Document Type : Original Article
Author
Assistant Professor, Department of History, University of Birjand
Abstract
Abstract
Pilgrims to the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (AS) have historically offered various objects, both directly and indirectly, as votive offerings (Nozur). Coins has been a significant part of these offerings. These coins were gold, silver, copper, and other alloys, which varied widely in terms of their minting date and geographic origin, and these factors directly influenced their eventual fate. No systematic research has been done so far to explore methods of these votive coins of the Astan Quds Razavi. This study tried to find an answer for this question: What has been the trajectory of votive coins in the Astan Quds Razavi from the late Qajar period to the Islamic Revolution? Relying on unpublished archival documents, this study showed that during periods when votive collection was leased to contractors, the precise fate of the coins remains undocumented. However, during the deputy custodianship of Pakravan, these coins were formally sold. From 1328 SH (1949) onward, following the minting of commemorative coins for the birth of Imam Reza (AS), damaged and soldered coins provided the raw bullion for new coins. Moreover, votive coins were used in the renovation of sacred doors such as those of Dar al-Siyadah and Payine Pa, and the construction of Zarih. Only a small part of the coins that have significant historical value was selected to be preserved in the numismatic museum. This historical study was done using the administrative documents of the Astan Quds Razavi.
Introduction
The act of pilgrimage to the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza has long been accompanied by the offering of many objects from various cities of world. Financial offerings have been traditionally deposited into the holy Zarih or delivered to the specialized Votive Department. Cash offerings consisted of both banknotes and coins, the latter playing a fundamental role in the economic system of the Qajar and early Pahlavi eras. Therefore, a substantial part of coins from across the Islamic and non-Islamic world have been annually dedicated to the Holy Shrine. Beyond their economic value and material composition, the critical issue is in the fate of these endowments. This study tried to see what happened to these coins. It also tried to understand what specific applications these coins had, and if the historical significance of the coins influences their fate.
Materials and Methods
This research used a historical-analytical method and focused on archival documents, contemporary periodicals, and library sources to explore the functions of votive coins from the late Qajar period to the beginning of the Islamic Revolution. The data was obtained from the documents and periodicals of the Astan Quds Razavi Document Center to see what happened the donated coins of the pilgrims.
Results
The archival references to worn Gherans of Qajar era in the votive offerings showed that coins had a distinct trajectory compared to other donated artifacts. After the Constitutional Revolution, all revenues of the Astan Quds Razavi were delivered the treasury and storehouses of this organization. During the deputy custodianship of Pakravan, the management of coins became more transparent, with votive coins delivered to the central treasury. Donating the coins generally occurred in two forms: formal presentation or deposition into the holy Zarih. Then, an official office titled Votive Presentations was established in the early Pahlavi period.
One way of using these coins was direct sale. Part of the offerings, deemed to possess significant numismatic value, was reserved for the Astan Quds Razavi treasury and museum. The 1966 mission of the expert Malekzadeh Bayani to evaluate the museum’s collection shows that professional numismatists were invited to determine the historical significance and preservation viability of these coins. This period marked the formal consolidation of the Astan Quds Coin Museum.
A significant usage of votive coins was raw materials for the decoration of the Holy Shrine. Specifically, these coins served as the primary bullion for the construction and restoration of gold and silver-plated doors. The door connecting Dar al-Sorour to Dar al-Sa’adah was among the first cases of using melted votive coins. Similarly, the door between Dar al-Siyadah and Dar al-Hefaz, as well as the repairment of the Paeine Pa door, used this source. Furthermore, votive coins provided the metallurgical base for the construction of the famous Shir va Shekar Zarih.
The most remarkable uses of these coins were their use as the material for minting commemorative birth anniversary coins of Imam Reza, a practice that became standard in 1949. The Treasury and Museum Department melted the gold and silver offerings into ingots. In some cases, the Astan Quds Razavi delivered these offerings directly to the National Bank of Iran (Bank Melli) for professional smelting. On other occasions, the administration exchanged heterogeneous votive fragments for standard silver coins to streamline the minting process for the commemorative issues. From 1328/1949 onward, the main aim of votive coins was its conversion into raw bullion for new commemorative mints, a process that effectively returned the pilgrims' offerings back into the economic and religious cycle.
Results
Coins constituted a fundamental component of the votive offerings presented by pilgrims at Imam Reza Holy Shrine. Once collected, these numismatic artifacts followed diverse trajectories, with the methods of their utilization evolving in accordance with the administrative policies of successive deputy custodians. During the early Pahlavi era, coins were either sold to moneychangers or distributed as ceremonial gifts (Eidi) during the festivities celebrating the birth of Imam Hussain. Under the administration of deputy custodian Pakravan, votive coins were systematically sold to the National Bank of Iran. From 1333/1954 onward, coins that were considered to lack historical significance were liquidated through public auctions. Conversely, following the inauguration of the Astan Quds Museum, select specimens of antiquity and historical value were preserved for public exhibition.
Coins unsuitable for preservation were designated for smelting. A major functional application of these votive materials was their integration into the repairment of the Holy Shrine’s doors. Archival evidence confirms at least three instances of such reconstruction, specifically the doors connecting Dar al-Sorour to Dar al-Sa’adah, Dar al-Siyadah to Dar al-Hefaz, and the Paeine Pa, where melted votive coins provided the necessary metallurgy. This practice was also extended to the fabrication of the Shir va Shekar Zarih. With the inception of the commemorative minting of Imam Reza’s birth-anniversary coins, a new usage for meltable votive coins appeared. The historical trajectory of these offerings showed that while the majority were returned to artistic or economic cycles, a distinguished minority of pristine and historically significant coins achieved permanent status in the collection of the museum.
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