Fakhredin Blog
The posts in this weblog are mainly about history, heritage, language, art, and culture of Persia (that is named Iran since 1934). Persia is, therefore, equal to Iran, and Persian is equal to Iranian. Note that Persian is a nationality not an ethnicity. Pars (or Fars) is the major ethnicity in Persia but there are also Persian Kurds or Arabs. Similarly, the official language in Persia is Persian (Farsi is the local name and may not be used internationally). For more details please read my posts.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Happy Persian new year, the year 1386
* Also available in Persian language
Labels: General
¶ 1:07:00 am 0 Comments
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Persia. 30 centuries of Art & Culture
The Hermitage in St. Petersburg has a splendid collection of Persian works of art. It includes many interesting pieces covering the whole of Persian history from antiquity to the end of the Qajar dynasty (1785-1925). From antiquity there are several sculptures, among them a fragment from the ruined city of Persepolis, and gold produced by the Scythians from the area north and west of the Persian Empire. Several gold objects were originally owned by Tsar Peter the Great. From the Islamic period come beautiful examples of Persian earthenware: tiles – renowned for their lustre decoration and once part of famous mausoleums – , vases and dishes. Weapons, made of steel and gold and inlaid with coloured stones, also demonstrate the Persians’ sublime mastery of this art. The Qajar period shows the Western influence on traditional Persian art: here the objects are chiefly diplomatic gifts and military trophies. The rich collection in St. Petersburg makes it possible to present an impressive survey of the history of Persian civilisation.
Source: Hermitage Amsterdam
* Also available in Persian language
The Hermitage in St. Petersburg has a splendid collection of Persian works of art. It includes many interesting pieces covering the whole of Persian history from antiquity to the end of the Qajar dynasty (1785-1925). From antiquity there are several sculptures, among them a fragment from the ruined city of Persepolis, and gold produced by the Scythians from the area north and west of the Persian Empire. Several gold objects were originally owned by Tsar Peter the Great. From the Islamic period come beautiful examples of Persian earthenware: tiles – renowned for their lustre decoration and once part of famous mausoleums – , vases and dishes. Weapons, made of steel and gold and inlaid with coloured stones, also demonstrate the Persians’ sublime mastery of this art. The Qajar period shows the Western influence on traditional Persian art: here the objects are chiefly diplomatic gifts and military trophies. The rich collection in St. Petersburg makes it possible to present an impressive survey of the history of Persian civilisation.Source: Hermitage Amsterdam
Until 30 March the Hermitage Amsterdam is closed for the public. On Saturday 31 March they start a new exhibition "Persia. 30 centuries of Art & Culture".
From 31 March till 16 September 2007 the Hermitage Amsterdam is open daily from 10 am till 5 pm. (Closed on 30 April!)
The Hermitage Amsterdam is located at:
Nieuwe Herengracht 14, Amsterdam
Labels: Art, Persian heritage, Persian history
¶ 10:20:00 pm 1 Comments
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Reactions against the film "300"
I read in the BBCPersian news that many Persians (Iranians) considered the film "300" offensive, and reacted against it by signing petitions and creating a Google bomb. Instead of protesting against the film, I have another suggestion: please have look at these short films about "Engineering an Empire - the Persians" in YouTube. It would give you a better image of what the Persian Empire really was.
Nevertheless, I think that the reactions of Persians (Iranians) should be re-directed from the film "300" to some more important issues. Unfortunately at the moment Persian Empire is a "Forgotten Empire" in the sense that people do not directly connect it to the current country of Persia (Iran). Not many people know that Persia is the same as Iran. We are still suffering from the wrong decision of Reza Shah who changed the international name of the country. That decision in the last 70 years created much more serious consequences than a film like "300"; the name of the language, for instance. People do not see a direct connection between Persian language and Iran as a country anymore, while connection between Persian language and Persia is obvious. Many people in the West even think that Iran is an Arabic country with Arabic as the official language. That's also why the conflict about the name of Persian Gulf is not a big deal for the Western people, and introducing Persian scientists as Arabs does not wonder them. Gradually, a country named Persia, and everything associated to it, is vanishing from the present and stays solely in the history. These facts are more troublesome than a film such as "300." In a few years, nobody will remember the film, but the negative effects of the above mentioned problems are growing every day.
