This encyclopedia presents alphabetically arranged scholarly articles "on topics of archeological, geographic, ethnographic, historical, artistic, literary, religious, linguistic, philosophical, scientific, and folkloric interest. ... The time span covered ... extends from prehistory to the present; however, biographies of living persons are excluded." -- Introduction.

First published in 1990. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Jonas Greenfield was one of the foremost epigraphers and biblical scholars of this generation. This volume, dedicated to Professor Greenfield by his students, colleagues, and friends, reflects the broad spectrum of academic interests he pursued: Bible, Qumran, epigraphy, and Semitics.

The Jews of Iran, one of the oldest communities of Jews in the world, have been living in that land for nearly 2,700 years. During this time, they have influenced many aspects of life and culture in Iran, and they have also adopted many of the customs and cultural values of Iran, their ancient homeland. Comprising all the entries published in the Encyclopædia Iranica through 2010, the present volume represents the most comprehensive collection of research published to date on the life, history, culture, languages, music, literature, customs and monuments of this unique branch of world Jewry’s family tree. With contributions by the leading scholars of Judeo-Persian studies, this collection of 65 articles on virtually every aspect of the life of Jewish communities throughout Iran begins with an examination of their history from the Achaemenid period through to the beginning of the twenty-first century. Specific articles pertaining to Jewish life in major cities such as Hamadan, Isfahan, and Mashhad are then followed by detailed examinations of several Judeo-Persian dialects. Comprehensive studies of various aspects of Judeo-Persian literature, manuscripts, and music are then complemented by analyses of the contribution of Iranian Jews to the Hebrew Bible and the Babylonian Talmud; their impact on classical and popular Persian music; as well as Jewish-Iranian interaction with other religious. The volume also contains numerous biographical entries on some of the more prominent Iranian Jews throughout history. Other important subjects including but not limited to the Jewish community of Bukhara, the tomb of Esther and Mordechai, and the exhilarchate are also covered. The collection’s bibliography, one of the most comprehensive published to date, contains nearly 800 book and article titles written in English, French, German, Hebrew, Persian, and Russian on or about the Jews of Iran.

The definitive translation by Dick Davis of the great national epic of Iran—now newly revised and expanded to be the most complete English-language edition A Penguin Classic Dick Davis—“our pre-eminent translator from the Persian” (The Washington Post)—has revised and expanded his acclaimed translation of Ferdowsi’s masterpiece, adding more than 100 pages of newly translated text. Davis’s elegant combination of prose and verse allows the poetry of the Shahnameh to sing its own tales directly, interspersed sparingly with clearly marked explanations to ease along modern readers. Originally composed for the Samanid princes of Khorasan in the tenth century, the Shahnameh is among the greatest works of world literature. This prodigious narrative tells the story of pre-Islamic Persia, from the mythical creation of the world and the dawn of Persian civilization through the seventh-century Arab conquest. The stories of the Shahnameh are deeply embedded in Persian culture and beyond, as attested by their appearance in such works as The Kite Runner and the love poems of Rumi and Hafez. For more than sixty-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,500 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.