The Custom of Gift-Giving in Iran with Reference to Shahnameh and Bayhaqi’s History

Abstract

The history of ancient Persia is fraught with customs that have either fallen into oblivion or undergone changes. Giving and receiving gifts is one of those customs that have changed but remained cherished over time. Among the sources in which ancient customs of Iran can be found are Bayhaqi’s History and Shahnameh, which portray the circumstances in the royal court of Persia. After the emergence of Islam in the country, caliphs and rulers encouraged, endorsed, and continued the practice of gifting. Formerly, it was conducted on political or economic grounds. During the Ghaznavid period, for instance, precious gifts were presented on different occasions to the court. The purpose of this study is to examine the gifting customs as documented in Shahnameh and Bayhaqi’s History. In the study, the types of gifts, the occasions for giving gifts, and the gifts themselves were examined. In Shahnameh, gifts were given based on epic grounds, while in Bayhaqi’s History, official and political motives were stated. Throughout both books, gifting is a frequent theme. However, the degree of precision varies between the two texts; Bayhaqi discusses the gifts in detail, while Shahnameh provides a general overview.

Keywords

• shahnameh
• bayhaqi’s history
• gift-giving custom
• gift
• bonus