Representations of National Identity in Cultural Heritage(Iran from the First to Fifth Centuries AH)

Volume 14, Issue 52
Summer 2026
Pages 24-35

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Sociology, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, University of Tabriz, Iran

Abstract
This article examines the representation of Iranian national identity in cultural heritage from the first to fifth centuries AH, with a particular focus on the roots, mechanisms, and historical continuity of archaic (pre-Islamic) nationalism in Iran. The study aims to explain how Iranian national identity was formed and reproduced through culture, myths, language, and symbols, and to clarify the role of cultural heritage in consolidating this identity in opposition to the “Arab Other.” The research adopts Michel Foucault’s discourse analytic approach to uncover the underlying configurations of knowledge, power, and subjectivity in their historical context and to trace the structure and persistence of cultural nationalism. In parallel, an ethnosymbolist perspective is employed to conceptualize the contribution of symbols, myths, and rituals to the formation and stabilization of this nationalist discourse. The findings demonstrate that Iranian national identity cannot be reduced to a byproduct of modern state building or Western influence but emerges from a long-term, cumulative process embedded in the cultural memory and historical experience of Iran. Texts such as Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, together with Islamic period textiles and other artistic and cultural artefacts, function as key media for rearticulating ancient myths and histories and for reinforcing collective memory. The analysis suggests that archaic Iranian nationalism is deeply rooted in historical tradition and collective memory and is characterized by a predominantly cultural, spiritual, and symbolic orientation that is continuously reproduced through artistic and cultural creativity. Overall, the article underscores the value of a historical cultural lens on Iranian nationalism and highlights the central role of cultural heritage in shaping and transmitting national self-consciousness.

