A predominantly bibliographic blog for Iranian Studies
The conference will once again centre on the Achaemenid Empire and those borderlands that research has only sporadically looked at so far: the Central Asian east, India and the Indian Ocean in the south-east, as well as the steppe regions in the north and north-east. The focus here is on interactions not only in spatial but also in temporal dimensions and thus on the systematic recording of innovations, breaks and continuities.
Organized by Robert Rollinger
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The Summer School in Oriental Languages is a unique opportunity to study languages and scripts that are often described as rare, even though they are spoken or have been spoken by millions of speakers, in the form of major and minor courses. This summer school offers top-level teaching and the most recent research findings in Oriental languages and literature, with ECTS credits awarded upon validation.
From the website
The Summer School of Oriental Languages is organised by the University of Lausanne and will be held at the Venice International University (Italy), from 10–19 July 2025.
For more information about the programme, registration, and ECTS requirements visit the website. The deadline for registration is 30 May 2025.
5:30pm-7:00pm
Further details: https://www.festival.cam.ac.uk/events/new-epigraphic-discoveries-ancient-bactria
Booking is required for this talk. To book a place, email info@indiran.org
Bactria is the Greek name for the area around the city of Bactra, modern Balkh in northern Afghanistan. During most of the first millennium CE, the principal language of this region was Bactrian, a language related to modern Persian and Pashto but written in a local adaptation of the Greek alphabet. This language was almost unknown until the discovery over the past 30 years or so of a large body of Bactrian documents written on parchment, together with a few important inscriptions carved on stone. In this talk I will discuss some of the most recent discoveries, concentrating on what they contribute to our understanding of the history of the region. The earliest, an inscription of the Kushan king Vima Taktu discovered in Tajikistan in 2022, dates from the beginning of the 2nd century CE. Although very short, it has made possible the partial decipherment of an accompanying text in a previously undeciphered script and language. The latest, the inscription of Jaghori in southern Afghanistan, is dated in the mid-8th century and records a battle between a local and an Indian prince, possibly a prelude to the replacement of the dynasty of the ‘Turk Shahis’ by that of the ‘Hindu Shahis’. In between these two extremes comes a still unpublished collection of letters written on birchbark, which seems to be the archive of a local ruler who was a vassal of the Sasanian kings of Iran in the late 4th century.
Nicholas Sims-Williams is Emeritus Professor of Iranian and Central Asian Studies, SOAS University of London, and Chair of the Ancient India & Iran Trust.
Wednesday, April 2, 2025 at 4:00pm Pacific
Royce Hall 306
Hybrid Zoom option available
Registration required
Speaker: Yuhan Sohrab-Dinshaw Vevaina
The Sūdgar Nask of Dēnkard Book 9 is a commentary on the ‘Old Avesta’ of the 2nd millennium BCE produced in Pahlavi (Zoroastrian Middle Persian) in the Sasanian (224–651 CE) and early Islamic centuries. This commentary is a value-laden, ideologically motivated discourse that displays a rich panoply of tradition-constituted forms of allegoresis. It mobilizes complex forms of citation, allusion, and intertextuality from the inherited Avestan world of myth and ritual in order to engage with and react to the profound changes occurring in Iranian society. Despite its value and importance for developing our nascent understanding of Zoroastrian hermeneutics and the self-conception of the Zoroastrian priesthood in Late Antiquity, this primary source has attracted scant scholarly attention due to the extreme difficulty of its subject matter and the lack of a reliable translation. This 2-volume work represents the first critical edition, translation, and commentary of this formidable text which will contribute to the philological, theological, and historiographical study of Zoroastrianism in a pivotal moment in its rich and illustrious history. Reading the Sūdgar Nask is a hermeneutic process of traversing texts, genres, and rituals in both the Avestan and Pahlavi corpora, thus activating nodes in a web or network of textual and meta-textual relations that establish new forms of allegoreses or meaning making. It is argued that this entire hermeneutical complex of weaving a ‘new’ text composed of implicit proof text and explicit commentary renews, extends, and, ultimately, makes tradition.
An international conference convened by:
M. Rahim Shayegan, UCLA
William Schniedewind, UCLA
Catherine Bonesho, UCLA
March 13-14, 2025 | 306 & 314 Royce Hall
UCLA
Co-sponsored by:
The Pourdavoud Institute for the Study of the Iranian World
The Alan D. Leve Center for Jewish Studies
Although there has been renewed interest in the Persian period in biblical scholarship, the profound impact of the ancient Iranian world on the biblical books of Esther and Daniel has often been taken for granted. From their dynamic portraits of foreign kings and Jewish communities in the imperial court to their use of Iranian institutions and literary traditions, it is impossible to disentangle the books of Esther and Daniel from their ancient Iranian contexts. This conference foregrounds the influence of the ancient Iranian world on Esther and Daniel and its lasting impact on ancient Jewish communities.
