History & Society

The Anahita Temple of Kangavar, after years of neglect and damage caused by construction activities, has entered a new phase of protection, archaeological investigation, and site management. With the completion of infrastructure projects, plans for an archaeological museum, and the continuation of excavation and conservation work, the site is now being prepared as part of the proposed “Parthian–Sasanian Archaeological Landscape from the Temple of Anahita to Taq Kasra” nomination.

Arshtat (Avestan: arštāt) is a female yazata, or divine being worthy of worship, in Zoroastrianism, embodying the principles of rectitude, justice, truth, and righteousness. The name arštāt derives from the Avestan root meaning "upright" or "straight," signifying both the divinity and the principle of rectitude. She represents an abstract moral force that supports ethical order (asha) and is invoked alongside other deities to promote cosmic and human harmony.

The Ram Hunting Plate is a beautiful artifact from the Sassanid period, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The plate is beautifully gilded with mercury, silver, and gold, and decorated with black ink, and in a hunting scene that takes us back more than 2,000 years, the Shah of Iran from the Sasanian dynasty, believed to be Bahram V, is majestically and authoritatively hunting rams.

Shahnameh Research Society — Jalal Khaleghi-Motlagh states:

“From the perspective of national significance, the Shahnameh, by promoting the idea of a ‘worldly homeland’ (mihan-e jahani), was able to become a counterweight to the promotion of the idea of ‘homelandlessness of the world’ (jahan-mihani) in mysticism. It has played, and continues to play, an important role in the historical, cultural, and national self-awareness of Iranians.”

Approximately four millennia ago, the Achaemenid Empire emerged as, according to many historians, thinkers, and philosophers of history, one of the earliest examples of professional governance in human civilisation. The Achaemenids established a model of statecraft based on organised administration, institutional structures, legal frameworks, and a system of governance capable of managing one of the largest and most culturally diverse political entities of the ancient world.

The Achaemenid Empire (c. 550–330 BCE), founded by Cyrus II (Cyrus the Great), governed one of the largest and most diverse political entities of the ancient world. Stretching from the Balkans and Egypt to Central Asia and the Indus Valley, the empire incorporated dozens of ethnic groups, languages, legal traditions, and religions. Rather than attempting to homogenize these populations, the Achaemenids developed a sophisticated administrative framework built upon centralized royal authority, provincial autonomy, bureaucratic professionalism, and respect for local institutions.

The Panji observances, according to the ancient Zoroastrian calendar, began on 21th Tir and continued for five days.

The Armenian Genocide of 1915–1917 represents one of the most consequential episodes of mass violence in modern history and remains a central case study in genocide scholarship. This article examines the destruction of Armenian communities within the Ottoman Empire during the First World War, focusing on the relationship between state policy, wartime security concerns, demographic transformation, and genocidal intent. Drawing upon Ottoman archival materials, diplomatic correspondence, survivor testimonies, demographic studies, and the broader historiography of genocide studies, this article analyzes the mechanisms through which mass deportation evolved into systematic destruction.

About the Author

Yahya Zoka (1923–2001) was an Iranian scholar, university professor, historian of Iranian art, and one of Iran's foremost experts on artistic heritage. He was born in Tabriz.