Bahram Boroumand Amin

Legacy of pre- Islamic Iranian Calligraphy

Abstract:

Knowledge about the art of calligraphy had been gained in Iran from pre- Islamic era and the rules of writing letters and words beautifully or the same aesthetic writing has been left in inscriptions and texts. Based on the available sources we have been informed that with the formation and gradual evolution of common scripts in the Sassanid era, steps were also taken to apply the rules of legibility and aesthetic writing of letters.

Written texts and remnants of the Sassanid  period are in fact composite techniques and arts that have been created by using the art of calligraphy and represent the level of  knowledge on calligraphy at that time.The knowledge of the predecessors on the art of  aesthetic writing of the letters and its effectiveness in interaction with neighboring civilizations and the transfer of this knowledge to the Islamic civilization is the subject of this lecture

In the first part of the article, by examining the existing visual documents, the position of calligraphy in Middle Persian and Pahlavi manuscripts and the way of using art of calligraphy in other common manuscripts of the Sassanid period (224-651 AD) are shown. In the second part, there will be references to the calligraphic features of some Avestan manuscripts and Manichaean pieces that have their roots in the culture and art of the Sassanid period.

Short Resume:

  • Date of birth                  ۱۹۷۳
  • Nationality                    Iranian
  • E-mail                           bahramboroumand@gmail.com
ACADEMIC DEGREES
 
Status: M.A.۲۰۰۵Azad University, Sciences and Researches Center, Tehran, Faculty: Literature and Humanities, Department: Ancient culture and languages 
Thesis: Research on Avestan and Pahlavi manuscript in viewpoint of traditional calligraphy, Supervisor: Prof. Katayoun Mazdapour
Status: B.A۱۹۹۶University: Varamin University, Varamin, Iran, Faculty: agriculture
Status: Complementary & quite distinguished degree۲۰۰۴-۲۰۰۵Association: Calligraphy Association of Iran, Tehran, Iran Supervisors: Prof. A. Falsafi, Prof. M. Movahed
Status: Excellent & distinguished degree۱۹۹۳-۲۰۰۱Association: Calligraphy Association of Iran, Tehran, Iranَ Supervisor: Prof. A. Falsafi, Prof. M. Movahed
COURSES TAUGHT
                       
Free university of Berlin,Germany۲۰۱۹  PhD student
Position: Invited Instructor۲۰۱۷  Institute: Iranian Academy of Art, Tehran, Iran
Subject: Workshop and course on Avestan calligraphy and transcribing method, Number of sitting: 12
Position: Invited Instructor۲۰۱۷Institute: Iranian Academy of Art, Tehran, Iran
Subject: Workshop and course on Manichaean calligraphy and transcribing method, Number of sitting: 8
Position: Invited Instructor۲۰۱۷Institute: Iran ology Foundation university, (Irānshenasī scientific and research institution Shahid Beheshti University), Tehran, Iran
Subject: The Avestan codicology, Number of sitting: 8
Position: Invited Instructor۲۰۱۶Institute: Iran ology Foundation university, (Irānshenasī scientific and research institution Shahid Beheshti University), Tehran, Iran
Subject: The Avestan codicology, Number of sitting: 12
Position: Invited Instructor۲۰۱۵, ۲۰۱۶ & 2017Institute: University of Applied Science and Technology, Art Department, unit 38, Tehran, Iran
Subject: The history of Iranian calligraphy in the ancient and middle period, codicology, and calligraphy subjects, Number of sitting: 32
Position: Invited Instructor۲۰۱۴Academy: Institute for Empirical Linguistics, Goethe University, Department: Empirical Linguistics, Frankfurt, Germany
Subject: Workshop on Avestan Paleography and Calligraphy
Position: Research Assistant۲۰۱۴Academy: Institute for Empirical Linguistics, University of Salamanca, Department: Linguistics, University of Salamanca, Spain
Subject: Seminaries and workshop on Avestan Paleography
Position: Invited Instructor۲۰۱۴Institute: University of Applied Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran
Subject: The history of Iranian calligraphy in the ancient and middle period, codicology, and calligraphy subjects, Number of sitting: 32
Position: Invited Instructor۲۰۱۴Academy: Institute for Empirical Linguistics, Goethe University, Department: Empirical Linguistics, Frankfurt, Germany
Subject: Workshop on Avestan Paleography and Calligraphy
Position: Research Assistant۲۰۱۴Academy: Institute for Empirical Linguistics, University of Salamanca, Department: Linguistics, University of Salamanca, Spain
Subject: Seminaries and workshop on Avestan Paleography
Position: Invited Instructor۲۰۱۴Institute: University of Applied Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran
Subject: The history of Iranian calligraphy in the ancient and middle period, codicology, and calligraphy subjects, Number of sitting: 32
Position: Invited Instructor۲۰۱۳Institute: Iran ology Foundation University, (Irānshenasī scientific and research institution Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
Subject: The Avestan codicology, Number of sitting: 12
Position: Invited Instructor۲۰۱۳Institute: Iran ology Foundation university,(Irānshenasī scientific and research institution Shahid Beheshti University), Tehran, Iran
Subject: The Avestan codicology, Number of sitting: 12
Position: Invited student۲۰۱۲Institute: Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Iranistik, Berlin, Germany
Subject: Fourth Summer School on Pahlavi Papyrology
Position: Invited Instructor۲۰۱۲Institute: Iran ology Foundation University, (Irānshenasī scientific and research institution, Shahid Beheshti University), Tehran, Iran
Subject: The Avestan codicology, Number of sitting: 12
Position: Invited Instructor۲۰۱۱Institute: Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies, Tehran, Iran
Subject: The Avestan codicology workshop, Number of sitting: 6  
Position: Invited Instructor۲۰۱۰Institute: Zoroastrian Association of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Subject: The Avestan Traditional scripts calligraphy, Number of sitting: 12
Position: Invited Instructor۲۰۰۷Institute: Calligraphy Association of Iran, East Branch, Tehran, Iran
Subject: The traditional script calligraphy: Naskh, Number of sitting: 12
Position: Invited Instructor۲۰۰۶Institute: Calligraphy Association of Iran, North Branch, Tehran, Iran
Subject: The traditional script calligraphy: Nastaliq, Number of sitting: 12
LANGUAGE TRAINING
  Mother tonguePersian
  Other language(s)English, German
  Ancient language(s)Avestan,Pahlavi (Middle Persian),Parthian,Soghdian
RECOMMENDERS
Prof. Dr.ALBERTO CANTERA GLERA Freie Universität Berlin, Fachbereich Geschichts- und Kulturwissenschaften, Institut für Iranistik, Fabeckstr. 23-25, Raum 1.1024, 14195 Berlin
Telephone: (+49) 30 838 61148 E-mail:  alberto.cantera@fu-berlin.de   
Prof.ALMUT HINTZE, FBA Zartoshty Brothers Professor of Zoroastrianism, Department of Religions and Philosophies, SOAS University of London Telephone: + 44 (0)20 7898 4598, Fax +44 (0)20 7898 4699 E-Mail ah69@soas.ac.uk
PART TIME ACTIVITY IN RESEARCH PROJECT
 
