An Introduction to the Oral History of Iranian Architecture

Oral history is a new branch of history that has gained significant popularity among Iranians in recent decades. Despite the activities of various institutions in this field, the theoretical and practical foundations of oral history in Iran are still not well-defined and clear. Oral history relies on historical information stored in people’s memories. In the history of Iranian architecture, where written documents are rare and physical remains have undergone changes and deterioration, the value of oral information is even greater. However, the importance of this category of architectural historical evidence has been overlooked until now; meanwhile, oral sources are perishable, and it is not long before valuable knowledge about Iran’s architectural past is lost and we are deprived of what these holders carry in their memories. This book reflects on the theoretical and practical aspects of oral history and the oral history of Iranian architecture and serves as a first step toward preserving these valuable historical evidences. The first part of the book addresses definitions of oral history and the oral history of Iranian architecture, their importance, benefits, necessity, and the history of oral history and architectural oral history in the world and Iran. The second part discusses practical matters of oral history in Iranian architecture, from interviewing and collecting information to processing, archiving, assessing the credibility of oral evidence, and finally compiling a historical narrative.