, there are signs of behavioral disintegration between the employees of the oil companies of the Persian Gulf and the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company and their workers. The research method in the present study will be descriptive-analytical. That is, first we will describe and explain the issue under discussion and finally we will analyze and explain its dimensions and angles. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_106618.html Abstract Age is one of the key social indicators in marriage, reflecting the cultural, economic, and familial conditions of society. The present study aims to examine the historical trajectory of changes in the age of marriage. The author first describes the state of marriage during the Qajar period in order to clarify the historical background of the law, then analyzes the process of transformation in the Marriage Law, and finally investigates its impact on society and individual attitudes. The central research question is: What effect did the Marriage Law have on the age of marriage, and how were these changes reflected in society? The hypothesis of this study is that, despite the enactment of the law, traditional patterns of early marriage persisted in many families. Data collection has been carried out through both library research and interviews. The findings indicate that factors such as cultural pressure regarding “leftover girls,” religious interpretations, and economic structures contributed to the persistence of these patterns. However, signs of change are also evident, including an increase in the age of marriage, the growing agency of women in choosing a spouse, and their greater participation in education and employment. These changes, nevertheless, have not been uniform or complete across different generations and regions. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_106625.html The Caucasus region, of which Shirvan is a part, has long been a battleground for major empires such as the Assyrians, Urartians, Medes, Achaemenids, Seleucids, Parthians, Romans, Sassanids, and Arabs, witnessing numerous bloody conflicts throughout history. Each of these regional and local powers undertook significant military campaigns to conquer this area, experiencing intense battles in the process. Following the decline of the two great empires of the Sassanids and Byzantines, Muslim Arabs, inspired by the verses of the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and relying on the sacred religion of Islam, embraced the new doctrine of brotherhood and equality to expand their political borders eastward and westward. They encroached upon the territories of empires such as the Sassanids and Rome, extending their own borders into many of their subordinate regions. However, during the reign of the third caliph, this expansionist policy in the Caucasus encountered resistance from the local population, culminating in the Arabs' defeat in the Battle of Shirvan. This effectively halted their expansionist ambitions in the region, and the Caliph ordered the Arabs to maintain their positions without further aggression or advancement. Historical documents and texts contain numerous and varied reports of Muslim military campaigns in the Caucasus region. This article aims to explore and analyze the circumstances and conditions that led to the cessation of the Muslim Arabs' expansionist policy in the area, challenging its implications through descriptive and analytical methods. The Caucasus region, of which Shirvan is a part, has long been a battleground for major empires such as the Assyrians, Urartians, Medes, Achaemenids, Seleucids, Parthians, Romans, Sassanids, and Arabs, witnessing numerous bloody conflicts throughout history. Each of these regional and local powers undertook significant military campaigns to conquer this area, experiencing intense battles in the process. Following the decline of the two great empires of the Sassanids and Byzantines, Muslim Arabs, inspired by the verses of the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and relying on the sacred religion of Islam, embraced the new doctrine of brotherhood and equality to expand their political borders eastward and westward. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_106812.html For the study and teaching of the history of any polity, some form of periodization is indispensable, and Ottoman history is no exception. Nevertheless, the periodization of Ottoman history has today become a highly contested issue. Whereas early Ottoman historians, largely following the conventional patterns of Islamic historiography, based their periodization on the reigns of Ottoman sultans or on centuries, later Ottoman historians—through their encounter with European models of historical periodization—sought to construct a scheme with clearly defined historical phases, from the rise to the decline of the Ottoman state. Although these periodizations were articulated either within the broader framework of Islamic history or as independent historical narratives, following the collapse of the Ottoman state and during the early Republican era, Ottoman history and its periodization came to be firmly situated within the framework of Turkish history. In recent years, however, this classical periodization of Ottoman history has been subjected to critical reassessment, particularly in light of growing doubts concerning the theory of Ottoman decline from the late tenth century AH/sixteenth century CE onward. Accordingly, the present study undertakes a historical examination of the problems associated with the periodization of Ottoman history and, by integrating the classical approaches of Ottoman historians with the perspectives of contemporary critics, proposes a sevenfold periodization of Ottoman history. These major periods are further subdivided into smaller phases—twenty periods in total—in order to ensure greater compatibility with historical transformations and to reflect more effectively the overall trajectory of Ottoman history. