Caspian

This study aimed to identify and document archaeological sites within the catchment area of the Azaroud Dam and to prepare an archaeological map of the region. The primary research question was whether there is evidence of historical human settlements in the Azaroud Dam reservoir area and how environmental and geological factors have influenced the formation or absence of such settlements. The methodology was based on a field survey of the region. The results indicate that there is no evidence of historical human settlements within the Azaroud Dam reservoir area. Only scattered fragments of eroded pottery were found along the riverbanks, likely transported to the area by seasonal floods from upstream regions. Environmental and geological analyses also reveal that factors such as dense forest cover, steep slopes, difficult terrain, and annual torrential rainfall have created unfavorable conditions for the establishment of permanent or even temporary settlements in this area. However, these findings are limited to the reservoir area, and the possibility of human settlements in adjacent areas, particularly in upstream regions with gentler slopes and flatter terrain, cannot be ruled out. Despite this, the significant tourism potential of the studied area, both naturally and due to the construction of the Azaroud Dam, can play a prominent role in attracting investment and promoting sustainable development in the region.

Duels, despite their cultural visibility and symbolic significance, were never a common nor universal form of conflict resolution. In the Iranian tradition, as presented in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, however, they hold a special place as an element of the hero’s ethos. This raises questions about the extent of the practice of such encounters and about their ritual, whether the fighting took place on foot or on horseback. The article addresses this issue in the context of pre-Islamic Iran, juxtaposing three perspectives: the narrative of Ferdowsi’s epic, historical accounts concerning rulers and commanders, and the iconography of reliefs. In the Shahnameh, mounted combat appears as the most prestigious form, yet the poet subtly challenges its superiority, pointing instead to victory as the true criterion of honor. The comparison of these three sources allows for a deeper understanding of the significance of duels in pre-Islamic Iranian tradition.

The Bayazid Bastami complex, located in Bastam, Semnan province, is considered one of the outstanding examples of the Iranian religious architecture during the Ilkhanid era. Due to the existence of a renowned Sufi’s shrine, Bayazid Bastami (161-234 AH), this complex has attracted the attention of different reigns and kings since the very early Islamic period, and numerous constructions have been performed in this monument during various periods from the Deylamiyān (Deylamites) dynasty to the Qajar period. Most of the constructions in this complex and also the restorations conducted here relate to the Ilkhanid era, and particularly to Sultan Muhammad Ghazan Khan’s reign (694-703 AH) and Sultan Mohammad Khodābandeh Öljaitü’s time (703-716 AH). Thanks to his high regard for Bayazid, Öljaitü even selected his own children’s names according to Bayazid’s name and titles: Bastam, Bayazid, and Ṭayfūr. In various Ilkhanid buildings and extensions in Bayazid Bastami’s complex, numerous inscriptions can be seen that have adorned the architectural elements of this complex. Due to the existence of multiple features and the religious importance of this part, inscriptions on the mihrab of this mosque, called Mardana or Bayazid, have been widely investigated and analyzed from different aspects, including ritual, artistic, and historical. In the present research, a descriptive-analytical methodology has been applied, and the data have been collected from documentary and field studies with a theoretical approach to study the cultural history.  

The relationship between Rome and Parthia is one of the most important issues in ancient history. Still, only some scholars, such as archaeologists, historians, and linguists, have written books and articles about this subject. Rome, Parthia, and the Politics of Peace, The Origins of War in the Ancient Middle East, by Jason M. Schlude, is a new book in this field.