ISSN: 2299-2464 e-ISSN: 2956-6436 DOI: 10.34739/his Punktacja: Ministerstwo Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego (2025) - 40
A reverse of a unique coin of Shapur I in the context of the Sasanian-Roman peace treaty of 244
The Sasanian king Shapur I held a series of victorious campaigns against the Roman Empire. They were described in an inscription at Ka’be-ye Zardosht in Naqsh-e Rostam, and their visual display are the victory reliefs made on his order in Western Iran. The interludium of the wars was the peace treaty of 244 concluded by the Shahanshah Shapur I and the emperor Philip the Arab. The article aims in re-analysing of the reverse of a unique gold double dinar of Shapur I, first published by Michael Alram, in perspective of iconography compared with the royal reliefs and its legend in historical context.
Prawa autorskie (c) 2025 Authors https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
Report from the scientific conference “Sweet sleep, good conscience – This is happiness, this is good wealth. The Importance of Sleep and Rest in the History, Culture, and Literature of the 17th Century” (Kazimierz Dolny, November 22-23, 2024)
A report on the scientific conference on the importance of sleep and rest in the history, culture, and literature of the 17th century, which was held in Kazimierz Dolny on November 22-23, 2024.
Jeffrey Kotyk, Sino-Iranian and Sino-Arabian Relations in Late Antiquity. China and the Parthians, Sasanians, and Arabs in the First Millennium. Leiden: Brill, 2024, ISBN: 9789004695436
Duel Between Rostam and the White Div: An Allegorical Critique of War in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh in Ghazniavi Context
Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh was written during the reigns of two very different ethnic dynasties. The Samanids created an ideal climate for a scholar of the history of pre-Islamic Iran, which made it easier for Ferdowsi to begin his work, but the change in the ruling dynasty meant that his work did not receive the reception he had hoped for. In the article I hypothesize that the main reason for this was the poet's anti-war criticism of the policies of Mahmud of Ghazni, specifically his expedition to India in the years 1000-1001. For his own safety, Ferdowsi hid the criticism under a historical allegory and placed it in the initial, non-historical part of the poem – Kay Kavus’ expedition to Mazandaran. The duel between Rostam and White Div, which is the climax of the expedition, is also the culmination of the anti-war message. Despite hiding the criticism in literary fiction, it was read by Mahmud and his court, resulting in his strong negative reaction. To prove my hypothesis, I cite evidence showing that Ferdowsi drew inspiration from contemporaneity in creating other elements of the Shahnameh.
Uzbekistan’s Strategy of Preserving and Displaying the Afrasiab murals “Development for Sustainable Preservation”
The country owns a rather diverse experience of establishing the antiquities and museums and according to it, the museum is the place that accumulate the quantity of the exhibits and valuable things, and it serves as the keeper of cultural values and achievements of the peoples through the centuries. Uzbekistan has a rich collection and many options to exhibit its antiquities and history and since the museums play a crucial part in exhibiting the antiquities and human history especially in context with Afrasiab museum in Samarkand which has many artifacts along with the methods of preserving the murals of Afrasiab. Considering the technological development in this era, there is a need to more development in a future strategic vision for the project to sustainable preserving and displaying Afrasiab murals in the Afrasiab museum in Samarkand according to international standards.
Development for Sustainable Preservation
Metallurgy and Ancient Mining in Tujerdi District of Fars Province, Iran
The production of metal artifacts, as one of the earliest forms of industry and craftsmanship, has long attracted scholarly attention. Iran has historically been one of the primary centers for metal production across various periods. The geology of Fars Province reveals rich mineral resources that have supported mining activities since ancient times. This study is based on archaeological surveys conducted in the Tujerdi district of Sarchahan County, located in eastern Fars. During these surveys, one mine and nine slag sites were identified. Further surveys are expected to uncover additional sites related to ancient mining and metallurgical activities. The investigation also contributes to understanding the role of mining in the formation and economy of past societies. Based on the findings, it appears that copper and iron were the main metals extracted in the region. Pottery collected from the surveyed sites suggests chronological spans ranging from the Parthian to the Sasanian and Islamic periods.
