Memory of the World; 2012 - unesdoc - Unesco

ehalf of the king. As a consequence, the collection throws
light not only on life and society from the 16th to the
18th centuries but also on Astan-e Quds Razavi itself.
The changes that Safavid society experienced over a
century and a half are discernable through the papers.
The documents illustrate the concerns of the people and
the society as a whole, the common cultural viewpoints
and difficulties and the financial and administrative
systems that grew up to deal with them.
The papers can be grouped into several classifications.
On the most basic level of the history of society, the papers
illustrate the people’s speech, dress codes, eating habits,
medical concerns and illnesses, professions, occupations
and levels of income. The status of religion, societal
economic relationships and the role of women are all
revealed, as are different social levels and living standards.
In addition to this, everyday administrative concerns
ranging from types of endowments and payment to the
organisation, to natural disasters – floods, earthquakes
and droughts – show the workings of the society and
its mindset.
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