My suggestion is to re-direct the efforts. Let's try to introduce the fact that "the country should be officially named Persia (not Iran) in international conversations again," and that "the language should be officially named Persian (not Farsi) in international conversations." Please note that "Persian" is a nationality not an ethnicity; it simply means "native of Persia." In order to improve the international image of the country, Persians (natives of Persia) should first stop arguing between themselves. Turks, Kurds, Lurs, Pars, Arabs, Baluchs, and all the ethnic groups who live in Persia (Iran) are Persians. The same way that we have Iraqi Kurds and Turkish Kurds, we have Persian Kurds. The same way that we have Kuwaiti Arabs and Saudi Arabs, we have Persian Arabs.
Talking about the film, to my opinion the best way to react against the barbarian image of Persians in the film is not a direct reaction. Signing petitions or making a Google bomb against it will only make the film more popular, and people will remember the film not as a fiction anymore but as an image of Persians. On the contrary, the best way to defend the image of Persian Empire is to introduce the true beautiful image of it to the audience. It's already a long time that a film about Cyrus the Great is going to be made. Where is it? Why is the project not progressing? These are more important issues to take care of, much more important than the petitions against the film "300."
Again, I suggest re-directing these efforts. Let's sign petitions in favour of the film "Cyrus". If the project is suffering from lack of budget, let's make an international effort and collect a financial support for that. Let's make exhibitions, seminars, etc. to introduce the beauty of Persia to the world. For example, instead of getting upset that why Xerxes the Great is shown as a barbarian in the film, why Avicenna is being introduced as an Arab scientist in some international symposiums, or why Rumi is sometimes being introduced as a Turk poet, Persians, themselves, should start introducing the true image about their history, culture, and heritage to the world.
The last point that I like to mention about the film "300" is that the film is receiving an attention from the audience not because it is anti-Persian. Majority of people just go to this film because it is a fiction with nicely-made special effects. I do not deny that it gives the audience a negative feeling about Persians. I only say that people do not go to the film just because of that. Therefore, if the film "Cyrus" is going to be made, it would better be made with the best cast and crew. Most people will not go to that film because they are in love with Cyrus the Great. They just like to see a nice film, and hopefully it will also give them a positive image of Persians.
* Also available in Persian language
I read in the BBCPersian news that many Persians (Iranians) considered the film "300" offensive, and reacted against it by signing petitions and creating a Google bomb. Instead of protesting against the film, I have another suggestion: please have look at these short films about "Engineering an Empire - the Persians" in YouTube. It would give you a better image of what the Persian Empire really was.Nevertheless, I think that the reactions of Persians (Iranians) should be re-directed from the film "300" to some more important issues. Unfortunately at the moment Persian Empire is a "Forgotten Empire" in the sense that people do not directly connect it to the current country of Persia (Iran). Not many people know that Persia is the same as Iran. We are still suffering from the wrong decision of Reza Shah who changed the international name of the country. That decision in the last 70 years created much more serious consequences than a film like "300"; the name of the language, for instance. People do not see a direct connection between Persian language and Iran as a country anymore, while connection between Persian language and Persia is obvious. Many people in the West even think that Iran is an Arabic country with Arabic as the official language. That's also why the conflict about the name of Persian Gulf is not a big deal for the Western people, and introducing Persian scientists as Arabs does not wonder them. Gradually, a country named Persia, and everything associated to it, is vanishing from the present and stays solely in the history. These facts are more troublesome than a film such as "300." In a few years, nobody will remember the film, but the negative effects of the above mentioned problems are growing every day.
