alireza gudarzi

Scholars have been reading Assyrian texts for over a hundred years to locate the toponymys mentioned in the inscriptions. Some of these toponymys are located on the eastern borders of the territory of the new Assyrian empire in western Iran, one of which was the Ellipian kingdom. Inscriptions of the Neo Assyrian Period from Ashurnasirpal II (866 B.C) to Ashurbanipal (639 B.C.), had referring about 250 years to the Ellipian kingdom. Most archaeologists have located the Ellipian kingdom north of Pish-Koh in Luristan and south of Kermanshah. Over the last two decades, after the attribution of Genre of Luristan ware (Baba Jan III painted ware) to the kingdom of Ellipi by Louis Levine and later Yana Medvedskaya, researchers have tried to analyze the different cultural finds such as this type of ware in the context of the kingdom. The reason of researchers for attribute Genre of Luristan ware to Ellipian kingdon is the concurrence and distribution of this type of ware in the territory considered for kingdom of Ellipi. This study seeks to use the Historical archaeology approach, which relies on interpreting historical textual information in the context of archaeological data to provide an accurate and comprehensive analysis of this issue. This research indicates that attributing the archaeological findings of the early first millennium BC such as Genre of Luristan ware, to the kingdom of Ellipi is not valid. This attribution should be considered a hypothesis; basing it on analysis of findings will lead to misguidance and inaccurate results. On the one hand, there is no actual historical evidence for the exact location of the kingdom of Ellipi in the Pish-Koh of Luristan. On the other hand, according to the existence of nomadism in this region, adapting the distribution range of archaeological data such as Genre of Luristan ware with the historical information in Assyrian texts is problematic.

This paper discusses the situation of social policy in Iran under the rule of the modern state through the spatial coverage of the social security system. The investigation using documentary and a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods has considered the inequality amongst provinces under the shadow of social security which in the recent century has led to a situation of the center-peripheries. Territorial centralism of the modern state and consequently the Tehran-axial which itself mutually fosters centralism and center-peripheral inequality, a system of planning from above and distribution of occupation opportunities, industry and services, and the allocation of social policy-making, economic and welfare resources based on the capital in the period of Pahlavi state and its continuation into the period of the Islamic Republic has resulted in spatial imbalance and reduction and stabilization of the political-economic and social situation of marginal regions which so-called the peripheries. Inequality and distance between regions in the shape of center-peripheries has led to the imbalance in the coverage of the social security system throughout the country since the social security system and its insurances expand following the cycle of industries, employment and services.

During the first half of the 1st millennium B.C, the inscriptions of the Neo-Assyrian Period from Ashur-nasirpal II (866) to Ashurbanipal (639 B.C.), had referred to Ellipian kingdom for ca.250 years. The first recorded of interaction between Assyria and Ellipi dates back to 866 BC, and certainly before which Ellipi was exist, because the royal Assyrian inscriptions mentioned only to such areas which they have political skirmish. Researchers of hundred years ago introduced the Ellipi kingdom as located in the east of neo- Assyrian empire reading of Assyrian inscriptions; they also briefly addressed in related research of the history and historical geography of western Iran and the Toponymy mentioned by the Assyrian texts. But, so far resorted to the inscriptions, except the general position of Ellipi in relation to other western Iran kingdoms, other aspects of Ellipian historical geography is still ambiguous; such as the exact scope of political institutions, economy and livelihood, religion and etc. of the given kingdom. As long as the lands of Ellipi accurately be rebuilt, the archeology of Ellipi including any stylistics of cultural material would be incomprehensible and impossible to prove. While about the contemporaneous neighbors such as Neo- Elamite, Mana and Media kingdoms there are good evidences. The resources available for historical geography of Ellipian kingdom is limited to historical texts and archaeological data; the historical data on one hand limited to Assyrian inscriptions, which often political sententious zoom describes their version of victories. On the other hand, no written documents from Babylonians and especially Elamite inscriptions have mentioned Ellipi while on the basis of some evidence there have been good relationship with Ellipi. But despite all problems listed above, studying historical geography of Ellipian kingdom, the balls and other neighbors, such as reviews material resources and political basins, others neighbors like Media and Elam, putting together all the evidence and information, can be obtain to have reliable reconstruction. Here, with the comprehensive utilization of historical sources and archaeological data in the light of the geographical features of the region, it is tried to have reliable reconstruction of historical geography of Ellipian kingdom based on new archaeological evidences and Assyrian texts. According to this study, Caspian people who lived in the Eastern Luristan by the beginning of the 1st millennium BC, have been able to establish the Ellipi kingdom. A great achievement for this people which even earlier of the Medes and Persians and contemporary with Manna were achieved. Kingdom of Ellipi include original range of Pish-kuh which from the north limited to the Grien mountains in Harhar, in the northeast to along the Grien and in the East to Oshtoran-kuh to Media, from the south in the basin Seymareh to Elam, in the West to Kabir-kuh and in the North-West to South Harsin to Bit-Hamban. Also kingdom of Ellipi consisted of several state government centers entitled “Royal Cities” and “Fortified Cities“. In addition, the special climate of the area provided an special nature of Ellipian kingdom. So, that most of the population of the territory have livelihoods on the basis of nomadic and livestock as well as the political elite of this state was habitant in very different places and smaller than other known centers neighbors, like Susa of Elamite and Hegmataneh of Media. One of these centers can be Baba Jan of level III which King of Ellipi where manage the kingdom.