Keywords

Afifi, R. (2004). اساطیر و فرهنگ ایرانی در نوشته‌های پهلوی [Myths and Iranian Culture in Pahlavi Texts]. Toos. [in Persian]
Ahmadi, H. (2003). هویت ملی ایرانی در گسترۀ تاریخ [Iranian National Identity in the Course of History]. National Studies Quarterly, 15(1), 9–45. [in Persian]
Ashraf, A. (2013). بحران هویت ملی و قومی در ایران [The Crisis of National and Ethnic Identity in Iran]. Mazda Publishers. [in Persian]
Baker, P. (2006). Islamic Textiles (M. Shayestehfar, trans.). Institute for Islamic Art Studies. (Original work published 1994)
Burckhardt, T. (2006). Principles of Islamic Art (M. Bina-ye Motlaq, trans.). Hermes. (Original work published 1986)
Connor, W. (1994). Ethnonationalism: The Quest for understanding. Prinston University Press.
Coop, L. (2011). Myth (M. Dehqani, trans.). Scientific and Cultural Publications. (Original work published 1987)
Dadvar, A. Q. (2014). نقوش و نمادهای گیاهی و حیوانی در سفالینه‌های دوران اسلامی ایران [Plant and Animal Motifs and Symbols in Islamic Pottery of Iran]. Negarineh Journal of Islamic Art Studies, 4(1), 4–18. [in Persian]
Dadvar, A. Q., & Mansouri, E. (2006). درآمدی بر اسطوره‌ها و نمادهای ایران و هند در عهد باستان [An Introduction to Myths and Symbols of Ancient Iran and India]. Alzahra University Press. [in Persian]
Dahmardeh, B. (2005). تاریخ سیاسی، اجتماعی، اقتصادی و فرهنگی ایران در دورۀ سامانیان، دیلمیان و غزنویان [Political, Social, Economic, and Cultural History of Iran during the Samanid, Buyid, and Ghaznavid Periods]. Payam-e Noor University Press. [in Persian]
Davaran, F. (2025). Continuity in Iranian Identity: Resilience of Cultural Heritage (M. Taghiabadi, trans.). Morvarid. (Original work published 2011)
Davari Ardakani, R. (2021). ناسیونالیسم، ملت و ملیت [Nationalism, Nation and Nationality]. Naqd-e Farhang. [in Persian]
Dreyfus, H., & Rabinow, P. (2021). Michel Foucault: Beyond Structuralism and Hermeneutics (H. Bashirieh, trans.). Ney. (Original work published 1982)
Esmaeilpour, A. (2008). اسطورۀ بیان نمادین [Myth as Symbolic Expression]. Soroush. [in Persian]
Farbood, F., & Fathi, L. (2009). Evolution process of birds and sphinxes in Buyid and Seljuk dynasties textiles. Negareh Journal, 4(12), 40–51. https://www.magiran.com/p805933 
Gellner, E. (2021). Nations and Nationalism (A. Minoubi-Far, trans.). Gām No. (Original work published 1982)
Gholamrezaei, Z. (2015). نگاره‌های منسوجات ایرانی از دورۀ باستان تا عصر صفوی [Motifs on Iranian Textiles from Ancient Times to the Safavid Era]. Folklore of Iranian People, (43-44), 9–28. [in Persian]
Grube, E. J. (2005). Islamic Pottery (F. Haeri, trans.). Karang. (Original work published 1986)
Hajiyani, E. (2009). Relationship between national and ethnic identities among Iranian ethnic groups. Iranian Journal of Sociology, 9(3-4), 143-164. https://sid.ir/paper/67396/en
Hylland Eriksen, T. (2019). Ethnicity and Nationalism: Anthropological Perspectives (H.  Zibaei, trans.). Farhameh. (Original work published 2005)
Kouhzad, N. (2010). بررسی نقوش و نمادهای آئینی در سفالینه‌های دوران اسلامی [Ritual Motifs and Symbols in Islamic Era Pottery] [Unpublished M. A. Thesis, Kashan University]. [in Persian]
Kristeva, J. (2023). Nations Without Nationalism (M. Parsa, trans.). Shavand. (Original work published 1998)
Masoumi, G. (2008). مقدمه‌ای بر اساطیر و آئین‌های باستانی جهان [An Introduction to Ancient Myths and Rituals of the World]. Soore Mehr. [in Persian]
Miller, D. (1995). On Nationality. Oxford University Press.
Mirzaei, S. A. (2021). ناسیونالیسم و قومیت در ایران [Nationalism and Ethnicity in Iran]. Farhang-e Ban. [in Persian]
Monsi Sorkheh, M., & Hosseinzadeh Qeshlaqi, S. (2019). نقش‌مایه‌های انسانی در منسوجات ایرانی [Human Motifs in Iranian Textiles]. Ketaab-e Aban. [in Persian]
Mousavi, A., & Gholipour, F. (2011). Survey On Situation of Persian Language and Literature in Three First Centuries of Hijri Calendar. Research in History, 2(4), 29–44. https://pdtsj.ut.ac.ir/article_70653.html?lang=en 