My suggestion is to re-direct the efforts. Let's try to introduce the fact that "the country should be officially named Persia (not Iran) in international conversations again," and that "the language should be officially named Persian (not Farsi) in international conversations." Please note that "Persian" is a nationality not an ethnicity; it simply means "native of Persia." In order to improve the international image of the country, Persians (natives of Persia) should first stop arguing between themselves. Turks, Kurds, Lurs, Pars, Arabs, Baluchs, and all the ethnic groups who live in Persia (Iran) are Persians. The same way that we have Iraqi Kurds and Turkish Kurds, we have Persian Kurds. The same way that we have Kuwaiti Arabs and Saudi Arabs, we have Persian Arabs.
Talking about the film, to my opinion the best way to react against the barbarian image of Persians in the film is not a direct reaction. Signing petitions or making a Google bomb against it will only make the film more popular, and people will remember the film not as a fiction anymore but as an image of Persians. On the contrary, the best way to defend the image of Persian Empire is to introduce the true beautiful image of it to the audience. It's already a long time that a film about Cyrus the Great is going to be made. Where is it? Why is the project not progressing? These are more important issues to take care of, much more important than the petitions against the film "300."
Again, I suggest re-directing these efforts. Let's sign petitions in favour of the film "Cyrus". If the project is suffering from lack of budget, let's make an international effort and collect a financial support for that. Let's make exhibitions, seminars, etc. to introduce the beauty of Persia to the world. For example, instead of getting upset that why Xerxes the Great is shown as a barbarian in the film, why Avicenna is being introduced as an Arab scientist in some international symposiums, or why Rumi is sometimes being introduced as a Turk poet, Persians, themselves, should start introducing the true image about their history, culture, and heritage to the world.
The last point that I like to mention about the film "300" is that the film is receiving an attention from the audience not because it is anti-Persian. Majority of people just go to this film because it is a fiction with nicely-made special effects. I do not deny that it gives the audience a negative feeling about Persians. I only say that people do not go to the film just because of that. Therefore, if the film "Cyrus" is going to be made, it would better be made with the best cast and crew. Most people will not go to that film because they are in love with Cyrus the Great. They just like to see a nice film, and hopefully it will also give them a positive image of Persians.
Labels: Art, Persian heritage, Persian history, Persian language
¶ 12:03:00 pm 1 Comments
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Persian heritage threatened
The following article by Maev Kennedy, regarding Persian heritage being threatened by US strike, appeared yesterday in Guardian. I copy the text from the website here (to my understanding, it is not the compelete text of the article). It does not mean that I consider a US strike against Iran (Persia) inevitable. In fact, I do think (and I do hope) that it will never happen. Such a strike is just not logical to me. But, after all, not everything in this world follows logics, does it?
It also does not mean that I consider cultural heritage more important than people's life. No! In any disaster, such as Bam's earthquake in 2003, people's life is the most important issue. I do, however, still regret the destruction of Bam's Citadel every time I think about it. According to this article from Guardian, the site of ancient Babylon (in Iraq) is now an American military base. I regret that too! I hope that these kind of destructions will not be repeated.
Iran's (Persia's) rich architecture and rare treasures threatened by possible US strikes
· Many ancient remains are close to nuclear plants
· Archaeologists anxious to avoid repeat of Iraq chaos
Maev Kennedy
Monday March 05 2007
The Guardian
In his quiet office at the British Museum, among the portraits of long-dead explorers and copies of 3,000-year-old inscriptions, one of the greatest experts on the archaeology of the Middle East has a series of maps of Iranian nuclear installations spread out across his desk.
John Curtis's maps fill him with foreboding: because they show how many of Iran's (Persia's) nuclear plants are perilously close to ancient cultural sites.
Natanz, home to a uranium enrichment plant, is renowned for its exquisite ceramics; Isfahan (Esfahan), home to a uranium conversion plant, is also a Unesco world heritage site and was regarded in the 16th century as the most beautiful city on earth.
