The importance and ramifications of saints, sainthood and pilgrimage in contemporary Iran and neighbouring countries are great, yet the academic conceptualizati

One of the most obvious and striking features of Iran is the presence of numerous shrines. Millions of Iranians come to visit these shrines, which, besides the

Until the 1960s, little was known inside or outside Iran about the tribes living in the country. The anthropological research of Erika Friedl is now renowned fo

Iran has long been regarded as an international pariah state in some parts of the international community. However, its negative image in many countries disguis

It is not only the holy cities of Mecca and Karbala to which Muslim pilgrims travel, but a wide variety of sacred sites around the world. Journeys are undertake