The burial tradition of Zoroastrians in southern Fars: Baghān, Khonj
Fars province, located in the southern part of Iran, was the center of Zoroastrianism during the Achaemenid and Sasanian periods. The traditions and rituals of this religion were institutionalized in Fars over a millennium, and with the advent of Islam, the people of this region sought to continue these Zoroastrian traditions. The Zoroastrian burial ritual was one of the religious customs of the Zoroastrian community in this region, continuing well into the Islamic medieval period, particularly in the southern part of Fars. In this religion, the body, or “nesu”, had to be kept away from sacred elements such as earth, water, fire, and plants. For this reason, many Sasanian burials were placed in rock-hewn tombs located in mountainous regions. These burial sites are now commonly known as Ostoudan and Dakhmak. In this field study, for the first time, a number of lesser-known Ostoudan examples from the Zoroastrian tradition in southern Fars, specifically in the Baghān region of Khonj, have been identified and are introduced here.
Kłosowski Roman, Sobolewski Piotr Stanisław Zygmunt Konstantynowicz
Biographies of people born or related to activities in the area of Southern Podlasie and Eastern Mazovia.
ŚWIADKOWIE PRZESZŁOŚCI ZIEMI SIEDLECKIEJ (BIOGRAMY)
The fate of Polish officers imprisoned in the NKVD prisoner-of-war camp Kozelsk “2” in the light of the account of Lieutenant Paweł Delalicz de Laval
The document presents the conditions in which Polish officers captured by the NKVD in the summer of 1940 from internment camps in Lithuania were held in the prisoner-of-war camp in Kozelsk. The author included in his account his own impressions and observations regarding everyday life in the camp, as well as the Soviet personnel.
Ideological Resistance in Early Soviet Azerbaijan: A Textual Analysis of a Unique Archival Document
The article analyses the anti-Soviet sentiments and movements in Soviet Azerbaijan in the late 1920s and early 1930s on the basis of Strictly Confidential documents received to the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Azerbaijan SSR. Particular attention is paid to the reflection of anti-Russian sentiments on the basis of an analysis of both the document and two interesting poems, which show the perception of Russians both among the anti-Bolshevik-minded segments of the population associated with parties operating underground and among young people. Textual analysis of this document shows that anti-Bolshevik sentiments often acquired a pronounced anti-Russian character. All these circumstances were manifested in the dissatisfaction of various strata of Azerbaijani society with the Soviet regime, which, along with anti-Russian sentiments, also acquired the character of pro-Turkish movements.
Tony McArthur, Rome’s Armies to the Death of Augustus. Havertown: Pen & Sword Military, 2024, ISBN: 9781399080071
Ukrainian-Russian relations after the collapse of the Soviet Union
Russia’s war against Ukraine has drawn researchers’ attention to Ukrainian-Russian relations. Since the fighting started, a large number of publications have appeared trying to explain what was happening in Ukraine from different perspectives. A historical approach is used in the article to find the answers to two questions; were there ever any chances for good neighborly relations to develop between Ukraine and Russia, and could these relations have led differently than to the military invasion in 2022? The analyses of official documents, statements and speeches of Russian officials, book contents, articles, research in Russian scientific publications and periodicals, and sociological research results lead to the conclusion that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a logical continuation of the policy that Russia has pursued towards Ukraine since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Creation and Accessibility of Personal Funds in Archives: Kazakh and Foreign Experience
This article reviews and analyzes the collection experience and methodology for the formation of personal funds and access to them in the archives of Kazakhstan, Poland and Russia. The purpose of the study is to study the experience of Kazakhstan, Russia and Poland in the collection, formation of archival personal funds and access to them. The article was written using extensive literature - unpublished archival documents, regulatory legal acts and methodological documents. The research methodology is based on an integrated approach using historical-descriptive, content analysis, and comparative methods. Results: Personal documents, along with official documents, replenishing and enriching state archival funds are the source base for research. The complex of personal documents created as a result of human life and activity forms an archival personal fund in the future. Being an important part of any archive, personal funds are varied and multifaceted in their content and significance. Personal funds contain unique and valuable documents varying in composition and content about the life and activities of government and political figures, heroes, workers, poets, representatives of culture and art, artists, art historians and scientists. In studying the experience of Kazakhstan, Russia and Poland, this paper reveals their differences in terms used in the archival sphere. Moreover, common features and peculiarities in the methodology for creating personal funds have been identified, and their composition has been determined. We have considered the issues of access to archival personal funds in three countries and identified their features.