Other nuclear installations lie close to Shiraz, dubbed "the city of roses and nightingales", famous for the tombs of medieval poets; Persepolis, the great palace of King Darius I the Great, whose ruins are still magnificent; and the 6th century BC tomb of Cyrus the Great, the Persian ruler who was said to have been buried in a coffin of gold.
Four years ago Dr Curtis was warning that war in Iraq would be a disaster for some of the oldest and most important sites in the world. He has since seen his worst fears confirmed: the site of ancient Babylon became an American military base; thousands of objects are missing from the national museum at Baghdad; and looted artefacts have been illicitly excavated and smuggled out of the country.
Now Dr Curtis dreads seeing history repeated, this time through the escalating threat from the United States against Iran (Persia). "Any kind of military activity whatever in Iran (Persia), whether aerial bombing or land invasion, would inevitably have the gravest consequences, not only for its people but for its cultural heritage - which should be a matter of concern not just to Iranians (Persians) but to the whole world," he said.
"The main nuclear bases would seem the most likely targets - which would directly threaten two major sites, Isfahan (Esfahan) and Natanz." The medieval splendour of those cities, at the height of the power of Islamic Persia from the 13th to the 17th centuries, was built on a cultural history which was already thousands of years old. The history of cities, of writing, of engineering and astronomy began in the ancient centres of Iran (Persia) and Iraq.
"The archaeology is so rich there is almost nowhere that you could say is devoid of interest," Dr Curtis said. "But certainly a list must be compiled of the sites which need the most consideration."
Unlike the looted and still shuttered national museum in Baghdad, in Iran (Persia) the risk is considered less for the national museum in Tehran than for hundreds of major sites with standing buildings and ruins, and thousands of known but unexcavated sites. Some of the structures are in stone, but most are in baked brick with elaborate tile decorations, a building type particularly vulnerable to blast damage.
Apart from Isfahan (Esfahan) and Natanz, other potentially vulnerable sites cover 3,000 years of the world's history: a stepped stone tomb at Pasargadae, within 50 miles of one of the nuclear sites once held the body of Cyrus the Great, the king who enormously expanded the Persian empire and conquered mighty Babylon in 539 BC. And the ruins of the great city and palace at Persepolis are among the most imposing in the Middle East, despite the fact that it was ransacked by Alexander the Great in 330BC, after the Macedonian defeated the armies of the Persian emperor Darius III. The destruction of the palace is still regarded as one of the greatest acts of vandalism in history. Alarm is growing over the potential fate of Iran's (Persia's) treasures. Professor Harriet Crawford, of the Institute of Archaeology in London, one of the archaeologists who sounded the alarm before the Iraq war, said yesterday: "An attack on Iran (Persia) would not only cause thousands more avoidable deaths, but would also risk inflicting
untold damage on its heritage, comparable with that seen in Iraq."
Precious stones
Famous for its 13th and 14th century mosques and shrines, now mostly stripped of their spectacular lustre tiles, which are in museums across the world. Fragile baked-brick buildings; very close to the Natanz uranium enrichment plant.
* Also available in Persian language
The following article by Maev Kennedy, regarding Persian heritage being threatened by US strike, appeared yesterday in Guardian. I copy the text from the website here (to my understanding, it is not the compelete text of the article). It does not mean that I consider a US strike against Iran (Persia) inevitable. In fact, I do think (and I do hope) that it will never happen. Such a strike is just not logical to me. But, after all, not everything in this world follows logics, does it?It also does not mean that I consider cultural heritage more important than people's life. No! In any disaster, such as Bam's earthquake in 2003, people's life is the most important issue. I do, however, still regret the destruction of Bam's Citadel every time I think about it. According to this article from Guardian, the site of ancient Babylon (in Iraq) is now an American military base. I regret that too! I hope that these kind of destructions will not be repeated.
