Ray, Iran
Encyclopedia
Rey or Ray also known as Rhages (icon; , Rhagai; or Rhaganae) and formerly as Arsacia, is the capital of Rey County
, Tehran Province
, Iran
, and is the oldest existing city in the province.
Ray today has been absorbed into the Greater Tehran
metropolitan area. Ray is connected via the Tehran Metro
to the rest of Tehran
and has many industries and factories in operation. Limited excavations of what was not bulldozed began in 1997 in collaboration with the Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO), the Department of Archaeological Sciences of the University of Bradford
and the Department of Archaeology of the University of Tehran
.
Note on spelling: According to the Iranian Chamber Society, the correct spelling of the city in both English and Persian is "Ray," (with an "a" vowel sound) though variations in spelling also exist. The city university also uses the spelling "Ray" ("Azad University, Shahr-e-Ray").
. Its name dates back to the pre-Median. Some historians attribute its building to ancient mythological monarchs, and some others believe that Ray was the seat of a dynasty of Zoroastrian leader.
Ray is richer than many other ancient cities in the number of its historical monuments, among which one might refer to the 3000-year-old Gebri castle, the 5000-year-old Cheshmeh Ali hill, the 1000-year-old Bibi Shahr Banoo tomb and Shah Abbasi caravanserai. It has been home to pillars of science like Rhazes.
After the Mongol conquest the town was severely damaged and it gradually lost its importance in the presence of nearby Tehran
.
There is also a shrine there, dedicated to commemorate Princess Shahr Banu, eldest daughter of the last ruler of the Sassanid Empire
. She gave birth to Ali Zayn al Abidin, the fourth holy Imam of the Shia faith. This was through her marriage to Husayn ibn Ali
, the grandson of Muhammad
, the prophet of Islam
. A nearby mountain is also named after her. However, some sources attribute the shrine to the goddess of water and fertility, Anahita
, claiming it was renamed in Islamic times to protect it from any possible harm after the conversion of Iranians to Islam.
Rey County
Rey County is a county in Tehran Province in Iran. The capital of the county is Rey, which is actually part of Tehran. At the 2006 census, the county's population was 292,016, in 71,711 families. The county is subdivided into three districts: the Central District, Kahrizak District, and...
, Tehran Province
Tehran Province
Tehran Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It covers on area of 18,909 square kilometers and is located to the north of the central plateau of Iran....
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, and is the oldest existing city in the province.
Ray today has been absorbed into the Greater Tehran
Greater Tehran
Greater Tehran is the metropolitan urban area in Tehran Province that covers the contiguous cities of Tehran, Ray, Shemiranat, and other areas.According to some estimates, Greater Tehran hosts a population of close to 15 million residents....
metropolitan area. Ray is connected via the Tehran Metro
Tehran Metro
The Tehran Metro is a rapid transit system serving Tehran, the capital of Iran. The system consists of 4 operational lines, with construction having begun on a further two lines in 2007....
to the rest of Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
and has many industries and factories in operation. Limited excavations of what was not bulldozed began in 1997 in collaboration with the Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO), the Department of Archaeological Sciences of the University of Bradford
University of Bradford
The University of Bradford is a British university located in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The University received its Royal Charter in 1966, making it the 40th University to be created in Britain, but its origins date back to the early 1800s...
and the Department of Archaeology of the University of Tehran
University of Tehran
The University of Tehran , also known as Tehran University and UT, is Iran's oldest university. Located in Tehran, the university is among the most prestigious in the country, and is consistently selected as the first choice of many applicants in the annual nationwide entrance exam for top Iranian...
.
Note on spelling: According to the Iranian Chamber Society, the correct spelling of the city in both English and Persian is "Ray," (with an "a" vowel sound) though variations in spelling also exist. The city university also uses the spelling "Ray" ("Azad University, Shahr-e-Ray").
History
A settlement began here c 6,000 BCE as part of the Central Plateau Culture. The settlement was used as a capital by the Medes called Rhaga. In Classical Roman geography it was called Rhagae. It is mentioned several times in the ApocryphaBiblical apocrypha
The word "apocrypha" is today often used to refer to the collection of ancient books printed in some editions of the Bible in a separate section between the Old and New Testaments...
. Its name dates back to the pre-Median. Some historians attribute its building to ancient mythological monarchs, and some others believe that Ray was the seat of a dynasty of Zoroastrian leader.