The Processes of Transformation of the Armenian Diaspora: From Gaghtashkharh to Spyurk
The Armenian Diaspora is considered one of the largest and most organised diasporas in the world. Over the centuries, Armenians, as a result of forced or voluntary migration, left their homeland and settled in foreign countries. Dispersed Armenians have become organised, have established their organizations in host countries and always have tried to keep contact with Homeland. The Armenian Diaspora has undergone various transformations over the decades and centuries due to many reasons. As a result of these transformations, many different changes took place in the Armenian Diaspora, which gave it a new qualitative and quantitative character. The article examines the transformation processes of the Armenian diaspora, their results, and the pre-genocide and post-genocide Armenian Diasporas are subjected to comparative analysis.
Analytical Study of Ahmad Kasravi’s Claim of Prophethood based on Adler’s Psychological Theory
Ahmad Kasravi was among the thinkers with religious intellectualism tendencies, whose opinions on religion in contemporary Iranian history were among the most controversial ones. According to the Peyman monthly magazine, Kasravi initially expressed his views as a religious reformer and presented a rationalist-based ritual called “Pure Religion” in the guise of a prophet. Kasravi’s personality traits are used to explain his approach in propagating the new religion. The present study aims to assess Kasravi’s claim to be a prophet with an interdisciplinary approach utilizing Adler’s psychological theory and Peyman magazine. Based on Adler’s theory, pampering and suffering from anemia resulted in developing a special personality and creating a sense of inferiority in Kasravi. Kasravi’s successes in historical studies led to a kind of compensation for his inferiority, superiority, and development of his creative self-approach. As this approach intensified and he criticized religious dissenters, an imaginary teleology developed in Kasravi’s mind, leading to his claim to be prophet and presentation of a new religion.
A Brief Overview of the History of Journalism in Bulgaria (1878-1944)
The article provides a brief overview of the history of journalism in Bulgaria in the so-called first Bulgarian capitalism (1878-1944). In the post-liberation decades until the end of the 19th century, the press played a vital role in Bulgaria’s domestic political life. As the country sought to establish itself as an independent nation, the press became a platform for political interaction, perception moulding, and the expression of various ideologies. The paper aims to chronologically present significant events during the designated period and scrutinize the interconnectedness between journalism and politics, the press and statehood, media and its powerful role in shaping public opinion.
Mass Crimes in Kars (1920-1921) and Smyrna (1922) – Eyewitness Testimony
The article presents and analyzes the anti-Armenian policies of the Turkish military and political leadership in Kars (1920-1921) and Smyrna (1922). The systematic killings of the unarmed population were marked by extreme brutality, including mass rapes and ritualized murders. Data is combined from ethnographic fieldwork, materials from the National Archives of Armenia, memoirs, and manuscript records from the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute.
Russian diplomatic representatives in the Afshars’ state
The issue of studying the history of diplomatic missions, consulates and embassies is particularly important for the study of international relations in the 18th century. In the absence at that time of a tradition of permanent diplomatic embassies in the Afshars’ state, the exchange of missions and the establishment of consulates, together with and diplomatic correspondence were the main forms of establishing and maintaining intergovernmental contacts. This article describes the Afshar and Russian diplomatic missions and consulates.. The paper relies on official and semi-official historiography, contemporary mainly Russian accounts, and archival dates, as well some secondary sources. Considering this data is of utmost importance, as our previous knowledge was predominantly based on Iranian sources, which are highly biased and frequently present a distorted narrative in their content.
Interests behind the Development of the Hungarian Railway Network During the Habsburg Empire Period Up to 1867
The first steam-powered public railway in the Kingdom of Hungary, then part of the Habsburg Empire, was inaugurated in 1846. Initially connecting Pest and Vác, this line was extended to link the capitals of Vienna and Pest by 1850. The development of this railway was significantly shaped by Austrian imperial objectives, with the primary driving forces rooted in the Empire’s political, economic, and social interests, despite the line being constructed by a private company pursuing its own economic goals. Over time, the motivations behind Hungarian railway development grew increasingly complex, influenced not only by the Empire’s political, economic, and military interests but also by individual ambitions (political and personal prestige) and a range of territorial factors (imperial/Austrian, national/state, regional, county, and local). In the years leading up to the Austro‒Hungarian Compromise of 1867, regional, county, and local interests began to influence the construction and routing of Hungarian railway lines significantly, despite the initial dominance of Vienna’s centralization policies‒particularly after the imperial economic crisis of 1854. However, imperial/Austrian interests, especially military considerations, remained predominant throughout this period, becoming increasingly influential from the 1850s onward. This study seeks to categorize the various interests that shaped the development of Hungarian railway lines leading up to the Compromise and to present the partial development of the Kingdom of Hungary’s main fixed-track railway network. The findings suggest that these developments resulted from a complex interplay of multiple factors rather than any single dominant interest. Given the lack of existing theoretical frameworks from this perspective, the analysis is grounded in Hungarian and Austrian literature, supported by contemporary press sources, relevant published documents, and archival materials.
