Studying the Middle Persian/Pahlavi Documents from the Late Sasanian and Early Islamic Periods
2025
RFD21
This research sheds new light on the little-known aspects of the codicology and palaeography as well as the material analysis of the Pahlavi documents from Fars, Hastijan, and Tabaristan. These documents are written on various materials, including textile, parchment, and leather.
The Fars Documents were discovered in a cave in Tang-e Bulaghi, located in the Fars province in the south of Iran. To date, ten documents are known. The documents date from 587 to 620 CE, covering the reigns of the Sasanian kings Hormizd IV and his son Xusrō II, both of whom are mentioned in the texts.
The Pahlavi Archive of Hastijan is a collection of Middle Persian documents consisting of 432 documents, including both intact and fragmentary documents, from the late Sasanian and early Islamic periods. Most of the documents are financial records, but the collection also includes some private letters. In the documents, one can find the names of some villages that are placed today in three provinces: Qom, Isfahan, and Markazi in central Iran. However, for a long time, the origin and discovery location of these documents remained unknown. Recent research has revealed that this collection was discovered in a cave near Hastijan village in Delijan County, Markazi Province, Iran.
The Tabaristan Archive was discovered in a cave in the Savadkuh region in northern Iran. The documents primarily concern legal matters. To date, 32 documents are known, all of which are held in private collections. These documents date from 722 to 758 CE.
This research includes, first, codicological studies. This includes studying the methods of cutting documents, the dimensions, the features of the pens, and the way of sealing documents. Some of the textiles used in these documents generally have a triangular cut, a feature not seen in leather and parchment. Additionally, there is a textile document with a semi-circular cut. Leather and parchment documents are primarily rectangular or square, though occasionally they are asymmetric. Analysing and classifying these documents based on their cutting methods could aid in categorising the documents. Examining the methods of rolling, tying, and sealing documents reveals several distinctive practices. The methods used for cutting and sealing receipts differ from those used for official letters. Additionally, there are significant differences in the rolling and tying methods between official and unofficial letters. A comprehensive investigation is required to fully understand these methods and their variations. The type of pen used in these documents remains uncertain. During the exploration season in the Hastijan Cave, a pen was discovered. This pen has not undergone radiocarbon dating, so its age is unknown. Therefore, examining the pen’s shape and comparing it with the shape and formation of the words may help determining if some documents were indeed written with this type of pen.
Second, it employs palaeographical studies: The evolution of the cursive Pahlavi script is reflected in the evidence remaining from Dura-Europos (circa 250 CE), the Pahlavi Psalter, and the Zoroastrian books, and finally in the variety found in documents and letters from the late Sasanian and early Islamic periods. By closely examining the characters in these manuscripts, we might divide them into at least three groups: 1) The first group includes documents where the script is less cursive compared to others, indicating a transitional phase from the book Pahlavi script to the late cursive Pahlavi script. This group includes Sasanian papyri from Egypt, all Fars documents, and some Hastijan documents. 2) Documents in the second category represent the next stage in the evolution of the cursive Pahlavi script. Based on the date of the documents, they were written in the years not far from the fall of the Sasanian empire. 3) The third step demonstrates the final stage of the evolution of the Pahlavi cursive script in this archive. These documents were written approximately 30 to 107 years after the death of Yazdgird III, the last Sasanian king. Therefore, the temporal scope of our research extends from the late reign of Ohrmazd IV (around 580 CE) to year 107 of the post-Yazdgird era (758 CE). This allows us to study the changes in the writing of cursive Pahlavi script over a period of 178 years. This knowledge enables more precise classification of documents into distinct subcategories and enhances the identification of documents lacking clear dates.
Third, the project conducts a comprehensive material analysis of the diverse artefacts. With a focus on the examination of various materials like textiles, parchment, leather, and paper, the study sheds light on the production techniques, preservation status, and historical contexts. Through detailed analysis utilising techniques such as spectroscopy, microscopy, and radiography, this project enhances our understanding of the physical composition and condition of the collection, thereby facilitating scholarly research, preservation strategies, and future exhibition endeavours. The outcomes of this material analysis will not only contribute to the academic understanding of the archive but also pave the way for potential interdisciplinary collaborations and further exploration of the cultural heritage preserved within these invaluable documents.
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Project lead: Nima Asefi