In organizing this conference, we hope to offer a truly interdisciplinary analysis of Esther, Daniel and ancient Iranian Studies by inviting speakers specializing in subjects related to Second Temple Judaism, Hebrew Bible, and the Achaemenid Empire. Topics explored at the conference include Jewish constructions of the diaspora and Persian court, Achaemenid religions, Aramaic scribalism, and imperial ideology and hybridity.
We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Mobed Mehraban Firozgary, a distinguished Zoroastrian priest, on 7 March 2025. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and community.
FEZANA‘s announcement is here. Amordad‘s announcement, in Persian, is here.
From FEZANA’s announcement:
Mobed Mehraban Firozgary was a distinguished Zoroastrian priest, deeply revered for his unwavering dedication to the spiritual and cultural preservation of the Zoroastrian community in Iran. For over four decades, he served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Tehran Anjuman e Mobedan (Council of Mobeds), playing a pivotal role in guiding religious practices and upholding traditions.
FEZANA
Renowned for his profound knowledge of the Avesta and Yasna prayers, Mobed Firozgary was instrumental in the ordination of new priests through the Nowe Zooty (Navar) ceremony, ensuring the continuity of priesthood in Iran. His commitment to religious education inspired many young Zoroastrians to embrace and perpetuate their ancestral faith.
Beyond his religious duties, he was appointed by the Iranian Justice Ministry as the Chief Registrar for Zoroastrian marriages in Tehran, reflecting the trust and respect he garnered within both the religious and broader communities.
His lifelong dedication to the Zoroastrian faith and his community has left an indelible mark, ensuring that the rich traditions and teachings of Zoroastrianism continue to flourish.
SOAS Shapoorji Pallonji Institute of Zoroastrian Studies
and
Department of Religions and Philosophies (SOAS)
in collaboration with the
World Zoroastrian Organisation
St Petersburg
Thursday, 1 May 2025, 6pm
Location:
Khalili Lecture Theatre
SOAS Main Building
Russell Square
London, WC1H 0XG
This is a public lecture. However, registration is essential for both in-person and online attendance. Please visit this link to register.
In this lecture, Prof. Lurje will attempt to summarise what we know of fire worship in Sogdiana (the land in present-day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan) which was inhabited by eastern Iranian people. These groups, being active traders on the Eurasian tracks, developed a sophisticated culture in the pre-Islamic period. The images on mural paintings and other media, archaeological discoveries, and the few references in the written texts show that worship in front of a fire was a significant part of the ritual practices of Sogdians. However, some ritual features that relate to the kindling of fire can be questioned. In some cases, the fire rituals depicted or described have a direct link to Zoroastrian practices spanning from Sasanian Iran to the present day. In many other cases, however, they have an unmistakable relation to the Buddhist incense burning known in Gandharan, Serindian and Chinese contexts of the first millennium CE. These later instances, however, could be a heritage of the worship practices of the pre-Buddhist population of the Indo-Iranian frontier region.
The 5ᵗʰ Zoroastrianism Summer School Zoroastrianism in a Global World offers a unique opportunity to explore one of the world’s oldest religions as it continues to shape lives in India, Iran and the U.K. Over the course of this programme, you will explore the rich traditions, rituals and contemporary dynamics of Zoroastrian communities, gaining valuable insights into their culture and heritage.
Spaces are limited, so don’t miss this opportunity to broaden your horizons and gain a deeper understanding of a living tradition. To find out how to apply, please visit our website.
Co-organised by the SOAS Shapoorji Pallonji Institute of Zoroastrian Studies and the Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture of the University of Irvine, California, this summer school is a great opportunity for those students who take an interest in anthropology, art history, archaeology, philosophy, religions, language, cultures and history. It provides an opportunity to meet other students passionate about Zoroastrianism and to network with leading academics in the field.
This seminar series marks the 50th anniversary of the death of R.C. Zaehner (1913-1974), Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics and Fellow of All Souls (1952-1974), British agent in Tehran, Catholic convert, and a prolific and controversial writer on mystical experience, comparative religion, and the Christian encounter with other faiths. This series will explore Zaehner’s work and its legacy. Lectures will take place (unless indicated) on Thursdays at 4pm in Lecture Room 1 of the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. They will also be streamed online.
Buhler, Alexandra. Zoroastrianism in India and Iran: Persians, Parsis and the flowering of political identity. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
This book examines the Zoroastrian community in the late Qajar and early Pahlavi period beyond the borders of Iran to trace this Parsi-Persian relationship. A major theme is the increase in philanthropy directed to the Zoroastrians of Iran by the Parsis and the involvement of the British in encouraging Parsi feelings of patriotism towards Iran. The book shows that not only were Parsis affected by events taking place in Iran, they also contributed to the broader change in attitudes towards Zoroastrians in that country.
Description
Buhler’s book will be launched at an event in SOAS. For more information, see this link.