Iran's (Persia's) rich architecture and rare treasures threatened by possible US strikes
· Many ancient remains are close to nuclear plants
· Archaeologists anxious to avoid repeat of Iraq chaos
Maev Kennedy
Monday March 05 2007
The Guardian
In his quiet office at the British Museum, among the portraits of long-dead explorers and copies of 3,000-year-old inscriptions, one of the greatest experts on the archaeology of the Middle East has a series of maps of Iranian nuclear installations spread out across his desk.
John Curtis's maps fill him with foreboding: because they show how many of Iran's (Persia's) nuclear plants are perilously close to ancient cultural sites.
Natanz, home to a uranium enrichment plant, is renowned for its exquisite ceramics; Isfahan (Esfahan), home to a uranium conversion plant, is also a Unesco world heritage site and was regarded in the 16th century as the most beautiful city on earth.
Other nuclear installations lie close to Shiraz, dubbed "the city of roses and nightingales", famous for the tombs of medieval poets; Persepolis, the great palace of King Darius I the Great, whose ruins are still magnificent; and the 6th century BC tomb of Cyrus the Great, the Persian ruler who was said to have been buried in a coffin of gold.
Four years ago Dr Curtis was warning that war in Iraq would be a disaster for some of the oldest and most important sites in the world. He has since seen his worst fears confirmed: the site of ancient Babylon became an American military base; thousands of objects are missing from the national museum at Baghdad; and looted artefacts have been illicitly excavated and smuggled out of the country.
Now Dr Curtis dreads seeing history repeated, this time through the escalating threat from the United States against Iran (Persia). "Any kind of military activity whatever in Iran (Persia), whether aerial bombing or land invasion, would inevitably have the gravest consequences, not only for its people but for its cultural heritage - which should be a matter of concern not just to Iranians (Persians) but to the whole world," he said.
"The main nuclear bases would seem the most likely targets - which would directly threaten two major sites, Isfahan (Esfahan) and Natanz." The medieval splendour of those cities, at the height of the power of Islamic Persia from the 13th to the 17th centuries, was built on a cultural history which was already thousands of years old. The history of cities, of writing, of engineering and astronomy began in the ancient centres of Iran (Persia) and Iraq.
"The archaeology is so rich there is almost nowhere that you could say is devoid of interest," Dr Curtis said. "But certainly a list must be compiled of the sites which need the most consideration."
Unlike the looted and still shuttered national museum in Baghdad, in Iran (Persia) the risk is considered less for the national museum in Tehran than for hundreds of major sites with standing buildings and ruins, and thousands of known but unexcavated sites. Some of the structures are in stone, but most are in baked brick with elaborate tile decorations, a building type particularly vulnerable to blast damage.
Apart from Isfahan (Esfahan) and Natanz, other potentially vulnerable sites cover 3,000 years of the world's history: a stepped stone tomb at Pasargadae, within 50 miles of one of the nuclear sites once held the body of Cyrus the Great, the king who enormously expanded the Persian empire and conquered mighty Babylon in 539 BC. And the ruins of the great city and palace at Persepolis are among the most imposing in the Middle East, despite the fact that it was ransacked by Alexander the Great in 330BC, after the Macedonian defeated the armies of the Persian emperor Darius III. The destruction of the palace is still regarded as one of the greatest acts of vandalism in history. Alarm is growing over the potential fate of Iran's (Persia's) treasures. Professor Harriet Crawford, of the Institute of Archaeology in London, one of the archaeologists who sounded the alarm before the Iraq war, said yesterday: "An attack on Iran (Persia) would not only cause thousands more avoidable deaths, but would also risk inflicting
untold damage on its heritage, comparable with that seen in Iraq."
Precious stones
- Persepolis
- Isfahan (Esfahan)
Famous for its 13th and 14th century mosques and shrines, now mostly stripped of their spectacular lustre tiles, which are in museums across the world. Fragile baked-brick buildings; very close to the Natanz uranium enrichment plant.
- Tomb of Cyrus the Great
Labels: Persian heritage, Persian history
¶ 11:55:00 pm 0 Comments
