Persia

Long the stepchild of the study of Ancient, Classical, and Late Antique civilizations, the archaeology of Islamic-era Persia is a relatively new discipline, and one that has been dominated by the exploration of urban forms and the documentation of monuments. This chapter, then, uses the evolution of cities as a window on medieval Islamic societies in the region. The reorganization of old fortified settlements, the constitution of new well-organized quarters as rabads, and the creation of cities ex novo show the major contribution of Islamic culture to Iranian urbanization. What we know archaeologically about the rural hinterland, its relationship to the “urban,” and industry is summarized here, placing scholarship on the Islamic Persian city into a larger perspective.