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_106820.html This study aims to analyze the relationship between the political–cultural context of the Buyid rule and the conceptual framework of Abū ʿAlī Miskawayh by examining the emergence of “ethics-oriented historiography” in the Islamic tradition. The central research question concerns how the institutional and epistemic conditions of the Buyid period, in interaction with Miskawayh’s bureaucratic experience and virtue-based method, led to the formation of a political–ethical rationality in which history becomes an instrument for normative judgment and political reform. Adopting a qualitative and interpretive approach and drawing on intra-textual and extra-textual analysis of Miskawayh’s two major works, Tajārib al-Umam and Tahdhīb al-Akhlaq, the study demonstrates how the Buyids’ rationalist religious tolerance, together with Miskawayh’s administrative experience and analytical method, facilitated a transition from mere chronicle-writing to ethics-oriented historiography. The findings indicate that through causal analysis of political events and critique of fiscal and administrative policies, Miskawayh extracted principles such as distributive justice, moderate political economy, and governmental fiscal responsibility from historical experience, thereby elevating history from a narrative of events to a “laboratory of political ethics.” Within this framework, the role of the historian shifts from a reporter of events to a normative analyst, and politics is redefined as the art of governing for the common good. The results further show that, in Miskawayh’s thought, historical experience is transformed through rational judgment into a normative and generalizable rule, establishing a structural link between ethics, history, and politics. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_106959.html It seems that divine charisma vested sovereignty in the form of pills or a family inheritance .Normally absolute political sovereignty, which some have assumed political vision today. It is true rupture charisma claim to have been proposed, But never imagined that this rupture was diagnosed with rule would not mind, Foreign invasion was only the legitimacy of divine charisma to challenge. With the fall of the Sassanids and Islam in Iran as some have imagined Which is the subject of divine charisma of the Islamic Dvin era, partly in the belief people have been in force mentionThis was, however, the perception and opinion of the rulers and their subordinates regarding the rule itself. Whether this belief in the rule itself spread to the body of society or not is another matter. And every so often in the form of sights and sounds, including under the aegis of God is released, But such a thorough and detailed historical texts can not be correct, including structure, culture and Insight court ruling, port t Islamic rule background the early Safavid era of antiquity is not subject divine charisma. It is also very doubtful when it is God's shadow. This article seeks to answer this question through a research approach with a theoretical design and analysis based on multiple primary sources.. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107104.html Modern education in Qajar-era Iran (1801–1925 CE) began with the establishment of European-style schools, marking one of the most significant symbols of modernization in Iran’s contemporary history. Following half a century of activity by French and American missionary religious schools, Dar ul-Funun was founded in 1851 CE (1230 SH) by Amir Kabir as the first state-sponsored school. During the reign of Mozaffar ad-Din Shah and under the patronage of Mirza Ali Khan Amin al-Dawla, a cultural movement led by Mirza Hassan Roshdieh emerged, leading to the establishment of dozens of public and national schools in Tehran and major cities. While these schools played a pivotal role in improving public literacy, their educational structure and content faced profound challenges. Employing a descriptive-analytical methodology and drawing on sources such as personal memoirs, historical documents, Qajar-era publications, and scholarly research, this study investigates these inefficiencies. Findings reveal that the primary obstacles to institutional efficacy included the absence of centralized oversight, non-enforcement of ratified laws, neglect of primary education, insufficient allocated budgets, appointment of administrators based on personal connections rather than merit, persistence of traditional punitive and evaluative methods, hiring of unqualified teachers, and reliance on