The religious factor in commercial activities of Armenian merchants (15th-18th centuries)
This paper examines the significant impact of religious identity on the commercial activities of Armenian Christian merchants operating in Muslim spaces between the 15th and 18th centuries. Drawing on primary sources including Armenian chronicles, colophons of Armenian manuscripts, and European travel accounts, the study examines how religious identity created both obstacles and opportunities for Armenian merchants. The results show that Armenian merchants faced systematic disadvantages and challenges compared to Muslim merchants on the one hand, including higher customs duties, vulnerability to confiscation of property and physical threats based solely on religious identity, and on the other hand compared to European merchants who operated largely under state protection or within large trading organizations such as the East India Companies. We have categorized these problems into three main groups: physical harassment and violence, economic discrimination through differential taxation and pressure to convert. At the same time, the Christian identity of Armenian merchants sometimes facilitated diplomatic missions and trade relations with European powers. However, unlike European merchants who enjoyed protection in the form of surrender treaties and the support of trading companies, Armenian merchants largely lacked institutional support in Muslim territories. This study contributes to the understanding of the intersection of religion, trade networks and cross-cultural commercial relations in the pre-modern Middle East by emphasizing that religious affiliation served as both a burden and a strategic asset for minority merchant communities.
The Economic System of the Volhynian Voivodeship before the Industrial Revolution: General View
The article deals with the issue of the Volhynian Voivodeship economic structure’s development from the middle of 15th century till the last quarter of 18th centuries. There are analysed the general tendencies which had the impact on the formation of the urban and rural menage, determined the market vector of the filwarok (farmstead) menage and organized the participation of Volhynia in interregional and international trade affairs. There is represented the historical retrospective of the stages of economic movements on the Volhynian’s territory. It is stated that the majority of the political processes (such as Lublin or Brest Unions, Cossacks’ uprisings, Cossacks’ revolution) are not significant for the general economic tendencies and couldn’t be take into account.
The revival of the crusading idea in the context of the Mongols’ Palestinian campaigns (1299-1300 AD) and the issue of the Christians reclaiming the Holy Land
This paper offers a novel interpretation of the military campaign led by Ghazan Khan in 1299-1300 in the Holy Land. It presents the authors’ hypothesis regarding the reasons why this campaign was perceived as a Christian victory by Europeans.
From the Greek Goddess Isis Holding a Flower to Sasanian Dancers with Blossoms in Hand
The cultural ties between Iran and the Hellenic world are ancient and well-documented. However, this article focuses on the influence of a particular aspect of Roman art on a distinct form of Sasanian performance. The author refers to this combination as a ritual performance. This dance style retains the overall structure of Sasanian art but is significantly influenced by Roman art. There are many important gilded silver vessels housed in well-known museums that depict dancers who share strikingly similar features. They have been found across a wide geographic range, from northern Iran – such as Mazandaran – through Central Asia and into Eurasia. These semi-nude dancers, with prominently displayed chests, typically hold a long-stemmed flower in one hand. In the other, they may be seen holding a bird, a sugarcane, or even the hand of a child. For the background of such a style, carrying a flower branch in one hand and another instrument in the other, it is quite possible to refer to Hellenistic art. The sculpture of the Greek Goddess Isis was one of the most important statuettes and, of course, the best known in Iran, Mesopotamia and Central Asia.
