Journal of Documentary and Archival Studies

Abstract The credibility of a document depends on its seal. The issue can be seen sealed by people’s names in many documents such as the documents of Astan Quds Razavi administrative sections. All over history, the seal stamps have had artistic features and showed various religious, social, cultural, and political aspects of their holders. Women as part of the society had stamps and their stamps had special features based on their social position. Since signature was replaced seals in Pahlavi period, women and men who have not been literate continued to use their own seals, and this issue has continued until now. This study tried to explore the form and content of women’s seals, identify their features, and compare them with men's seals, considering their social status. It also tried to examine the seals of working women with those of other women considering the kind of document. The results showed that until the Qajar period, the seals of middle and lower-class women were less common because of their religious limitations in being present in all activities of society. Over the period, their seals can be found to be usually on behalf of a lawyer, but court women in all period have always had one or some seals, which are mentioned in some documents. During the Qajar era, when seal become popular among various groups of the society, women's seals became valid and was considered as valid as men’s seals, though their seals differed to some extent in terms of the crown, shape, decorations, place, and type of document, and even the degree of crediting.

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 This study tried to explain reason underlying emergence and durability of Mashhad street stream (Upper and Lower Street streams) using its physical characteristics from the beginning of its construction to the end of Qajar period. This stream was constructed just after building the first street by Shah Abbas in Safavid period. The stream then was extended to the fertile lands outside the city. This historical descriptive research used historical documents and written sources. The results showed that the construction of a stream from Cheshmeh Gilas to Mashhad had been the unique choice of rulers for supplying drinking and agriculture water of the city since the end of the 9th century. Over the reign of Shah Abbas, the new river was combined with the new unique street of the city, and a comprehensive endowment deed was designed to prepare the mechanism for its continuous maintenance. Although later, the clarity and physical splendor of the river decreased due to the violation of the terms of the endowment, the street that protected the stream in the worse conditions, provided the ground for its revival when the things became stable.

Abstract This study aimed to explore the functioning of all types of archives (national archives, governmental and non-governmental organizational archives, television archives, and thematic archives) regarding the evaluation of resources that come under the umbrella term “film” (motion pictures). Movies are used, cited, and, categorized into at least two formats. This study was done using translating and commenting the third and fourth chapters of the Kula’s book entitled The archival appraisal of photographs: A RAMP study with guidelines. It was followed by summarizing and concluding based on the researcher’s experiences regarding archival documents and exploring the behavior of archival institutions of Iran. The findings of Kula and results of examining cases in Iran show that the mission, goals, tasks, and type of archives (national, organizational, and thematic) directly impact on making provision policies as well as identifying, and determining, and applying the components and criteria of evaluating audio-visual documents (for long-term storage or erasing).

Abstract Astan Quds Razavi as an endowment organization in line with the goals of Islamic Revolution and emphasizing on Razavi culture and tradition could have an outstanding role in different domains. Participating in the Iran-Iraq war by supporting the frontiers of the war and the presence of its employees in the war are considered important steps in the history and changes of this organization. When Hoveyzeh was taken back in 1982, Astan Guds Razavi proposed and Imam Khomeini ordered the organization to reconstruct it. Considering the facilities, materials and human resources, designing managers tried to design and reconstruct the city according a project timeline. Reconstructing Hoveyzeh in the least possible time and using the best materials and the knowledge of Iranian specialists show undoubtedly Jihadi thought and Islamic management in reconstructing war destructed regions. Investigating different reconstruction steps of Hoveyzeh and the problems it faced, this study sought to answer the questions: Why Astan Quds Razavi started reconstructing Hoveyzeh in the middle of the war? Were the urbanism style, the historical identity, and the urban architecture of the reconstructed city based on the culture of that region? Taking a descriptive-analytical method and using documents on the reconstruction of Hoveyzeh and interviews, the study tried to answer these questions.

Abstract Many document centers and libraries are now facing diverse problems in organizing, maintaining, and protecting audiovisual resources. Some of the centers keep the archival collections in a traditional way using too simple technical facilities. The main concern of these centers is providing technical solutions for organizing and creating an integrated system of protecting these collections that are indeed documents. This study focused on experience of organizing and protecting methods taken by Astan Quds Razavi Document Center, explored the methods of preparing resources for easy organizing and protecting, and then provided some suggestions in this regard.

Abstract The relations between Iran and Japan experienced ups and downs since 1941 due to the tensions caused by World War II. This caused japan to invest in Iran so later after the end of the war even though the country was viewed a model in Asia in recovering its lost power and progress in the economic-industrial structure. The commercial and political relations between Iran and Japan improved to some extent after the peace treaty, but the start of the Fourth Development Plan (1968-1972) provided a good opportunity for japan to find its place in the market of Iran. This study tried to find out that according to the purposes and principles of the Fourth Development Plan, how the industry and technical knowledge was transferred from Japan to Iran in terms of quantity and quality. The study focused on the motivations, contracts, abilities and capabilities of Japan and Iran and evaluated the level of relations regarding economic and cultural exchanges. Relying on the documents, reports of Iran Planning and Budget Organization, negotiations of the National Consultative Assembly, and the newspapers, this study aimed to examine economic policies and descriptively and analytical evaluate these relations and the expansion of relations based on the Fourth Development Plan. The results showed that the mutual relations continued and were expanded due to Iran’s efforts and the need of Iran Planning and Budget Organization for buying equipment, obtaining loans, and benefitting from the technical knowledge of Japanese experts in industry and Japan’s desire to buy oil and the raw materials from Iran and selling the products.

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.

Abstract Coffeehouses or cafes have been the main rendezvouses or gathering places over the history. Some studies have dealt with out-of-city cafes, yet the information on them is little. Using the survived documents, this study tried to identify and introduce the main rendezvouses and recreation places of Isfahan in the 1940s. Documentary method was used to investigate a set of documents. After rewriting and analyze them, the stories about the cafes in the studied time and places are restated. The cafes that have been out of Isfahan’s residential area, have been the gathering and recreation places for the residents of the city. Such issues were common in the places as criminal activities, drug use, and alcohol consumption. People’s object to the criminal activities of the places and their request of the Directorate of the city to stop their activities, made the organization to close them. The owners of the places, however, started witting letters and setting complaints, and succeeded to restart their activities after a year.

Abstract The holy shrine of Imam Reza (the most significant gathering place of Shias in Iran) and Astan Quds Razavi have always been offering the opportunity for Shiite governments to show their true respect to Shiite Imams through proper managing and providing services to their pilgrimage. They have also tried to legitimize, establish, and continue their own rule though such activities. Therefore, proper managing of all properties and issues has been among the priorities of Shiite rulers, including Qajar rules. Relying on archived written orders and documents and comparing them, this study investigated the economic status of Astan Quds Razavi in the late Qajar era managed by Zahir al-Islam (Brother-in-law of Mozaffar al-Din Shah) and the custodian’s economic performance. The issue is under-investigated. Appointed by Ahmad Shah Qajar, he managed the organization for two periods (1334-1335 AH and 1338-1339 AH) and faced various economic challenges like Astan Quds’ rental properties. The results of comparative investigation of the periods showed that Zahir al-Islam’s economic initiatives in the second period was more extensive than those in the first period, but he faced budget shortage necessary for supporting various parts of Astan Quds and failed to effectively change the economic status of the organization. The reasons could be the unstable political structure and ineffective administrative ordinances in the late Qajar era, lack of required cooperation between Astan Quds and related organizations, unsuccessful implementation of economic agenda proposed by Zahir al-Islam, and more significantly, decrease in the cash and commodity rents of the endowed properties