Lexicon of Arms and Armor from Iran: A Study of Symbols and Terminology

The Lexicon of Arms and Armor from Iran: A Study of Symbols and Terminology is the first lexicon in its field which is specially dedicated to a thorough analysis of arms and armor. The author Dr. Manouchehr Moshtagh Khorasani was awarded the World Prize for the Book of the Year of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the field of Iranian Studies in February 2009.

Over 5,700 entries, every entry has the original script of each related term

All sources are identified accordingly in each entry

Based on numerous Persian manuscripts and primary references

All major types of the Persian language are taken into consideration: Old Persian, Avestan, Middle Persian and New Persian

Exceptional catalog with over 350 color illustrations of 60 artifacts in the Cultural Institute ofBonyadand selected private collections

Over 5,700 entries
With over 5,700 entries, the book Lexicon of Arms and Armor from Iran: A Study of Symbols and Terminology provides a sound and solid base of terminology of arms and armor in Persian so that military historians, historians, museum curators, researchers and collectors and also people interested in reading historical accounts and epic stories would be able to understand and use the appropriate terms related to each certain type of weapons. Persian culture and civilization is a fascinating old culture. Therefore, all major types of the Persian language are taken into consideration, namely, the Avestan, the Old Persian, the Middle Persian (Pahlavi), and the New Persian. Next to each entry which is written in its phonetic alphabet, the original script is provided as well. Therefore, there are four different phonetic alphabets provided for each type of script. Next to each entry, after the phonetic alphabet and original script, the type of Persian language is identified as (Avesta), (Old Persian), (Middle Persian/Pahlavi) or (New Persian). Additionally, Karname-ye Ardešir Babakan [The War Treatise of Ardešir Babakan] is identified as a source for some entries in the Middle Persian as (Karname-ye Ardešir Babakan, Middle Persian/Pahlavi). Sources in New Persian are identified individually as well after the phonetic alphabet and the original script, such as (Šahname). Over ninety primary sources in New Persian were consulted to search for arms-and-armor-related words among them the Šahname, Eskandarname and different types of Zafarname. Further, due to their importance for this research, three manuscripts in Arabic were consulted that were written by Persian scholars. These include Alboldan by Abubakr Ahmad ben Mohammad ben Eshaq Hamedani, Ahsan al-Taqasim fi Ma’refat-e al-Qalim by Šamsoldin Abu Abdollah Mohammad ben Ahmad ben Ababakr Šami Moqadasi, and Al-Jamahir fi Marefat al-Jawaher by Abu Reihan Beyruni. A phonetic alphabet is provided separately for the Avestan, the Old Persian, the Middle Persian, and the New Persian. A combined table of different phonetic alphabets in alphabetical order is also provided so that a search for a certain word can be done easily. Some suras from the holy Qur’an are also taken into consideration as these suras written in Arabic are used as gold-inlaid or gold-overlaid inscriptions on a number of Persian arms and armor.

Categories of words and expressions
The lexicon provides the following categories of words and expressions:
a) all types of offensive weapons, such as swords, maces,
b) all types of defensive weapons, such as shields, armor,
c) techniques employed by each weapon, such as striking the top of the head with a sword,
d) forging techniques, materials used in making crucible steel cakes and forging, and terms related to watered steel,
e) different types of horses because horses were used by the cavalry in the battle,
f) all horse-related equipment, such as harness,
g) siege weapons, such as catapult,
h) other types of animals used on the battlefield, such as elephants and camels,
i) terms related to the warrior codex of javanmardi,
j) terms related to the traditional Persian martial art of varzeš pahlavani and its related tools,
k) wrestling techniques,
l) metals and stones used as decorative elements in arms and armor such as gold and precious stones,
m) terms related to fighting and warfare, such as attack, and
n) historical firearms, such as matchlocks and flintlock guns.
All major types of the Persian language are taken into consideration
The present lexicon uses the holy book of the Avesta for the Avestan terms as it provides a good source for the terminology related to the arms and armor in this old language. The holy book of the Avesta presents a marvelous description of an array of weapons used by different deities in the battlefield.

For arms-and-armor-related terms in Old Persian sources, the following inscriptions in cuneiform are used:
a) the inscriptions of Daryuš Bozorg in Bistun,
b) the inscription of Daryuš Bozorg in Šuš (Susa),
c) the inscription of Daryuš Bozorg in Naqš-e Rostam,
d) the inscription of Daryuš Bozorg in Suez,
e) the inscription of Daryuš Bozorg in Taxt-e Jamšid,
f) the inscription of Xašayaršah in Taxt-e Jamšid,
g) the inscription of Ardešir II in Šuš, and
h) the golden tablet of Aršam, Hamedan. For terms in the Middle Persian, the treatise Karname-ye Ardešir Babakan [The War Treatise of Ardešir Babakan] (2007/1386) was used as a source.

