Persian people

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Persians
Cyrus the Great • Darius the Great • Saadi • Anousheh Ansari
Total population
Approximately 55 million Persians (including related/subgroups) 45 million to 60 million total Iranian population
Regions with significant populations
Iran 50 million Including subgroups inside Iran [1][2] [3]  United States 800,000 [4]  Turkey 400,000 [5]  UAE 227,000 [6]  Iraq  United Kingdom 130,000  Canada 121,505 (2006 Census) [7]  Germany 110,000 [8]  Israel 40,000 [4]  Qatar 73,000 [9]  France 62,000 [4]  India 60,000 (Parsi and Irani people) [4]  Kuwait 60,000  Sweden 60,000  Russia 50,000  South Korea 50,000 [10]  Syria 50,000 [4]  Bahrain 48,000 [11]  Azerbaijan 22,000 (Speak a Medieval Iranian Dialect called Tat-Iranian )[12] [2]  Greece 20,000 [4]  Spain and  Portugal 15,000 [4]  Denmark 10,000 [4]  Belgium 6,000 [4]  Norway 6,000 [4]  Finland 2,000 [4]
Languages
Persian (Western dialect, in addition to regional varieties)
Religions
Predominately Shi'a Muslim,[13][14] and small minorities of Sunni Muslims, Bahá'ís, Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians.

The Persians are Iranian people who live primarily in Iran with expatriate communities in many bordering countries as well as the Persian Gulf states. Significant number of Persians reside overseas in North America and Europe. Persians are typically characterized by their usuage of the Persian language and a common culture and history.

Persian identity, at least in terms of language, is traced to the ancient Indo-European Aryans who arrived circa 2000-1500 BCE. Starting around 550 BCE, from the province of Fars, the ancient Persians spread their language and culture to other parts of the Iranian plateau through conquest and assimilated local Aryan and non-Aryan groups over time. This process of assimilating other Iranian peoples continued in the face of Greek, Arab, Mongol and Turkic invasions and would take centuries and continued right up to Islamic times.^[15] Numerous dialects and regional identities emerged over time, while a Persian national orientation fully manifested itself by the 20th century, mirroring developments in post-Ottoman Turkey, the Arab world and Europe. With the losses of Afghanistan and territories in the Caucasus ^[16], Persian identity became focused upon the current borders of Iran. Looking to link the modern state with the imperialist past, the Reza Shah government switched the country name from Persia to Iran in 1935, signaling the emergence of Iranian nationalism. Later, following the Iranian Revolution, emphasis shifted to Shia Islamic values. The synonymous usage of Iranian and Persian has persisted over the centuries despite the varied meanings of Iranian, which includes different but related languages and ethnic groups.

Persians, even under theocratic governments, have shown a strong predilection towards urbanization and modernity. Exiled communities in the United States and Europe have continued to maintain close ties with their families in Iran and are a source of Western influence. In addition, with the break-up of the former Soviet Union, Persians have also begun to foster closer cultural ties with closely related groups in the Caucasus including the Tats and Talysh as well as Central Asian Persians in Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

[edit] Terminology

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Costumes of an ancient Persian nobleman and soldiers.

The term Persia was adopted by all western languages through the Greeks and was used as an official name for Iran by the West until 1935. Due to that label, all Iranians were considered Persian. Therefore, many Western sources, when regarding Iran's history, will label many non-Persian Iranians as Persians, which distinguishes ethnicity. Also, many others who embraced the Persian language and culture are also often referred to as Persian as a part of Persian civilization (culturally and linguistically).

The first known written record about them is from an Assyrian inscription of the 834 BC, which mentions both Parsua (Persians) and Muddai (Medes).^[17][18] The term used by Assyrians, Parsua, was a general designation to refer to southwestern Iranian tribes (who referred to themselves as Aryans). Greeks rendered this word as Persis, which is where the word Persian in English comes from. In Arabic as there is no letter P, they referred to Persia and vs as Fars (Faras) and Farsis.

In its modern definition, the term Persians refers to the people speaking the Western dialect of Persian language and living in the modern country of Iran, as well as the descendants of the people who emigrated from the territory of modern-day Iran to neighboring countries, such as the UAE, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Turkey and more recently, to the West (notably USA, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada…).

[edit] Sub-groups

Main articles: Tajiks, Farsiwan, Kizilbash, and Hazara people

Ethnic Persians can also be found outside Iran and include the Tajiks and Farsiwan of Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Xinjiang province of China and Northern Pakistan. Like the Persians of Iran, the Tajiks are descendents of various Iranian peoples, including Persians from Iran, as well as numerous invaders. Tajiks and their cousins the Farsiwan have a particular affinity with Persians in neighboring Khorasan due to historical interaction some stemming from the Islamic period.

