Publication Information
Author:
Donaldson,
Bess Allen
Title:
The wild rue: a study of Muhammadan magic and
folklore in Iran
Published By:
London: Luzac & Co., 1938. 208 p.:
ill.
By line: by Bess Allen Donaldson
HRAF Publication Information: New Haven, Conn.:
HRAF, 2000. Computer File
Culture:
Iran (MA01)
Subjects:
Food consumption (260);
Marriage (580);
Sickness (750);
Religious beliefs (770);
Religious practices (780);
Ecclesiastical organization (790);
Ideas about nature and people (820);
Reproduction (840);
Abstract:
This is an excellent account of the superstitious
practices and folklore that pervaded many phases of Iranian life prior to the
reform movement of Reza Shah Pahlavi. At the time this work was written, Reza
Shahs institution of such innovations as co-education at all levels, development
of a buplic press, establishment of communication systems and the emancipation
of women was still meeting with strong resistance. Lack of enlightenment for
many centuries had tended to create fears of everything û
sickness, death, crop failure, meteorological catastrophes, the supernatural,
and even ones own husband or relatives. Therefore, the practice of magic and
sorcery was widespread. This volume presents a comprehensive coverage of these
superstitious acts and folklore of pre-reform Iran. There is great concern with
religious customs, because the superstitions were found to be firmly entrenched
in the religion. The main site of observation was the province of Khorasan,
which the author describes as being representative in population because of the
pilgrimages to the city of Meshed; people from all parts of Iran migrated and
settled in the 'sacred city.' Although most of the data were drawn from
observations of women of the middle and lower classes, no social stratum was
entirely neglected, nor wre men completely omitted from the study. Twenty-six
separate topics have been discussed, among which are the evil eye; death, burial
and resurrection; angels; names and numbers; oath, curses and blessing; the
Koran and dreams and sleep. A complete listing may be found in the Contents, p.
xi. The five illustrations, consisting mainly of charms and amulet, have been
processed for the HRAF Collection. This book was published with the footnotes
appearing at the end of each chapter. Where possible they have been printed on
the pertinent page; where this was not feasible they will be found at the end of
each chapter.
Document Number:
13
Document ID: ma01-013
Document Type:
Component part(s), monograph
Language:
English
Note:
Index not included.
DONALDSON, BESS ALLEN (b. Galesburg, Ill., 7 December 1879, d. Lakeland, Fla.,
20 December 1974) and DWIGHT MARTIN (b. Washington, O., 16 December 1884, d.
Lakeland, Fla., 11 May 1976), American Presbyterian missionaries and writers
about Persia. Bess Allen went to Tehran in 1910 as a teacher at the Iran Bethel
Girl's School (renamed Nurbaæ School in 1940), a Presbyterian mission
school; she subsequently became principal. Dwight Donaldson was a missionary of
the American Presbyterian Church in Maµhad from 1915. They were
married in Tehran on 28 June 1916 and undertook evangelical work in Maæhad
until 1940, when foreign missionary teachers were expelled from Persia and their
schools nationalized. Dwight Donaldson then became principal of the Henry Martyn
Institute of Islamic Studies at Aligarh in India, where the couple remained
until his retirement in 1951.
Field Date:
none
Evaluation:
Unknown
Analyst:
Robert J. Smith;
1953
Coverage Date:
1910-1940
Coverage Place:
Iran
LCSH:
Iranians
