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"Child, History, Life" Exhibition

The Institute for Research on the History of Children's Literature in Iran

On the occasion of children’s week in Iran

Tehran – Niavaran palace

02–08 October 2004

The subject of this exhibition was about the status of the child and childhood through history. Identifying images of childhood as revealed in culture and society over time offers clear evidence of children’s status in Iranian society. After studying historical resources, it appears that the concept of childhood dates back to more than three thousands years ago. The analysis of oral literature, myths, old Zoroastrian documents, illustrations and manuscripts shows the life of an Iranian child in different periods.

One of the oldest mythical stories concerning the life of an Iranian child is the story of Zaal: a child with snow-white hair.

This story, which originated in ancient times in the Epic of Kings (Shahnameh), is about the son of Saam Nariman, the great Iranian hero. Because of Zaal’s white hair, Saam commanded his servants to take the infant and cast it out of the land and abandon it on Mount Alborz, where Simorgh, a bird with magical powers had a nest.

Simorgh snatched up the crying baby and took it to its nest, where its young could devour him, but it was moved compassion and decided to raise him with its own nestlings. Zaal grew to be a youth full of strength and beauty. This story shows that in ancient times it was widely believed that a child suffering from a disorder presaged evil and had to be killed as ordered by witches and priests.

Some objects dating to ancient times address different aspects of childhood in Iran. There are many images of children’s lives depicted on archeological artifacts.

These include the image of a mother giving a bird to her child as a toy, engraved on an Achaemenid seal, and a terracotta bust of mother holding a child in her arms.

Research in post-Islamic works also makes it clear that there are texts and illustrations that are directly or indirectly addressed to children. An illustrated version of Ghaaboosnaameh showing pupils studying in old-fashioned primary schools (Maktabkhanehs) and images of children in old miniatures are examples of this.

In documents from the Islamic era, Avicenna’s views about raising children are notable. In an invaluable thousand-year-old document about lullabies, Avicenna says that for the proper nurturing of healthy newborns, two things besides feeding are essential, one is gently rocking the baby and the other is regularly singing a soft lullaby to put the child to sleep. The more a child is rocked and hears music the more he will develop physically and mentally.