Investigating thermal comfort in the Kohandej on Mount Khajeh in Sistan, Iran, based on physiological equivalent temperature
Kohandej building architecture on Mount Khajeh in Sistan dating back to the Parthian and Sasanian periods were affected by climatic factors. This study aimed to investigate the thermal comfort in this building. The novelty of this study lies in examining building thermal comfort in outdoor, semi-open, and indoor spaces in this historically significant site based on the PET index. Four datalogger stations were located outside the castle as a reference, in the courtyard in the castle, in the semi-open space of the northern iwan, and an indoor space. The study findings revealed that the thermal sensations of the reference and outdoor stations were in an extremely hot status, while the stations in semi-open and enclosed spaces ranged from warm to hot status. Meanwhile, the highest average PET value among the stations in various hours of the day pertained to the outdoor station at 45.92°C, while the lowest rate of 38.34°C pertained to the indoor station. To conclude, the indoor station was in a more desirable thermal comfort status than the outdoor station. The results suggest that the architecture of the castle has lowered the temperature in the interior and in the iwan closer to the thermal comfort levels. While the mean radiant temperature fluctuates within 38.69-49.42 °C in the four stations, the mean PET of the indoor space is lower by 7.58 °C than the outdoor space, and the mean PET of the semi-open space is lower by 4.50 °C than the outdoor space.
Newly Discovered Petroglyphs of Bardah Serkha in Badreh County, Ilam Province, Western Iran
The Ilam province, includes the western part of the Central Zagros, is less known in terms of rock art and petroglyphs, and no serious research has been done in this field so far. The collection of new Bardah Serkha petroglyphs was created in the middle of Dezan Valley and next to the road that passes through the western terrace wall of the valley. The collection includes 4 petroglyphs. These petroglyphs include two male mountain goats with long horns and linear bodies, shown in detail and moving westward. On the opposite side, two hunters with bows are shown shooting at goats. These two archers are standing and pulling the bow string. The bows in their hands are curved and the two ends to which the string is tied are turned outwards. These bows were common only in the Central Zagros region. Despite the similarities in shape and size with Assyrian and Elamite bows, they are different. Based on the investigations, it is believed that the origin of this type of bow is from Ilam, which has become endemic in this region. The chronology of these petroglyphs is based on the bows in the hands of hunters, which belong to the Iron Age III and contemporary with the Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Elamite periods.
Daggers, dirks, and short swords in the cultural-historical property repository of the Administration of Cultural Heritage of Kerman. An Introduction
In this paper, the authors have examined 95 unprovenanced bladed weapons that are stored in the cultural-historical property repository of the Administration of Cultural Heritage of Kerman Province (Southeastern Iran). The illegal possessors claimed to have discovered the artefacts via illegal diggings in the Kerman Province. The entire collection consists of double edged items made out of bronze. Most of the examined items were probably designed for combat and are comparable to findings within current borders of Iran. Most of the artefacts have very simple designs and probably date from the 2nd to early 1st millennium BCE. Almost all handled examples were cast in one piece and can be dated to 1450-c. 1000 BCE. Only one item was made by the “casting on” technique which probably dates to the 9th-8th centuries BCE
Prawa autorskie (c) 2024 Authors https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
Cooperation of the Lublin Triangle in the context of security threats in the region of Central and Eastern Europe
The purpose of this article is to outline the new multidimensional format of cooperation between Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine. The Lublin Triangle is a trilateral regional alliance between Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine established in Lublin on 28 July 2020. The initiative relates to cooperation across the power, infrastructure, security and cultural sectors with an aim to strengthen dialogue between the states and reinforce efforts to restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity and support its integration into the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Some of the factors driving this new format of cooperation include the growing migrant crisis; increasing importance of the internal and external security in the EU states; Ukraine’s pursuit of EU integration, especially after the Ukraine war outbreak; and strengthening of national states within the EU. The states concerned have turned back to their legacy capital which is and has been the same regional affiliation and, thus, the geographical proximity, shared past, culture, and common interests.
From Acknowledgment to Legitimization. The Practice of Referencing Previous Kings in Royal Elamite Inscriptions
A prominent characteristic of royal Elamite inscriptions, which readily stands out, is the references to predecessors. The majority of these figures appear as previous builder-kings who (re)constructed temples. Also, there are other cases where previous kings are mentioned in connection to other affairs, including the Mesopotamian rulers who were defeated by their Elamite counterparts. The references to previous kings occur in some certain patterns. The predecessors and their achievements are sometimes named and recognized – as their names were preserved in older inscriptions – by the reigning king. Additionally, there are other cases where the current king acknowledges he is not the first one in achieving specific goals, although he does not reveal the names of his predecessors. In such cases, he often refers to his predecessors collectively as “previous kings”. Furthermore, the king occasionally admits that he does not know who (re)built a certain structure before him. This paper studies the various ways in which predecessors are acknowledged in royal Elamite inscriptions.