Base of numerous Persian manuscripts
For the terms related to arms and armor and warfare in New Persian many manuscripts were consulted. These manuscripts are chosen from the following groups:
a) epic stories in verse and prose, such as Šahname by Ferdowsi (1995/1384),
b) period history books, such as Tarix-e Alam Araye Abbasi by Eskandar Beyyg Torkaman (2003/1382),
c) popular stories such as Samak Ayyar by Al-Kateb al-Rajani (2004/1383),
d) manuscripts written on metals and precious stones that often have a chapter on iron, steel, and swordmaking, such as Gŏharname by Mansur (1975/1354),
e) famous anthologies such as Masnavi Ma’navi by Molavi (2007/1385),
f) journey accounts, such as Safarname-ye Naser Xosrŏ by Naser Xosrŏ (1985:1363),
g) period geography books, such as Gografiya-ye Esfahan by Tahvildar Esfahani (1964/1342),
h) treatises of war and warfare, such as Adab al-Harb va al-Šoja-e by Mobarak Šah Faxr-e Modabbar (1967/1346),
i) books about spiritual journeys, such as Ardavirafname by Bahram Paždō (1965/1343),
j) books dealing with life and heroic lives of religious figures, such as Xavaranname by Xusofi Birjandi (2002/1381),
k) books about the principles of warriors and javanmardan, such as Fotovvatname-ye Soltani by Kašefi Sabzevari (1971/1350),
l) treatises on bows and archery, such as Jame al-Hadayat fi Elm al-Romayat by Dorudbaši Beyhaqi (1975/1354),
m) treatises on the sword, swordmaking, and sword classification, such as Ta’id Besarat by Mirza Lotfallah (1706-1707:1118 or 1108:1696-1697), and
n) treatises on army rules and regulations, such as Qavaede Koliye az Baraye Mašq va Harkat-e Piyadenezam Dolat-e Aliyeye Iran (1852/1268 hegira).

Some of the manuscripts used in the lexicon have not been published before, such as Ta’id Besarat by Mirza Lotfallah (1706-1707:1118 or 1108:1696-1697), which is an extremely important source of sword classification written in India during the Safavid period. Another one that provides a lot of useful information on bows and archery is Jame al-Hadayat fi Elm al-Romayat by Dorudbaši Beihaqi (1975/1354). Many miniatures and pictures of artifacts accompany the text so that the readers could clearly see the types of weapons and fighting techniques used.

Each entry is described not only in linguistic terms but also a full historical information and background are provided as well. Hence most entries provide very detailed information on the subject.

Exceptional catalog
The book also offers a catalog of Persian arms and armor at the end offering a marvelous selection of sixty exquisite pieces of Iranian arms and armor from the Cultural Institute of Bonyad in Tehran and some pieces from private collections, among them the Ghiringhelli Collection in Italy. The catalog includes sixty items that include two bronze daggers from Luristan, one golden dagger from Kalardašt in northern Iran, a two-handed iron sword from Sassanian period, the golden and silver fittings of a P-shaped Sassanian sword, two P-shaped Sassanian swords with silver handle and scabbards, fifteen curved šamšir swords (nine from the Safavid period, three from the Zand period, and three from the Qajar period), one straight sword from the Qajar period, a Persian yatağan sword from the Qajar period, a zolfaqar sword from the Qajar period, a Persian military sword from the Qajar period, six kard knives (one from the Safavid period, three from the Zand period and two from the Qajar period), four pišqabz daggers (one from the Safavid period and three from the Zand period), six xanjar daggers (one from the Zand period and five from the Qajar period), four axes (two from the Safavid period, one from the Afšarid period and one from the Qajar period), two maces (one from the Safavid period and one from the Qajar period), one spear head from the Zand period, two helmets from the Qajar period, four shields from the Qajar period, one mail armor from the Qajar period, one bow from the Qajar period, one matchlock musket from the Safavid period, one flintlock musket from the Afšarid period and one percussion cap musket from the Zand and the Qajar periods. The reference list is based on 303 references that consist of 113 primary sources, 109 secondary Iranian sources and 81 international sources.

Dr. Manouchehr Moshtagh Khorasani was awarded the World Prize for the Book of the Year of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the field of Iranian Studies in February 2009.