Description
Book SynopsisThe Cambridge History of Iran is an eight-volume survey of Iranian history and culture, and its contribution to the civilisation of the world. All aspect of the religious, philosophical, political, economic, scientific and artistic elements in Iranian civilisation are studies, with some emphasis on geographical and ecological factors which have contributed to that civilisation's special character. The aim is to provide a collection of readable essays rather than a catalogue of information. The volumes offer scope for the publication of new ideas as well as providing summaries of established facts. They should act as a stimulus to specialists, but are primarily concerned to answer the sort of questions about the past and present of Iran that are asked by the non-specialist. Volume I sets the physical stage for the human events which follow. In a sense it is a companion volume to the rest of the series. The whole volume is devoted to geography, geology, anthropology, economic life, and f
Table of ContentsList of plates; Volume editor's preface; Units of measurement; Part I. The Land: 1. Physical geography; 2. Geology; 3. Geomorphology; 4. The origin of the Zagros defiles; 5. Climate; 6. Soils; 7. Hydrography; 8. Vegetation; 9. Mammals; 10. Zoogeographic analysis of the lizard fauna of Iran; 11. Ornithology; Part II. The People: 12. Early man in Iran; 13. Geography of settlement; 14. Population; Part III. Economic Life: 15. Minerals; 16. Industrial activities; 17. Communications, transport, retail trade and service; 18. Agriculture; 19. Water use in north-east Iran; 20. Pastoralism, Nomadism and the social anthropology of Iran; 21. Land reform of Iran; Part IV. Conclusion: 22. The personality of Iran; Bibliography; Conversion tables; Index.