During the kingship of Fath-Ali Shah-e Qajar numbers of mosques were built in some of the Iranian cities which named “Soltani mosques”, on behalf of the king’s name. One of these mosques was built in Borujerd which replaced with the Jame’ Mosque and became the most important building in the city during Qajar period. This had strong relation with Bazaar as placed in the middle of Bazaar with three main gates opened to the biggest trade center of the city. Of the most important features of the mosque are numerous inscriptions of which 19 samples were studied. These studies show that 7 samples of inscriptions provides comprehensive information about the city of Borujerd such as Muslim conflicts with other minority residents of the city; 2 samples are about the function of the mosque as a religious school. 4 samples are about the exact construction date of the monument in 1209 Hijri and the others are about different subjects including the repairing procedure of the mosque during 1291-1293, praise and admiration of Holy Imams and the importance of the mosque in salvation of the people as well.

Silver Coins analysis technique (PIXE), seems an accurate method of measuring their constituent elements. It can offer valuable information about the chemical elements and minerals from the coins living in the coinage. During the Parthian Mint due to various reasons, the usual procedure would change the coins for melting metal, also chose a new mineral. During the reign of the Phraates IV (38-2 B.C.) As well pre (Mitridat I 171-138 BC.), silver coins, including one derhami and four drahmy coins were bronze and copper. The silver coins to the value of the metal and geographies that in turn, were more important than practice. In this study, 10 samples of coins - a complexity Phraates IV by the PIXE were tested. It spectroscopy revealed that the element silver coins in them varies greatly. Silver drop on some coins represent an abnormal situation of economic complexity and effort to win control of the state mint for reign. 

Due to the lack of enough information for studying the long period of Parthians, the coins are the best sources of information. There is a direct relation between elemental analysis of coins and the economic and political conditions at the period of their minting. In the current study, 12 silver coins including 8 samples from the period of Mitridat I and 4 samples from the period Mitridat II are analyzed using XRF. This test showed that at the period of Mitridat I the amount of silver in the coins was 90/863 to 96/869 percent. This large amount of silver in the coins indicates the opulence of Parthians which was the outcome of mastering the Mesopotamia trading path and pillages obtained by plundering the rich temples of Elimaid. The test on the samples of Mitredat II period reveals that the amount of silver in the coins varies from 95/671 to 65/995 percent. This significant reduction in silver content from last years of Mitriedat II period is the result of Gutares independence (who overpowered Babel and its trading path) and losing Susa. Losing these rich areas caused economic problems for Parthia ns at that period. Due to the shortage of silver, mints decreased the amount of silver used in the coins and replaced it with copper.