Namjou, A., & Forouzani, S. M. (2013). مطالعۀ نمادشناسانه و تطبیقی عناصر نقوش منسوجات ساسانی و صفوی [A Semiotic and Comparative Study of Symbolic Motifs in Sasanian and Safavid Textiles]. Journal of Art, Science and Culture, 1, 21–42. https://civilica.com/doc/1478870 
 Navaseri, A. (2021). آسیب‌شناسی ناسیونالیسم رومانتیک، گذشته گرایی؛ خودشیفتگی، دیگرستیزی؛ زبان محوری [Pathology of Romantic Nationalism: Archaism, Narcissism, Xenophobia, and Linguistic Centrality]. Gām No. [in Persian]
Niknam, K. (2000). از نوروز تا نوروز، آیین‌ها و مراسم سنتی زرتشتیان [From Nowruz to Nowruz: Rituals and Ceremonies of Zoroastrians]. Forouhar Press. [in Persian]
Nioli, G. (2013). مفهوم ایران و بنیاد سیاسی، دینی و قومی آن در گذر زمان و ایران‌شناسی در اروپا [The Concept of Iran and Its Political, Religious, and Ethnic Foundations through Time, and Iranian Studies in Europe]. Islamic Iranian Studies Journal, 1(5), 11–21. [in Persian]. http://noo.rs/OSLB7 
Pirhayati, M. (2008). اساطیر، مقدمه‌ای بر هویت، عرفان و فرهنگ [Myths: An Introduction to Identity, Mysticism, and Culture]. Sohravardi Research and Publishing Office. [in Persian]
Renan, E., Renouvin, P., Fustel, D., & Ruff, W. (2011). Nation, National Sentiment, Nationalism (A. Ahmadi, trans.). Agah. (Original work published 2002)
Ruhifar, Z. (2001). نگاهی بر پارچه‌بافی دوران اسلامی [A Glance at Textile Weaving in the Islamic Period of Iran]. SAMT. [in Persian]
Safa, Z. (1992). تاریخ ادبیات ایران [History of Persian Literature]. Ferdowsi. [in Persian]
Sattari, J. (2008). اسطوره در جهان امروز [Myth in the Modern World]. Nashr-e Markaz. [in Persian]
Shaked, S. (2002). From Zoroastrian Iran to Islam (M. Saqebfar, trans.). Qoqnoos. (Original work published 1988)
Sharifzadeh, S. A. (2013). هنر سلجوقی و شاهنامۀ کاما [Seljuk Art and the Shahnameh of Kâma]. Journal of Art, Science and Culture, 1(1), 9–20. [in Persian] 
Shayestehfar, M., & Mousavi-Lor, A. (2003). بررسی تطبیقی نگاره‌های منسوجات ساسانی و آل بویه (قرن 4 هجری /10میلادی) از نظر مبانی هنرهای ایرانی - اسلامی [A comparative study of Sassanid and Buyid textile motifs (4th century AH / 10th century AD) based on the principles of Iranian-Islamic art]. Glory of Art ( jelve-y-honar ), 22, 16–53. [in Persian]. http://noo.rs/Kcpdw 
Sheikhi, A. (2024). مطالعۀ تطبیقی منسوجات ایرانی ساسانی و اوایل دورۀ اسلامی با مصر قبطی (منطقه اخمیم) با رویکرد اسطوره‌شناسی ژرژ دومزیل [A Comparative Study of Sasanian and Early Islamic Iranian Textiles with Coptic Egypt (Akhmim): A Mythological Approach Based on Georges Dumézil]. Islamic Industrial Arts Journal, 181–163. [in Persian]
Smith, A. D. (2015). Nationalism and Modernism: A Critical Survey of Recent Theories of Nations and Nationalism (K. Firoozmand, trans.). Nashr-e Sales. (Original work published 1998)
Smith, A. D. (2004). Nationalism: Theory, Ideology, History (M. Ansari, trans.). Iranian Civilization Publications. (Original work published 1992)
Smith, A. D. (2022). Ethnic Symbolism and Nationalism: A Cultural Approach (H. Zibaei, trans.). Farhameh. (Original work published 2009)
Spuler, B. (1970). Iran in the Early Islamic Period (J. Falaturi, trans.). Scientific and Cultural Press. (Original work published 1953)
Tavakoli-Targhi, M. (2018). تجدد بومی و بازاندیشی تاریخ [Indigenous Modernity and Rethinking History]. Pardis-e Danesh. [in Persian]
Tabatabaei, S. J. (2005). دیباچه‌ای بر نظریۀ انحطاط ایران [An Introduction to the Theory of Iran’s Decline]. Negah-e Moaser. [in Persian]
Tarfadari, A. M. (2023). تاریخ نگاری و ملی‌گرایی در ایران معاصر [Historiography and Nationalism in Contemporary Iran]. Kanoon-e Andisheh-ye Javan. [in Persian]
Vashghani Farahani, E., & Paraver, S. (2016). مروری بر حضور اساطیر ایرانی در شعر عصر سلجوقی با محوریت اشعار خاقانی شروانی [A Review of the Presence of Iranian Myths in Seljuk Poetry with Emphasis on the Works of Khaqani Shirvani]. Iranian Studies Journal, 15(30), 209–222. [in Persian]. https://doi.org/10.22103/jis.2017.1629 
Tyrell, M. (1996). Nation- states and States of Mind: Nationalism as pcychology, critical review. A Journal of Politics and Society, 10(2), 233-50. https://doi.org/10.1080/08913819608443419