Tools and Supplies for Dusting Ceremonies and Over-Ḍarīḥ Service in the Raḍawī Holy Shrine as Narrated by Documents and Museum Objects

The dignity and sacredness of holy places and pilgrimage sanctuaries has gradually turned their dusting and cleaning into special ceremonies and rituals, for which specific equipment and tools have been developed. In the present research, by using the descriptive-analytical method and referring to the archive sources and museum objects, it is attempted first to give a brief history of the manufacture and donation of each of these tools to the Raḍawī Threshold and then explain their application and describe their specifications. It was clarified during this study that the manufacture and application of these tools date back to the Safavid period; and endowments and donations have had special position in their appearance. A part of these tools and supplies have been used in special dusting ceremonies of the ḍarīḥ (burial chamber), some have been utilized in over-ḍarīḥ service ceremonies, and some others have been used jointly in both ceremonies.