Document Type : The social history of women in the art and society of Iran and the ancient world(Guest editor: Dr. Esmail Sangari)
Author
Associate Professor of History, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
Abstract
The extension of the ancient Iranian community to the Paleolithic era had long made the structure of the patriarchal system portray women as an important segment of society living on the Iranian plateau and present them as the source of blessing and life. Now, considering the changes that took place in the social and political system of Iranians (in the time of the Medes until the decline of Sassanian power), one of the issues is what position women had in Iranian societies due to their ability to childbearing, and what has been the approach of religious texts (Avestan and Pahlavi) and civil society, which is revealed through historical documents, to the issue of marriage (marital bond) and especially childbearing. Also, in the Achaemenid and Sassanid patriarchal society, what role did pregnant mothers and women played in the economy of society and the family, and in this case, what measures were taken to improve the well-being of working mothers? On this basis, these results are obtained by using the library method and analysis of historical and religious texts, as well as by studying the tablets of Persepolis and by analyzing the information extracted from sources and citations due to the importance of the family system in the religious and civil society of the ancient Iranians, marriage was considered an important matter that led to the birth and multiplicity of the family and society. Also, as the evidence proves, mothers and of course, pregnant women were involved in the family economy and along with their children, brought prosperity to the family and society. Therefore, and for the reasons mentioned above, in addition to the value that religious texts and Iranian society place on pregnant women and the issue of childbearing, we are witnessing measures to protect and maintain them and provide services and facilities to pregnant and working mothers.
Keywords
Main Subjects
Extended Abstract
The position of pregnant women and the importance of childbearing in Zoroastrian/Mazdayasn texts and ancient Iranian society
Introduction: In the ancient era and in the ancient civilizations, women were responsible for economic and social duties alongside men, and according to the attitude towards women and of course the stage that the first societies and then civilizations enjoyed (the early commune until the later periods with division of labor and different social classes) could play a role in the context of family and society. In ancient Iran, as it can be seen from the historical and religious documents and evidence, women were never marginalized, but they were very active in society and family, and even queens and royal women participated in political affairs and decision-making, and sometimes they were considered special to the emperor. An important point about the history of Iran is that the Iranian society, especially during the Sassanian period, under the influence of religious teachings, had a special approach to women and the issue of marriage and childbearing and their role in the family and society. Of course, this attitude to a large extent arose from the context of social culture, and it can be said that there was a two-way relationship between social culture and religious culture.
Research Methods: Based on this, one of the important issues and ambiguities raised in this research is to find out what position and importance pregnant women had in the ancient society of Iran and also how family formation (marriage union) and childbearing are reflected in religious texts and Mazdasini teachings and what approach and attitude towards this category can be seen in custom and Sharia. On the other hand, with the importance of work and activity in Iranian society, have women and children (girls and boys) been responsible for family economic affairs? And in this case, what arrangements and measures were taken to support these working mothers during pregnancy and delivery? Research method: In this research, an attempt has been made to examine the approach to the issue of marriage and especially childbearing in the history of ancient Iran through the study of various religious texts (Avesta and Pahlavi) and historical reports. For this purpose, in addition to various religious and historical texts, the data presented through the tablets and inscriptions of Persepolis were used, and by arranging and processing the available information with a descriptive-analytical method, we reached conclusions about the importance of pregnant mothers and childbearing.
Findings and Conclusions: According to the available documents and evidence, ancient Iranians had a lot of relationship with the family and had established laws to protect the family and property. In Pahlavi texts and decrees, marriage and family formations are highly emphasized, and family and reproduction are the guarantor of the life of the Iranian society, and also, due to the fact that it causes the birth of generations and population, it is effective in advancing the country's political and military goals. Also, based on what the religious texts stated, the greatest goal and ideal of a maiden was marriage and preparation for the role of mother. Therefore, marriage and more importantly having children was a very important task that men and women had to struggle for it and it was only in this way that in addition to success in life in the other world, they could be happy and redeemed. Regarding the importance of having children and reproduction, which was formed as a result of marriage and within the family, it should be noted that in Iranian tradition, if a man dies without leaving a child, the family of the deceased will marry a girl to a man at their own expense. The child resulting from this marriage would belong half to the deceased man and half to the original father. In ancient Iran, according to the historical documents and tablets of Persepolis, even the statesmen built facilities for pregnant mothers to encourage women to become mothers and put them under their protection. Women and children in the ancient society of Iran, were considered due to their economic activity and the role they played in the improvement of the family's condition and the progress of the society and because of this social, economic and military function, there was a lot of emphasis on the increase of children, otherwise the political and military power of the governments was weakened.
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