heterogeneous curricular materials. Additionally, the incomplete imitation of European educational systems and resistance to foundational reforms created a deep gap between the ideals of reformers and the realities of implementation. By critiquing earlier descriptive approaches, this article focuses on analyzing the roots of inefficiency and demonstrates how the conflict between tradition and modernity hindered sustainable educational transformation during https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107219.html Historians of the Qajar era, followed by some later researchers, have attributed the emergence of Bārfurūsh to the Safavid period, especially the reign of Shāh ʿAbbās I (r. 996–1038 AH), and some even to the early Qajar era under Fatḥ-ʿAlī Shāh (r. 1211–1250 AH). Yet, earlier sources indicate that “Bārfurūshdeh” arose in the second half of the eighth century AH upon the ruins of the ancient city of Māmaṭīr. The residence of Mīr Qiwām al-Dīn Marʿashī, founder of the Marʿashī dynasty, in this area marked a turning point in its development, gradually making Bārfurūshdeh a new center of power in Māzandarān. Relying on primary sources and using a descriptive–analytical approach, this study examines the causes and process of Bārfurūshdeh’s growth during the Marʿashī period until the reign of Shāh ʿAbbās I (996–1038 AH). The findings show that Bārfurūshdeh had already gained urban status before the time of Shāh ʿAbbās. Its geographical advantages, communicative position, water resources, and fertile lands, created the conditions for growth, while the Marʿashīs’ decentralizing policies and the role of local elites were decisive in its development. By the mid-tenth century AH, Bārfurūshdeh had become a politically and economically important city, and at times the center of Māzandarān. Thus, this research challenges the assumption that the emergence of Bārfurūshdeh/ Bārfurūsh belongs only to the Safavid or Qajar periods. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107472.html The study of criminal justice in the Qajar era (prior to the Constitutional Revolution) is of particular importance as the backdrop against which the modern penal system emerged in Iran. By examining criminal justice during the Qajar period, this research seeks to answer the question of whether a discernible order or a unified system governing criminal justice can, in fact, be identified in this era. Two principal approaches may be distinguished in studies concerning criminal justice in the Qajar period: the dualistic approach, examined in this article primarily through the works of Willem Floor, and a competing approach developed in the writings of Christoph Werner. While critically engaging with both perspectives, the present article argues that neither approach is ultimately satisfactory. Instead, it proposes an alternative interpretation, maintaining that criminal justice in this period was not founded upon any clearly defined order, and that attempts to identify a coherent system inevitably encounter numerous contradictory examples. The “non-systemic” interpretation advanced as the central argument of this article challenges the shared tendency in the works of Werner and Floor to trace a form of order and coherence within Qajar criminal justice. Rather, it conceptualizes criminal justice as the outcome of the absence of a stable and clearly defined order among fluctuating circles of power, thereby identifying it as an inherently irregular and fragmented phenomenon. This conclusion is grounded in an understanding of the Qajar state as fundamentally weak, such that no integrated and overarching order could realistically be discerned under its authority. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107473.html This study examines the position of the historical port of Siraf in the formation, expansion, and continuity of commercial relations between Iran and East Africa from the 3rd to the 6th centuries AH. Main Research Question: In what ways Siraf contribute to the development of commercial relations between Iran and East Africa? Research Hypothesis: The research is based on the hypothesis that Siraf, as an international port and the principal maritime base of Iranians during the early Islamic centuries, functioned not only as a center for the exchange of goods but also as a key conduit for human mobility and cultural and technical interactions between Iran and East Africa. Methodology/Approach: The study employs a descriptive–analytical methodology, drawing on early Islamic historical and geographical sources, travel accounts, archaeological evidence, and historical data analysis to evaluate Siraf’s role within the Indian Ocean trade system. Findings and Conclusion: The findings indicate that during the early Islamic centuries, Siraf operated as a central hub within the Indian Ocean commercial network rather than merely a trading post. Its strategic geographical position, advanced maritime facilities, and the presence of an influential class of merchants and sailors enabled the port to support extensive economic exchanges as well as sustained human, cultural, and technical interactions with the East African coast. Siraf played a crucial role in organizing maritime voyages and providing logistical support for the migration of Shirazi Iranians to East Africa, thereby reinforcing its significance in regional relations from the 2nd to the 6th centuries AH. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107474.html The present study aims to elucidate the methods by which merchant benefactors in the city of Sari selected the trustees of their endowments during the Qajar period, and to analyze the social logic underpinning these choices. As one of the most significant institutions structuring economic, religious, and social affairs in Qajar Iran, the waqf system reflected local configurations of power, social trust, and kinship networks. The process through which founders appointed trustees offers valuable insight into patterns of trust, the status of social groups, and the function of kinship ties within Sari’s urban society. The findings indicate that trustee selection was predominantly embedded within the benefactors’ kinship networks, and in some cases showed a tendency toward individuals possessing recognized religious or social standing. This suggests that trust grounded in familial ties, as well as religious prestige, played a critical role in the management of endowments.Furthermore, the results show that merchant benefactors, by choosing trustees from among relatives or persons with notable social reputation, sought to ensure the continuity of the endowments’ functions and the safeguarding of their intended purposes. Overall, the pattern of trustee appointment in Sari’s Qajar-period endowments reflects the city’s social structure, the significance of kinship networks, and the central role of religious status in mechanisms of social trust. It also demonstrates that the administration of endowments relied less on formal institutional procedures and more on social relationships and individual credibility. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107594.html Local historiography in Iran experienced significant quantitative and qualitative growth during the Qajar era, undergoing a fundamental transformation in both its underlying drivers and historiographical characteristics. Consequently, Kurdish local historiography, influenced by these emerging conditions, underwent a similar evolution, much like many other regions across the country. While the Sharafnameh of Bidlisi had previously stood as the only major work dedicated to Kurdish history, the period from the beginning to the end of the Qajar era witnessed the production of numerous works in this field. Indeed, it can be argued that Kurdish local historiography truly took shape and reached its zenith during this period. Through an examination and reading of Qajar-era Kurdish local chronicles, and by employing a qualitative content analysis and descriptive method, the author seeks to address the following question: What are the indicators and components of the quantitative and qualitative growth of Kurdish local historiography during the Qajar period? The research findings indicate that the characteristics and components of Kurdish local historiography in the Qajar era exhibit certain similarities and differences compared to the local historiography of other Iranian regions during the same period, all of which are explored in detail in this article. . . . https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107595.html Throughout history, influential political, military, social, literary, and cultural figures have played significant roles in their time and beyond, leading to the creation of numerous documents and written sources about them. The Abu-Qaddareh family was among the few hereditary governors in Iran who ruled over the Pusht-e Kuh region—originally including Pusht-e Kuh (present-day Ilam) and Pish-e Kuh (Khorramabad)—for nearly three centuries, from the Safavid period to the early Pahlavi era. They represent an inseparable part of the history of this land. Among them, Gholamreza Khan, the most powerful and influential governor during the Qajar period, is associated with the highest number of administrative correspondences and petitions.His active involvement in political and military affairs resulted in extensive communications between governmental institutions and ministries, which consequently expanded the administrative documentation system of the Qajar state. The content of these records covers various topics, including legal claims, judicial and financial matters, taxation, security issues, and official reports. The presence of documents issued with the official letterhead of “Gholamreza Khan Amir-e Jang” distinguishes the administrative correspondence of this period from others. Accordingly, the main objective of this innovative research is to examine, through a descriptive-analytical and archival methodology, the role of Gholamreza Khan in the creation and expansion of significant administrative documents and petitions in Pusht-e Kuh during the Qajar era. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107596.html Studying religions solely from an external perspective cannot lead to true understanding and results only in a superficial grasp of religious depth. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the internal dimension of religions as well, so that the nature of a religion may be examined in relation to the degree of its historical authenticity. With the rise of Islam, attention toward the Sabians—one of the celestial religions present in the Arabian Peninsula and adjacent regions at the dawn of Islam—increased among Muslims. The Qur’an mentions this religion alongside Judaism, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism among the People of the Book. However, a considerable portion of historical and early Islamic exegetical sources identifies the Sabians as star‑worshipers. Yet the religious life and beliefs of the Sabians in the present era—especially in areas such as monotheism, prophethood, and resurrection—are inconsistent with this depiction. On the one hand, the Qur’an calls humanity toward monotheism, and on the other hand, it grounds the philosophy of prophethood in this very principle. This raises the question of how the Qur’an could place a group of polytheistic, star‑worshiping people among the People of the Book. This study seeks to answer how the Sabians came to be portrayed as star‑worshipers in Islamic historiographical texts despite their recognition as a divine religion. Using a descriptive–analytical method and emphasizing Sabian sources as well as Islamic historical texts, the study aims to offer a documented response. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107884.html The transfer of the capital of the Kingdom of Hormuz to the island of Jeron (New Hormuz) on the eve of the eighth century AH is considered a wise move by the Hormuz rulers. It paved the way for the beginning of a new chapter for the seafaring state of Hormuz. This important move was supported and backed by political and judicial institutions.This research aims to answer the question, using a descriptive-analytical approach and based on library resources, of who and how provided political and judicial support to the rulers of Hormuz in transferring and relocating the capital of their government to the island of Jeron (New Hormuz). The results of the research indicate that the rise of officials in the Kerman province on the eve of the eighth century AH played an influential role in supporting and assisting the Hormuz rulers in moving the capital of their state.One of the most important of these officials was Maulana Taj al-Din Khafi, who was elected as the judge of Sirjan and the land and sea kingdoms of Kerman province during this period. By ending the rebellion in the ruling family of Hormuz and supporting Baha al-Din Ayaz, one of the agents of the Hormuz government, he supported him the most in moving the capital of the Hormuz government to the island of Jerun (New Hormuz). https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_107973.html The historical geography of Islamic Iran, as a specialized field concerned with the transformation of places, regions, networks, and spatial relations in the past, has often been limited to the identification of place-names, the delimitation of territories, and the reconstruction of routes and cities. Focusing on the third to eighth centuries AH, this article examines how historical geography can move geographical texts from the level of description to the explanation of historical processes. In this study, the “spatial turn” refers to an approach that regards space and place not as neutral backgrounds, but as historical and social phenomena that shape power, economy, identity, and narrative. The article seeks to redefine the position of historical geography within the study of Islamic Iran and to propose a model for the critical and spatial analysis of sources. It employs a historical-analytical method based on a comparative reading of the works of Ibn Khurradadhbih, al-Yaqubi, al-Istakhri, Ibn Hawqal, al-Muqaddasi, Hudud al-Alam, Yaqut al-Hamawi, and Hamdallah Mustawfi. The theoretical framework draws on the concepts of the production of space, Thirdspace, relational place, and genius loci, while historical GIS is treated as a tool for linking spatial and temporal data, reconstructing networks, and analyzing spatial change. The findings show that each source represents a particular form of historical geography, ranging from administrative and regional to urban, mnemonic, and fiscal. Historical geography becomes an explanatory and specialized approach when data extraction, source criticism, spatial analysis, and the explicit recording of data reliability are applied simultaneously. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_109225.html با ورود اسلام به ایران، این سرزمین بخشی از جهان اسلام شد، از میان مذاهب اسلامی تسنّن مذهب غالب اصفهان گردید به گونه ای که تا قرن چهارم ق. به ناصبی‌گری شهرت یافت. علیرغم این ویژگی اصفهان، تشیّع به ویژه در شهرهایی چون قم، ری، طبرستان، بلخ، سبزوار و خوزستان در ایران حضور داشت. با سقوط سلجوقیان، افول خلافت عباسی، تسأمح ایلخانان مغول، پیوند تشیّع و جریان تصوّف از یکسو و کوشش‌های فرهنگی شیعیان و حضور علمای شیعه در دربار مغول، زمینه برای رشد مذهب تشیّع در قرن‌های هشتم و نهم ق. در ایران فراهم گردید. همگام با این تغییرات مذهبی و اجتماعی، معماری و تزئینات آن نیز تحت تأثیر قرار گرفت. از آنجا که اصولاً متن اهمیت و ارزشمندی بسیاری در انعکاس شعائر مذهبی جهان اسلامی دارد لذا بازتاب این تغییرات مذهبی بیش از همه در کتیبه نگاری ظهور یافت. پرسش اصلی این تحقیق، روند و چگونگی کتیبه‌های شیعی به ویژه صلوات بر چهارده معصوم(ع)، در بازنمایی تشیّع در اصفهان از ادوار سلجوقیان تا صفویه است. مقاله به روش توصیفی– تحلیلی و آماری همراه با پژوهش میدانی و استناد به منابع کتابخانه‌ای مورد بررسی قرار گرفته است. یافته‌های این تحقیق نشان می‌دهد، به کاربردن شعائر شیعی به ویژه اسامی چهارده معصوم(ع) برای اولین بار در کتیبه‌های قرن‌های هشتم و نهم ق. اصفهان، شاهد مهمی از دگرگونی مذهبی و رواج تشیّع در این دوره می‌باشد. واژه‌های کلیدی: کتیبه‌‌نگاری، اصفهان، تشیّع، تسنّن، سلجوقیان، ایلخانی، تیموریان، دگرگونی مذهبی. