Islamic Art Studies

Islamic Art Studies

The Status of Scribes and the Role of Maidservants in Politics and Art during the Samanid Period

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Askar Karimi Sharafshadeh 1
Mahboob Mahdavian 2
Parviz Ali Asl 3
1 PhD student, Department of History and Civilization of Islamic Nations, Khoy Branch, Islamic Azad University, Khoy, Iran
2 History and Civilization of Islamic Nations, Khoy Branch, Islamic Azad University, Khoy Iran
3 , Department of History and Civilization of Islamic Nations, Orumiyeh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Orumiyeh, Iran
10.22034/ias.2023.395413.2195
Abstract
Among contemporary Islamic states, Iranian scribes and secretaries enjoyed their highest status and position during the rule of the Samanid dynasty. In addition to their diligent efforts in reviving Islamic-Iranian culture and civilization, Samanid statesmen actively encouraged them in this endeavor. Maidservants, regardless of the diversity of their roles and occupations both in the court and in society at large, played an extensive role in the development of culture and civilization simply by virtue of their presence as women. Through the descriptive-analytical method employed in this article, we aim to clarify the functions of scribes, maidservants, and statesmen, as well as their mutual interactions in this context. The research questions are: Did scribes and maidservants play an effective role in the endurance and survival of the Samanid state, in addition to the competence and merit of Samanid rulers? What was the state of art during the Samanid period? The objective of this article is to reveal how the Samanids managed to reconcile Iranian culture and civilization with Islamic culture, considering that they expressed no conflicts with the Baghdad caliphs, despite the latter's generally unfavorable view of Iranian elements. The novelty of the current study lies in its examination of the methods scribes and maidservants employed to foster the Samanid government's popularity among various social strata. Furthermore, Samanid art made significant advancements in the fields of painting, pottery, and architecture.
Research Objectives:

To analyze the status of scribes and maidservants during the Samanid period.
To examine the characteristics of art during the Samanid period.

Research Questions:

What was the status of scribes and maidservants during the Samanid period?
What was the state of art during the Samanid period?

 
Keywords
scribes
maidservants
Samanid rulers
public interaction
Islamic-Iranian culture and civilization

Subjects

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