Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• Mazhar Advay ¹
• Mustafa Ebrahimi ²

¹ PhD and postdoctoral researcher in history، Tehran University,Tehran, Iran.

² PhD student in history , Ferdowsi University of Mashhad،Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Livelihood, nutrition, and the way collect food in past by people, is part of the study of social history.By researching on these topics, we can get acquainted with food, how it is prepared, produced, stored and consumed in the past. In this article, the role of dates in the daily life of the people of Shaldan village in the south of Fars province,during the years 1921to1978 has been discussed. Dates in this village were prepared in different ways and along with bread, they were the main food of the people of Shaldan. In addition,dates were used medicinally, also it was a good substitute for sugar, from it various products and foods were prepared, some of which are still interest. This research has been done by descriptive-analytical method and seeks to answer this question: what is the role of dates as one of the components of material culture in shaping, identifying and continuing the daily life of the people of Shaldan village between 1300and1357AD?Since there is not much information in the historical sources about the history of this village and the surrounding places,the main reliance of this study was on oral history through interviews with a number of local architects and documents of village Hosseiniyah. The results show that dates as a material element and one of the important components of material culture and religious culture of Shaldan people,has played an irreplaceable role in shaping and regulating social relations in the material and spiritual world and consequently in their daily lives.

Keywords

• social history
• dates
• identity
• material culture
• daily lifeShaldanvillage

Extended Abstract

Dates, identity and daily life (Case study: Shaldan village 1921 -1978)

In this article, the role of dates in the daily life of the people of Shaldan village in the south of Fars province,during the years 1921to1978 has been discussed. Dates in this village were prepared in different ways and along with bread, they were the main food of the people of Shaldan. In addition,dates were used medicinally, also it was a good substitute for sugar, from it various products and foods were prepared, some of which are still interest. This research has been done by descriptive-analytical method and seeks to answer this question: what is the role of dates as one of the components of material culture in shaping, identifying and continuing the daily life of the people of Shaldan village between 1300and1357AD? Since there is little information about the social life of the people of Sheldan village and their food in historical and documentary sources, in this study; Oral history was considered and information was collected during the years 1392 to 1395 based on interviews and interviews with 10 men and women of the village who were between 60 to 90 years old. They provided information about both their predecessors and their experiences in preparing, collecting, storing, buying and selling, exchanging and making sweets and other date products. After extracting data obtained from oral history and historical sources and endowment and local documents, these data are categorized and analyzed in the fields of material and spiritual life. In the field of material world biology, categories of palms and dates, sources of dates in Sheldan, the nutritional importance of dates in Sheldan, date products and medical use of dates, as well as in the field of spiritual world biology, categories of belief in dates, dates, charity endowments, and dates were examined.

Sheldan is located in Galedar and Asir area of Mohr city in the south of Fars provinc.  The Galedar and Asir area consists of two sections with centers. According to the artifacts found, Sheldon is very old. The palm is one of the native trees of Sheldan village and the Galedar and Asir area. Palm tree cultivation in tropical regions of Fars province and the production of rotab and dates in this region is very old.  The palm plant is resistant to drought and lack of water and can survive for a long time without water and rain. In the past, when there was a drought in the Galedar and Asir area and livestock perished, it was the palm tree that, despite the drought and lack of rain due to the high drainage (groundwater) and the palm trees use of it, it remained standing and even provided the people with the dates they needed. The palm was highly valued and respected by the people, and the ancients considered it "the root and fruit of man." There have been various types of palms called musali (musli), shoumazi, shaghuni, khoshkhark, mazavi, jahromi, lesht, marzavoon, khanizi -e- qatifi, gantar, khosei and pivahoo in this region.

The results show that dates as a material element and one of the important components of material culture and religious culture of Sheldan people, has played an irreplaceable role in shaping and regulating social relations in the material and spiritual world and consequently in their daily lives. In fact, the dates with a special agility have shaped, identified and sustained the daily life of the people of Sheldan village for five decades. Dates have been able to shape the social relations of the people of Sheldan with each other and with the whole Galedar and Asir region and even remote areas. In this regard, can be mention to the formation of a kind of biological and social identity and lifestyle appropriate to dates as the staple food of the people of Sheldan, different methods of production, distribution, sales, processing of products, creating inherited traditions and forming a kind of indigenous knowledge in conversion the dates to a variety of foods in the biological material world and the use of dates for endowment and charity in the spiritual world.