Position: Invited Instructor۲۰۱۵Academy: Institute for Art, University of Al-Zahra, Department: Arts, Tehran, Iran
Subject: Seminaries and workshop on Avestan Paleography and pre-Islamic history of calligraphy
Position: Research Assistant۲۰۰۸Academy: Iranian Tourism and Handicrafts Organization, Department: Islamic Art and Calligraphy, Tehran, Iran
Subject: Righah style of calligraphy
Position: Invited Instructor۲۰۰۷Academy: Iranian Academy of Art, Department: Islamic Art and Calligraphy, Tehran, Iran
Subject: Naskh style of calligraphy
PUBLICATIONS
 
Writing۲۰۰۵Avestan Calligraphy” Golestān e honar, The International journal of Iranian Art and literature studies, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 41 – ۴۹.
Writing۲۰۰۶The Scribes in the Marzbān family of Pahlavi and Avestan MSS, Nāme ye Bahārestān, The International journal of middle and Islamic Iranian Codicology, Vol. VI – VII, No. 1 – 2, pp. 117 – 126.
Writing۲۰۰۷The Scribe of Avestan and Pahlavi texts of HĀDOXT NASK” Institute for Humanities and cultural studies, Tehran.
Writing۲۰۰۷Sign, Designs, and Decorations in Avestan and middle Persian manuscripts, Name ye Bahārestān, The International journal of middle and Islamic Iranian Codicology, Vol. VII – VIX, No. 13 – 14, p, 369 – 388.
Writing۲۰۰۷Hidden Circles in Koranic Naskh Scripts of Mirzā Ahmad Neyrizi “Congress of Isfahan School, The collection of essay on Calligraphy, the journal of Iranian Academy of Art.
Writing۲۰۰۹Note on Pahlavi manuscripts K20“, Memorial of Dr. H. Mohāmedy (Iranologist), Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies, Tehran.
Writing۲۰۰۹Usage of Righaa Script in Safavid’s Shiite texts” First National Conference on Shiite Arts. Location: Tehran & Ardabil, Iran 5.
Writing۲۰۱۰Yasnā manuscript of J. Soroshian library, from century 13, Proceedings of “Suffering and Treasure” (Awarded by Dr. Zohreh Zarshenas) by Vida Nadaf, Farzaneh Goshtasb, Mohammad Shokri Fooshi, Tehran: Research Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies, 2013.
Writing۲۰۱۳Avesta manuscripts by Mobad Hooshangi(4140YL),and identification of Yasna manuscript scribe in Jamshid Sorooshian Library”. Nāme ye Baharestān, the International Journal of middle and Islamic Iranian Codicology, Vol. I, No. 1, pp118-130
Writing۲۰۱۴The Catalogue of Avestan Paleography Styles with Commentary on their Scriptural Types. http://ada.usal.es/pages/transmission_palaeography
WritingForthcomingRemark on the calligraphic style of APESĀ and BOXTAG-E DABIR in two Inscriptions of Sassanid beginning century“, Nāme-ye Iran-e Bāstān. The International Journal of Ancient Iranian Studies.
WritingForthcomingThe Yasna Manuscript of the Kazemeini Museum Yazd.
WritingForthcomingThe Image of Avesta On a silver dish from the Sassanid era.
TranslationForthcomingSh. Belair, “Iranian Calligraphy in Safavid and Qajar Period,Golestān-e Honar, The International Journal of Iranian Art and Literature Studies.
UnpublishedThe Shadow and Light in Nastaligh Calligraphy.
UnpublishedPractical notes on Look-training in Calligraphy.
UnpublishedThe Catalogue of Manichaean Calligraphy Styles with Commentary on their Scriptural Types.
UnpublishedThe Catalogue of Avestan Calligraphy Styles with Commentary on their Scriptural Types.
Lecture
۲۰۰۶Scribe of Avestan manuscripts, Zoroastrian Association of Tehran.
۲۰۰۶Avestan Calligraphy & quote, Jamšīd Foundation, Tehran.
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