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_109234.html A type of the Ilkhanid mihrabs was small moulded tiles, usually glaze in turquoise. Some of them were reproduced from a single mould, which shows that they were usually not custom-made but commercial and mass-produced mihrabs that found their way to mosques at a cheaper price than the lustre mihrabs. By examining the designs and content of the inscriptions, this article seeks to identify the artists and answer the questions of the time and place of their production and their intellectual content. In this paper 26 mihrabs of this type have been introduced, three of which are unknown so far and are being published for the first time. Among these mihrabs, ten dated examples were built between 1229 and 1339-40, and the rest can be dated to the thirteenth and the first half of the fourteenth century. Based on various indications, including the location of discovery of some of them, most of them can be placed in Kashan. The dimensions of the mihrabs are directly related to the content of the inscriptions, so that the smaller mihrabs contain sura Al-Ikhlas or a short Quranic verse, while the larger examples contain suras Al-Hamd and Al-Qadr. Surah Al-Ikhlas is the most common inscription used on these tiles due to its brevity and emphasis on the oneness of God. Shi‘ite tendencies can be seen in some mihrabs, including the name of Imam ‘Ali, the verse of Wilayat and the blessing to the fourteen infallibles. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_109235.html One of the challenging questions in post-Islamic Iranian history is how indigenous identities based on Sassanid descent were preserved or reconstructed. Among these, the Bāvandi family in Tabaristān is a prominent example, as historical narratives link them to a Sāssānid descendant named “Bāv,” from whom the family derived its identity. However, “Bāv” is one of the ambiguous figures in Tabaristān history, mentioned only in a single historical source called “The Tarikh-i Tabaristān” by Ibn-e Isfandyār, and there is no material or historical evidence of him. The main research question of this study is whether “Bāv” — the ancestor of the Bavandid dynasty — was a real historical figure or a construct of local storytelling traditions. The central hypothesis posits that the character of “Bāv” is a fictional amalgam of several historical personalities such as Farrukhzād, Farrukh Hormizd, Vistahm, and Abulfarkhān Zaynabi, crafted to legitimize the Bāvandid lineage during the post-Sāsāniān period. The objective of this article is to critically examine the historical credibility of “Bāv” through the comparative analysis of textual sources, local narratives, and archaeological evidence. The research methodology follows an analytical-critical approach, drawing upon primary sources (especially The Tarikh-i Tabaristān by Ibn Isfandiyār), archaeological findings, and cross-referencing of conflicting accounts. The findings show that the period of Bāv's life is uncertain and full of narrative gaps, and no evidence of him has been recorded in non-local sources. Therefore, the character of “Bāv” should be considered a legendary and fake figure created in order to legitimize the Bāvands. https://jhss.ut.ac.ir/article_109239.html Employing a descriptive-analytical methodology and grounded in the principles of diplomatics, this study provides a historical and stylistic analysis of a collection of unpublished Qajar-era decrees (farāmīn) and orders (arqām). The records, which pertain to the appointment, confirmation of positions, and granting of annuities to members of the Mollā-bāshi family, serve as a coherent case study. They provide a basis for re-examining and evaluating some of the prevalent generalizations within the diplomatics of this period. In this article, following a meticulous reading of the texts, both the internal components (such as the tahmīdiyyeh or doxology, preamble, main text, and epilogue) and the external features (like the tughrā or imperial monogram, seals, and endorsements) of each document are analyzed in detail and compared with established patterns. The findings indicate that, contrary to some general assumptions, elements such as the tahmīdiyyeh lacked uniformity across the decrees of different Qajar monarchs, and sections like the supplicatory phrases in the epilogue were optional, influenced by the scribe’s stylistic discretion and the recipient’s status. Furthermore, the documents clearly demonstrate the dominance of the ‘adabī-dīvānī’ (literary-bureaucratic) prose style, shaped by the Bāzgasht-e Adabī (Literary Return) movement, wherein the administrative function of the document is interwoven with rhetorical embellishments. Ultimately, the article argues that analyzing homogenous, local collections of documents not only helps refine the principles of diplomatics but also reveals the mechanisms of interaction between the central government and local elites, along with the complex administrative hierarchies at the provincial level.