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Culture of Iran

Like the Persian Rug that exhibits numerous colors and forms in a dazzling display of warmth and creativity, Persian culture is the glue that bonds the peoples of western and central Asia. In the words of Iranologist Richard Frye:

"Many times I have emphasized that the present peoples of central Asia, whether Iranian or Turkic speaking, have one culture, one religion, one set of social values and traditions with only language separating them."

The culture of the peoples of these lands have many sides and aspects to them, discussed below:

Contents

Persian language


The Persian language has been in continuous use for over 2500 years. See Persian language. Yet it is a subset of the Iranian languages.

Persian Art

Persian Music

The music of Persia goes back to before the days of Barbod in the royal Sassanid courts. See article on Persian Music and here for a list of musicians.

Persian Architecture

See Persian Architecture

Persian rugs

Gottfried Semper called rugs "the original means of separating space". Rug weaving was thus developed by ancient civilizations as a basis of architecture. Persian rugs have a history dating back over two millennia. See Persian rugs

Persian Gardens

The Persian Garden was designed as a reflection of paradise on earth; the word "garden" itself coming from Persian roots. The special place of "The garden" in the Iranian heart can be seen in their architecture, in the ruins of Iran, and in their paintings. See Persian Gardens

Women in Persian culture

In the tales of the 1001 Nights, it is a woman, Sheherazade, who is the protagonist and heroine of the frame tale. See Persian Woman

Persian literature

Persian literature inspired Goethe, Ralph Waldo Emerson and many others. See Persian literature and the List of Iranian authors and poets.

Iranian Cinema

Films from Iran have been celebrated worldwide. Perhaps the best known director is Abbas Kiarostami.

Iranian traditional holidays

Persian contributions to humanity

From the humble brick, to the windmill, Persians have mixed creativity with art. Here are some of the cultural contributions of Iran:

Sources

  1. Islamic Science and Engineering. Donald Hill. May 1994. Edinb U Press.
  2. The Crest of the Peacock : The Non-European Roots of Mathematics. George Ghevarghese Joseph. July 2000. Princeton U Press.
  3. Introducing Mathematics. Ziauddin Sardar. Totem Books. 1999.

See also

External links

Last updated: 05-14-2005 14:31:57