جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه "tower of silence" در نشریات گروه "تاریخ"

One of the burial methods in the Zoroastrian religion is the Xwaršēd Nigerišnand the placement of the corpse in the towers of silence. With reference to the classical sources and archeological findings, this burial tradition has been reported in the Zoroastrian religion from the beginning of the historical period until today. So far, few studies have been carried out on the tower of silence of Ray. These studies often focus on description of the site and its architectural features. It is not possible to acquire a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of this architectural structure and the construction history of the site by solely relying on these studies. This research tries to evaluate the evolution of the architecture of the tower of silence of Ray from the early to the late Islamic centuries. In addition, it seeks to obtain evidence regarding the relative construction dating of the site. As a result, this research tries to answer two questions: 1) how was the original architectural structure of the tower of silence of Ray and what architectural developments have taken place in it? 2) With reference to the literary sources and comparative studies, when was the tower of silence of Ray constructed? In order to find answers to the aforementioned questions, a descriptive-analytical method has been used. The library method, alongside with field and comparative studies were the most important information gathering means for this investigation. The results of this study indicates that the tower of silence of Ray belongs to the Early Islamic period and continued to be used up to the Late Islamic era. Furthermore, the comparative study of the architectural structure of the site, while confirming the proposed dating, places the tower of silence of Ray alongside with the tower of silence of the Yazd Mountain and the ancient Dakhma of Kerman in a particular generation of towers of silence. A generation that continued the tradition of the Pre-Islamic era towers of silence and represented the towers of silence of the early Islamic centuries.

Unlike Sasanian period, we haven’t got more information about Zoroastrian burial customs in Islamic period. The early Islamic funerary inscriptions give some information about burial practices in this period. The Yazdgerdi calendar dates on these epitaphs provide an absolute date for them in the first three centuries of the Islamic period. Until recent excavation at Tepeh Qaleh Khalachan weren’t any evidences of Zoroastrian burial customs in Middle Islamic period. In Archaeological excavation of Tepeh Qaleh Khalachan a roofed tower of silence was discovered. Model of this structure before have been found in Bandyian in Dargaz from Sasanian period. In this paper tried to answer three questions about structure and burial custom. What is exactly the feature of Zoroastrian burial custom in Middle Islamic in Iran? What are mutual and different features between Tepeh Qaleh Khalachan and Bandyian towers of silence? What is precisely important of this roofed tower of silence in archaeological studies of Islamic period? Because some mutual features has been supposed influence of Bandyian on Tepeh Qlaeh Khalachan tower of silence. Besides, Zoroastrian mirror communities had Some influences on burial customs. Methodology of present paper is analytical descriptive. Archaeological data of Tepeh Qlaeh Khalachan and Bandyin have been investigated and at the same time, library resources about Zoroastrian burial customs, towers of silence and Zoroastrian communities in Islamic period have been studied. This paper showed tower of silence was a burial custom in Middle Islamic in Iran and had some mutual roots with Bandyian ones. Best example of these mutual features is a roof on these two towers of silence. What it shows roofed towers of silence continued to Middle Islamic period in Iran. Hence it is plausible if someone supposes towers of silence in Yazd, Kerman and Rayy are belonging to the second generation of towers of silence in Iran what is dating to after Middle Islamic period.

Archaeological data and textual sources provide information on Zoroastrian burial customs in Iran that could read and investigate in their context. One of these burial customs is burying the body into the towers of silence. This ritual practice canonized in Zoroastrian religious texts such as Vidēvdāt and documented in historical sources and archaeological findings. Beside Central Asia one what comparable to the first generation of towers of silence this funeral practice reported from Sasanid to the Late Islamic period. Although all of these burial structures mentioned as the towers of silence (Dakhma), there are plenty of architectural structures, from the beginning to the Late Islamic period; from the platforms of xwaršēd nigerišn to roofed towers of silence; from rooms of ossuary to central well (sarāda) of towers of silence. This paper has tried to thanks to archaeological findings and historical sources recommend some relative dating on towers of silence. Besides, the formal evolution of these burial structures has investigated from the Sasanid to the Late Islamic period. Hence, there are some questions to answer. 1) How are the continuation and evolution of the architectural structure of towers of silence from the Sasanid to the Late Islamic period? 2) Which elements caused the evolution of the architectural structure of towers of silence? 3) Is it possible to find a relative dating about the date of construction of these burial structures based on the evolution of the architecture of towers of silence? For the answer to these questions, a descriptive-analytical method has used. Field and library studies and comparative studies are the most important methods of this illustration. This study will show towers of silence follow four different architecture methods. The quality of roof covering, the way of exposure, the divide of burial spaces, location of a central well, how to enter to xwaršēd nigerišn places, details of architectural structure and creation of some buildings related to burial are the most important towers of silence diversities factors. There is some reason for these diversities: 1) emigration of Zoroastrian communities to Yazd 2) cultural relation between Iran and India Zoroastrian communities, 3) Maneckji Limji Hataria activities in Iran