Journal of Documentary and Archival Studies

Abstract Among the reasons of historical fame of Gonabad is its long history in constructing qanats and endeavors to keep and exploit them for agriculture and horticulture in this desert region. Taking a descriptive-analytical approach and relying on the documents of Astan Quds Razavi, this study examined the taken measures for keeping the fruitfulness of a number of endowed qanats of Gonabad from Safavid to Qajar period. This study sought to answer the questions: How much did the trustees of Astan Quds Razavi pay attention to dredging as a significant act to maintain the endowed qanats of Gonabad? What measures and factors were required for and optimal dredging? The results showed that despite the ups and downs over the past centuries, Astan Quds Razavi as the trustee of a number of qanats of Gonabad had considered and done dredging the qanats to maintain the agriculture of the region and make the ground for providing the locals’ livelihoods. Moreover, by accepting the dredging operation of qanats as a specialization, the organization has considered providing financial capital, sufficient time, employing specialized manpower, and providing needed tools and equipment. However, some factors have been affecting the level of dredging, the way of performing, and the outcomes, including the political situation of the region at that time, the way of performing the conventional work structure for dredging qanats by skilled and experienced well diggers, the level of providing necessary expenses for wages and materials, and the quality and number of needed instruments and facilities.

Abstract Seals are among the significant elements that confirm and consolidate the documents of every period. Seals possess the socio-political, anthropological, and religious messages of every era. Therefore, exploring and understanding the features of the seals in those periods demonstrate the structure of correspondences. The judicial and administrative correspondences and related issues of Afsharid era that is a short period in the history of Iran have so far not been explored. This study tried to explore the features of the seals in the court, religious, and economic documents of this period. The aim was to see how much the seals have been used in the documents of this period. Moreover, the study tried to see what changes had been made in the text of seals according to the status of owners of seals. Exploring The position of the seals in Afsharid documents was another purpose of this study that focused on the documents of the Document Center of Astan Quds Razavi. A sample of the documents was selected. They were chronologically classified considering the type and content. The results showed that religious issues and the names of the owner are of high status in the text of seals. The position of the seals differs according to the kind of the documents. The study also showed that seals had been used more frequently in the documents of the Shahrokh period than in the documents of the Nader Shah period.

Abstract Afsharid and Zand periods as short and transitional period (1135-1210 AH) was between the Safavid and Qajar periods. Although the interaction between religion and government was at the highest level in the last two periods, in Afsharid there was no interaction and in Zand period it was limited. After the fall of Safavid dynasty, Afsharid government did not support religious scholars officially, and the scholars were not active in politics domain. Migration to Atabat Aliat and India and secluding in cities and villages indicate their absence in political issues. Historical studies show that due to Nader Shah’s approach to religious issues and breaking away from the religious activities of Safavids, religious scholars could continue their education and propagation activities. A good instance is the scholars who stayed in the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza and engaged safely in their educational activities. Other examples are the religious activities of such outstanding scholars as Khatounabadi, Khansari, Majlesi, and Tabatabai. Such examples show that though Afsharids did not politically support Safavid Shi’ism and pertaining religious activities of society due to external reasons and internal legitimacy, religious scholars and those of responsible of religious affairs performed their social activities in the society.