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IRANSAGA
Iran (Persia)
"The Country and History"
This Section of Iransaga includes informative and interesting facts
and photographs
relating to Iran; the country, it's history and people.
(Please click on the "titles"
to enter each section.)
| IRAN'S
HISTORY |
| PERSIA
OR IRAN, THE HISTORY
A brief history,
pre-twentieth century:
( In Eleven Chapters )
"... For more than three thousand years
Persia was a melting pot of civilizations and demographic movements
between Asia and Europe. Under Cyrus the Great, it became the
centre of the world's first empire. Successive invasions by
the Greeks, Arabs, Mongols and Turks developed the nation's
culture through rich and diverse philosophical, artistic, scientific
and religious influences ..."
A CHRONOLOGY
OF PERSIAN HISTORY
This chronology
catalogues and compares Iran's colourful history with that of
the rest of the world from 4000 BC to modern times. |
| CYRUS
THE GREAT,
THE PHENOMENON
An insight into
the background, life, and achievements of Cyrus the Great:
"Cyrus is regarded as one of the most
outstanding figures in history. His success in creating and
maintaining the Achaemenian Empire was the result of an intelligent
blending of diplomatic and military skills and his rule was
tempered with wisdom and tact ..." |
THE
FESTIVAL OF YALDA
A brief
history, and the traditions of the Festival of Yalda:
"... In Iran, the winter solstice
has been celebrated for centuries and it is called
Shab-e yalda, which refers to the birthday or rebirth
of the sun ..."
|
THE
FESTIVAL OF NOE-ROOZ
A brief
history, and the traditions of the Festival of Noe-Rooz
(Persian New Year):
"... Noe-Rooz occurs at the
exact time of the Vernal (spring) equinox, when the
length of night and day are equal. Translated literally,
Equinox means "Equal Night" ..."
(This
is a revised version of the article on Noe-Rooz)
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THE HEROIC
AGE OF PERSIA
This section
provides a brief insight into the age of legends:
"... Knowledge of the early inhabitants
of prehistoric Iran is limited. The earliest written records
of the Iranians are the old Persian cuneiform inscriptions
of King Darius I in the 6th century BC, but a long history
preceded them. This early history is drawn from Persia's legendary
past, and reflects the attitudes of society of that time ..."
|
PERSIAN
MYTHS |
CREATION
OF THE WORLD
"... In ancient Persia, it
was believed that the sky was the first part of the
world to be created. It was originally described as
a round empty shell made of rock crystal, passing
beneath as well as above the earth. Water was created
next, followed by the earth ..."
|
THE
GODS OF ANCIENT PERSIA
"The
religious texts of the Zoroastrians are rich with
information on the ancient Persians and their gods.
These texts include the Avesta and later sources such
as the Bundahishn and Denkard. Within the Avesta,
the gods, heroes and fabulous creatures mostly appear
in the section known as the Yasht ..."
|
LEGENDARY
CREATURES
( Good & Evil)
"The
traditional tales and stories of ancient Persia describe
confrontations between good and evil, the victories
of the gods, and the exploits of heroes and fabulous
supernatural creatures.
The Avesta is one of the primary sources for these
stories ..."
|
|
| IRAN
THE LAND AND THE
PEOPLE |
| IRAN
(PERSIA), THE COUNTRY
General facts;
the Land and the People:
"Always known as Iran to its people,
the country for centuries was referred to as Persia by the Europeans.
Both names are widely used today. Its position as a vast natural
fortress, with mountain ranges, enabled the Persians to preserve
their individuality in spite of the conquests by the Arabs,
the Turks, and the Mongols ..." |
| SOME
OF IRAN'S
MAJOR CITIES AND PROVINCES |
| TEHRAN
The Capital City:
"As well as being the provincial capital,
Tehran is also the political, economic and intellectual capital
of Iran. The city is situated at the foothills of the Alborz
mountain range, and its province extends from the southern slopes
of the Alborz into the Dasht-e Kevir desert ..." |
ISFAHAN
Historical
cities of Iran:
"The vast province of Isfahan,
is located almost in the centre of Iran between Tehran
and Fars. Although it is mostly arid, there are several
high mountains (Mount. Karkas at 3899m) and rivers
such as the Zayandeh Rud that dominate its landscape
..."
|
SHIRAZ
Historical
cities of Iran:
"Shiraz has been the centre
of Fars Province since the 7th century AD, and it
has provided a capital for several Islamic dynasties.
Its most important function, has been as a major artistic
centre, synonymous with learning, nightingales, poetry,
roses and at one time, wine ..."
|
|
HAMEDAN
Historical
cities of Iran:
"... Hamedan, ancient Ecbatana,
is one of the oldest cities in the world, and according
to legend (Ferdowsi), Hamedan was founded by the mythical
King Jamshid ..."
|
PERSEPOLIS
Brief
History and Pictorial Tour:
"Persepolis was one of the
ancient capitals of Persia, established by Darius
I in the late 6th century BC. Its ruins
lie 56 km (35 miles) northeast of Shiraz, Iran ..."
|
|
THE
CASPIAN COAST
The Provinces of Gilan and Mazanderan
An overview
of this beautiful part of Iran:
"... The Iranian coast of
the Caspian stretches for 630 kilometres (391 miles)
from Astara in the west, on the border with the Republic
of Azerbaijan, to the Bandar-e Torkaman region in
the east, near the Republic of Turkmenistan.
Two provinces, Gilan and Mazanderan occupy this coastal
belt ..."
|
MASHHAD
(Khorassan Province)
A historical
and holy city:
"... Mashhad is Iran's holiest
city, visited each year by over 12 million pilgrims.
Mashhad literally means the Place of Martyrdom. The
city is very sacred to Shi'ites, as the place where
the eighth grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, Imam
Reza, died in 817 ..."
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