Document Type : Research Article

Author

• Abdolrasool kheirandish

Professor of history, Shiraz univesity, Shiraz, Iran.

Abstract

In the past societies, especially those composed of the victors and the defeated people, some objects have always symbolically represented class relations. Crowns, hats, turbans, etc., have also had such functions. It seems that in the Iranian society of the Mongol era, the whip had such a role and function. Because one of Genghis Khan's actions to form the Mongol state and society was to allocate a certain amount of flogging to each class; he had set a small whip for the shepherds as the lower class. Since, in general, Mongol society consisted of two classes: the privileged and slaves, shepherds could be assumed to be almost equal to the majority of slaves, while the special long whip of the privileged members of that society must have been used for the Mongol warriors as well. Although the constant use of the whip was common for the Mongol equestrian and herdsman, and both classes always carried a whip, this action of Genghis Khan, which was originally a revival of an old law (Yasa), caused the whip to be used to determine social status and prestige. This is in addition to all the other uses that the whip has had in every ancient society. For this reason, for the Mongol society and state, the whip can be considered as one of the most important social symbols, both in the internal relations of the Mongol society and in relation to the defeated nations. As in the era of the Mongols, we are witnessing the reconstruction of the relations between the subordinates and the elites.

Keywords

• Yasa wood
• Mongol shepherds
• Mongol society
• Genghis Khan rule

Main Subjects

• Social history