Tales of Persia’s Wondrous Past [The ‘Shahnameh’ mourns the loss of Iran’s pre-Islamic...]

Wall Street Journal: Leisure & Arts ^ | 7/25/2009 | EMILY ESFAHANI SMITH

[sionnsar]

Before the Islamic Revolution dimmed the Iranian literary imagination in 1979, and before an expanding Islam swept Iran into its Arab empire in the seventh century, there existed the rich and colorful Iran recounted in Ferdowsi’s “Shahnameh,” or the Book of Kings. Nearly four centuries after the Arab conquest, the “Shahnameh” tells the story of pre-Islamic Iran—when Persian civilization was at its zenith.

The epic proceeds through the reign of many monarchs, chronicling the at times legendary, at times mythological, and at times quasihistorical stories of each reign. Then, with the Arab conquest, the chronicle comes to an end. This might seem to mark the end of Persian civilization, too. But Ferdowsi’s masterpiece, composed about A.D. 1000, both went on to inspire the greatest Persian miniature paintings and retrieved Iran’s lost identity—along with its language, which still survives.

The epic is not only a remembrance of a wondrous past but a mourning of the passing of that history and all that falls prey to “the absolute of all tyrants, time,” says Azar Nafisi. ...

[sionnsar]

Ping

[Hegemony Cricket]

Pre-islamic Persia would definitely be in my top ten time travel destinations...

[combat_boots]

True. Abbasids. “1001 Nights.” Sheherazad. Numerous others. Beautiful architecture. Rife with Byzantine intrigue. The Hashisheen. Library at Merv that Genghis Khan destroyed.

Pre-WWI book, “Ali & Nino” is back in print. Marvelous but sappy. Good description of the period including Georgia.

Farsi is Indo-European, so it has the verb ‘is’ and some related words to English. Written in Arabic letters though.

Oh yes. Hellenic culture. Alexander went through there & back, but got stuck at the Indian elephants. Alexander married a Persian whom his Greek wife killed. Actually, she was Afghan. Killed her in Persia though.

[aruanan]

Pre-islamic Persia would definitely be in my top ten time travel destinations...

Well, pre-Islamic almost anywhere.

[StilettoRaksha]

THANKS!

[nuconvert]

I’m told that the best printed Shahnameh are from Moscow, and the best movies made based on Shahnameh are Russian also.

[Habibi]

“Well, pre-Islamic almost anywhere.”

Early in the Islamic conquests, it wasn't so bad. However, things went south fast. Even the Jews were incorporated into the mix fairly nicely, since they were “of the book”.

That's certainly no longer the case. Unearned wealth, coupled with relatively uneducated populations has resulted in some crazy contemporary Islamic populations. That, and some truly mind boggling inbreeding (but that's another story). All told, Arabic Islam is living through their own version of the dark ages, and afflicting themselves on innocent populations just like they did on the Hindus and Sikhs of India. Even though they were invaded over a thousand years ago, they are still viewed as the boogey men by those populations.

[odds]

“I’m told that the best printed Shahnameh are from Moscow”

I’m wondering who told you that, and in what context?

“and the best movies made based on Shahnameh are Russian also.”

And, to which best movies you’re referring?

[odds]

“True. Abbasids. “1001 Nights.” Sheherazad.”

The Abbassids were the second Arab-Muslim Caliphs (not Iranians or Persians), who ruled Iran immediately after the first Arab-Muslim rulers of Iran (the Umayyads Arab Caliphs).

“1001 Nights” is, essentially, known as The “Arabian Tale”; it is from the Arab-Muslim Caliphate era in Iran. It is a hotpotch of certain pre-Islamic Persian folklore & literature, combined with the Egyptian, Indian, Mesopotamian ones. It has little to do with the intentions of Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh.

[odds]

hotpotch = hotchpotch

[nuconvert]

If you look at where Ferdowsi is from, and the history of that region, it may make more sense. Also, since Iranians don’t trust the regime, the best versions along with the movies (and some of the most expensive printed books) are considered from Moscow.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%87+%DA%86%D8%A7%D9%BE+%D9%85%D8%B3%DA%A9%D9%88&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

[odds]

lol, I know where Ferdowsi is from, thanks. Since you don’t read or speak Persian, I am wondering where you got the Persian link from. I found your comment misleading.

Had you said Tajikistan or even Afghanistan (about Ferdowsi)- “in the region” - it would have made much more sense to me; historically too.

Try looking for Tajikistan in particular & for “movies” about Shahmaneh too. By the way, Afghans & Tajiks are not Russians; certainly not “the Moskovite Russians” to have had any historical interest in Shahmaneh.

As for region: Iran, as known for past 100 years, at least & today, shares a massive border with Russia & is in “the region”; not to mention that centuries ago, prior to and during Ferdowsi’s era, Iran actually included Afghanistan & Tajikistan, republic of Azarbaijan and a few others on its Eastern border, which you now call in “that region”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_9VkIijFgQ

[nuconvert]

“prior to and during Ferdowsi’s era, Iran actually included Afghanistan & Tajikistan, republic of Azarbaijan and a few others on its Eastern border,”

I know that - thanx. And Tajikistan was part of USSR

[combat_boots]

I’ll see your Firdowsi & raise you Umar Khayyam’s “Rubaiyyat” and Rumi’s “Masnavi.” I’ll even throw in Bernard Lewis & Samuel Huntington. Oh, & Ibn Sina.

If you didn’t want opinions and agreement, which the post was ment to do, why not expect someone whose study goes back decades?

The Abbasid absored the Arab influence, just like with Alexander. Khorasan was the most interesting to me though. The waves of invasions and conquest. And Georgia/Azerbaijan. The edge of culture.

The writings of Mary Renault in their entirety, though largely about WWI, are nevertheless intriguing, especially “The Persian Boy.” She was from Mozambique.

All those off-coast listeners learning from desert-loving English. DLI knows its stuff.

[sionnsar]

I’m told that the best printed Shahnameh are from Moscow, and the best movies made based on Shahnameh are Russian also.

I suppose I should ask LoM about this, for something accessible to one who does not know Parsi (or Russian).

[SunkenCiv]

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[nuconvert]

Maybe Odds can make some suggestions

[SunkenCiv]

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Shahnameh: The Persian Book of Kings by Abolqasem Ferdowsi, tr by Dick Davis, foreword by Azar Nafisi additional titles Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition Paperback

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[norton]

Thanks, we needed that.