Other smaller groups include the Qizilbash of Afghanistan and Pakistan who are related to the Farsiwan and Azerbaijanis. In the Caucasus, the Tats are concentrated in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russian Dagestan and their origins are traced to Sassanid merchants who settled in the region. Parsis, a Zoroastrian sect of western India and Pakistan, centred around Gujarat and Mumbai, are also largely descended from Persian Zoroastrians. The Iranis, another small community in western India, are descended from more recent Persian Zoroastrian immigrants. In addition, the Hazara and Aimaq are ethnic groups of partial Persianized Mongol and Turkic origin.

[edit] History

See also: Persian Empire and History of Iran

The Persians are descendents of the Aryan (Indo-Iranian) tribes that began migrating from Central Asia into what is now Iran in the second millennium BC.^[19][20][21] The Persian language and other Iranian tongues emerged as these Aryan tribes split up into two major groups, the Persians and the Medes, and intermarried with peoples indigenous to the Iranian plateau such as the Elamites.^[22][23] The first mention of the Persians dates to the 9th century BC, when they appear as the Parsu in Assyrian sources, as a people living at the southeastern shores of Lake Urmia.

Achaemenid Empire at greatest extent.

The ancient Persians from the province of Pars became the rulers of a large empire under the Achaemenid dynasty (Hakhamaneshiyan) in the sixth century BC, reuniting with the tribes and other provinces of the ancient Iranian plateau and forming the Persian Empire. Over the centuries Persia was ruled by various dynasties; some of them were ethnic Iranians including the Achaemenids, Parthians (Ashkanian), Sassanids (Sassanian), Buwayhids and Samanids, and some of them were not, such as the Seleucids, Ummayyads, Abbasids, and Seljuk Turks.

The founding dynasty of the empire, the Achaemenids, and later the Sassanids, were from the southern region of Iran, Pars. The latter Parthian dynasty arose from the north. However, according to archaeological evidence found in modern day Iran in the form of cuneiforms that go back to the Achaemenid era, it is evident that the native name of Parsa (Persia) had been applied to Iran from its birth.^[24][25]

[edit] Language

Main article: Persian language

The Persian language is one of the world's oldest languages still in use today, and is known to have one of the most powerful literary traditions, with formidable Persian poets like Ferdowsi, Hafez, Khayyam, Attar, Saadi, Nezami, Roudaki, Rumi and Sanai. By native speakers as well as in Urdu, Arabic and other neighboring languages, it is called Fārsī, and additionally Dari or Tajiki in the eastern parts of Greater Iran. It is part of the Iranian sub-section of the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Persian-speakers are today in the majority in Iran, where they speak the western dialect, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan,^[26] and form a large minority in Uzbekistan as well, where they speak the eastern dialect (Dari or Tajiki). Smaller groups of Persian-speakers are found in Pakistan, western China (Xinjiang), as well as in the UAE, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman and Azerbaijan.

[edit] Religion

The entrance to Shah Mosque (aka Imam Mosque or Shah Jame' Mosque) in Isfahan. This mosque is an example of Persian architecture during the Safavid dynasty.

The Persian civilization spawned three major religions: Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, which heavily influenced Saint Augustine before he turned to Christianity, and the Bahá'í Faith. Another religion that arose from ancient Iran is Mazdakism, which has been dubbed the first communistic ideology. Both Mazdakism and Manichaeism were sub-branches of Zoroastrianism. The religion of Zoroastrianism originates from ancient Persia. Zoroastrianism is said to be the first monotheistic religion.

Most Persians in Iran are Shia Muslims, while some communities of Shia Sufis also exist. There is also a sizeable number of Sunni Muslims. Historically, some of the greatest Sunni Muslim scholars were Persian or had Persian descent, including Abu Dawood, Al Muslim, Hakim al-Nishaburi,Salman the Persian, Al-Tabarani, Ghazali, Imam Bukhari, Tirmidhi, Al-Nasa'i and Abu Hanifa, amongst many others. There are also smaller communities of Zoroastrians, Christians, Jews, and Bahá'ís. Bahá'ís are the largest non-Muslim religious minority in the country.^[27] There are also Persians who are atheist and agnostic. Also see religious minorities in Iran.

[edit] Culture

Main article: Culture of Iran

Persian culture can be defined through its films, as Persian cinema has attained a substantial amount of international and critical acclaim through such films as Children of Heaven and Taste of Cherry, which give both insights into the current state of Persian culture and profound depictions of the general human condition.

[edit] Arts

Main article: Persian art

The artistic heritage of Persia is eclectic and includes major contributions from both east and west. Persian art borrowed heavily from the indigenous Elamite civilization and Mesopotamia and later from Hellenism (as can be seen with statues from the Greek period). In addition, due to Persia's somewhat central location, it has served as a fusion point between eastern and western arts and architecture as Greco-Roman influence was often fused with ideas and techniques from India and China. When talking of the creative Persian arts one has to include a geographic area that actually extends into Central Asia, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, and Iraq as well as modern Iran. This vast geographic region has been pivotal in the development of the Persian arts as a whole.

[edit] Statues

Main article: Persian miniature

Persians' artistic expression can be seen as far back as the Achaemenid period as numerous statues depicting various important figures, usually of political significance as well as religious, such as the Immortals (elite troops of the emperor) are indicative of the influence of Mesopotamia and ancient Babylon. What is perhaps most representative of a more indigenous artistic expression are Persian miniatures. Although the influence of Chinese art is apparent, local Persian artists used the art form in various ways including portraits that could be seen from the Ottoman Empire to the courts of the Safavids and Mughals.

[edit] Music

Main article: Persian Music

The music of Persia goes back to the days of Barbod in the royal Sassanid courts, and even earlier. As it evolved, a distinct eastern Mediterranean style emerged as Persian folk music is often quite similar to the music of modern Iran's neighbors. In modern times, musical tradition has seen setbacks due to the religious government's policies in Iran, but has survived in the form of Iranian exiles and dissidents who have turned to Western rock music with a distinctive Iranian style as well as Persian rap.

[edit] Architecture

Main article: Persian architecture

The ruins of Persepolis known as the Takht-e Jamshid or throne of Jamshid is part of the ancient architectural tradition of Persia.

Architecture is one of the areas where Persians have made outstanding contributions. Ancient examples can be seen in the ruins at Persepolis, while in modern times monuments such as the Tomb of Omar Khayyam are displays of the varied tradition in Persia. Various cities in Iran are historical displays of a distinctive Persian style that can be seen in the Kharaghan twin towers of Qazvin province and the Shah Mosque found in Isfahan. Persian architecture streams over the borders of Iran and is clearly seen throughout Central Asia as with the Bibi Khanum Mosque in Samarkand as well as Samanids mausoleum in Bukhara and the Minaret of Jam in western Afghanistan. Islamic architecture was founded on the base established by the Persians. Persian techniques can also be clearly seen in the structures of the Taj Mahal at Agra and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

[edit] Rugs

Main article: Persian rug

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 are said to be the most ldetailed hand-made works of art. Also known as the starus Rugs very important in the culture. Interworking of fibers to produce cloth was known in Iran as early as the 5th millennium B.C. ^[28] When the famous Greek commander Themistocles was asking for asylum from Persia , the “Persian carpet” was mentioned in his speech:

[edit] Gardens

Main article: Persian Gardens

The Persian gardens were designed to reflect paradise on earth;^{[citation needed]} The English word paradise is thought to come from the Persian word Pardis, which refers to these gardens.

Although having existed since ancient times, the Persian garden gained greater prominence during the Islamic period as Arab rulers cultivated Persian techniques to create gardens of Persian design from Al-Andalus to Kashgar.^{[citation needed]} Persian gardens are immortalized in the One Thousand and One Nights and the works of Omar Khayyam.

[edit] Women

Main article: Iranian women

Portrait of a Persian lady in Iran.

Persian women have played an important role throughout history. Scheherazade, though fictional, is an important figure of female wit and intelligence, while the beauty of Mumtaz Mahal inspired the building of the Taj Mahal itself. While in ancient times, aristocratic females possessed numerous rights sometimes on par with men, generally Persian women did not attain greater parity until the 20th century. However, Táhirih, the poet, had a great influence on modern women's movements throughout the Middle East. The Táhirih Justice Center is named after her. Females were given such status in ancient Persia that they were the first to ever serve in a national military.^{[citation needed]}

Persian women today serve an active role in society. Persian women today tend to take a more active role in social, religious and family affairs than their Arab counterparts.^{[citation needed]} Persian women can be seen working in a variety of areas such as politics, law enforcement, transportation industries, etc. Universities still tend to be dominated by women in Iran and one may find a large number of female legislators in the Iranian Majlis (parliament),^{[citation needed]} even by western standards. Former Vice President Masoumeh Ebtekar, noted for her eloquence in dealing with western media, set a new standard for aspiring Iranian female politicians while serving under President Khatami. Outstanding Iranian female academics, such as Laleh Bakhtiar have forever left a mark in the fields they contribute to.

Because of some restrictions, women in Iran suffer from inequality in many cases. Human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran are not respected very well, hence some women prefer to migrate and continue their lives in other countries. Research shows that these migrations impose a lot of stress to them. For example, in USA, Iranian mothers have difficult time to teach Persian language or culture to their children. Hence, they will catch some diseases in average 10 years earlier than other women. There are some active communities for Iranian women in USA, which aim at helping them reduce stress.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Ethnologue's entry for Western Persian
• Iranian/Persian Inventions and contribution to human civilization

v • d • e Ethnic groups in Iran Major Persians (51%) · Azeris (24%) · Gilaki and Mazandarani (8%) · Kurds (7%) · Arabs (3%) · Lurs (2%) · Baloch (2%) · Turkmens (2%) Minor (1%) Qashqai · Armenians · Persian Jews · Georgians · Assyrians · Circassians · Talysh · Tats · Kazakhs