Ray is richer than many other ancient cities in the number of its historical monuments, among which one might refer to the 3000-year-old Gebri castle, the 5000-year-old Cheshmeh Ali hill, the 1000-year-old Bibi Shahr Banoo tomb and Shah Abbasi caravanserai. It has been home to pillars of science like Rhazes.
After the Mongol conquest the town was severely damaged and it gradually lost its importance in the presence of nearby Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
.
There is also a shrine there, dedicated to commemorate Princess Shahr Banu, eldest daughter of the last ruler of the Sassanid Empire
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
. She gave birth to Ali Zayn al Abidin, the fourth holy Imam of the Shia faith. This was through her marriage to Husayn ibn Ali
Husayn ibn Ali
Hussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
, the grandson of Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
, the prophet of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. A nearby mountain is also named after her. However, some sources attribute the shrine to the goddess of water and fertility, Anahita
Anahita
Anahita is the Old Persian form of the name of an Iranian goddess and appears in complete and earlier form as ' ; the Avestan language name of an Indo-Iranian cosmological figure venerated as the divinity of 'the Waters' and hence associated with fertility, healing and wisdom...
, claiming it was renamed in Islamic times to protect it from any possible harm after the conversion of Iranians to Islam.
Main sights
- Shah-Abdol-Azim shrine. The shrine contains the tomb of ‘Abdul ‘Adhīm ibn ‘Abdillāh al-Hasanī, a fifth generation descendant of Hasan ibn ‘AlīHasan ibn AliAl-Hasan ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib is an important figure in Islam, the son of Fatimah the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and of the fourth Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib. Hasan is a member of the Ahl al-Bayt and Ahl al-Kisa...
and a companion of Muhammad al-TaqīMuhammad al-TaqiMuhammad al-Taqī or Muhammad al-Jawād was the ninth of the Twelve Imams of Twelver Shi'ism. His given name was Muhammad ibn ‘Alī ibn Mūsā, and among his titles, al-Taqī and al-Jawād are the most renowned...
. He was entombed here after his death in the 9th century. Adjacent to the shrine, within the complex, are the mausolea of ImamzadehImamzadehAn Imāmzādeh is a word found in both the Persian and Urdu languages, that refers to an immediate descendant of a Shi'a Imam.Imamzadeh means “offspring” or descendent of an imam. There are many other different ways of spelling this term. Some of these are imamzada, imamzadah, and emamzadah...
Imamzadeh Tahir, son of the fourth Shī‘ah ImamImamah (Shi'a doctrine)Imāmah is the Shia doctrine of religious, spiritual and political leadership of the Ummah. The Shīa believe that the A'immah are the true Caliphs or rightful successors of Muḥammad, and further that Imams are possessed of divine knowledge and authority as well as being part of the Ahl al-Bayt,...
Imām SajjadAli ibn Hussayn‘Alī ibn Ḥusayn known as Zayn al-‘Ābidīn was a great-grandson of Muhammad, as well as the fourth Shī‘ah Imām . His mother was Shahrbānū and his father was Ḥusayn ibn ‘Alī. His brothers include ‘Alī al-Aṣghar ibn Ḥusayn and ‘Alī al-Akbar ibn Ḥusayn...
and Imamzadeh HamzehImamzadehAn Imāmzādeh is a word found in both the Persian and Urdu languages, that refers to an immediate descendant of a Shi'a Imam.Imamzadeh means “offspring” or descendent of an imam. There are many other different ways of spelling this term. Some of these are imamzada, imamzadah, and emamzadah...
, brother of the eighth Twelver Imām - Imām RezaAli al-Rida‘Alī ibn Mūsā al-Rizā was the seventh descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the eighth of the Twelve Imams, according to Shia sect of Islam...
). - Cheshmeh-Ali, hill with a spring. In 1933-6 Cheshmeh Ali hill was excavated by archaeologists from the Boston Fine Arts Museum and the University Museum at the University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PennsylvaniaThe University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
headed by Erich Schmidt, which resulted in the discovery of 7,000-year-old artifacts. Some of the discovered objects are displayed at museums in Iran, Chicago, and Philadelphia. The hill, which is now entirely leveled out and most artifacts unrecoverable due to real estate expansion in the 1980s and 1990s, was the home of AryanAryanAryan is an English language loanword derived from Sanskrit ārya and denoting variously*In scholarly usage:**Indo-Iranian languages *in dated usage:**the Indo-European languages more generally and their speakers...
s about 6,000 years ago. Since Ray was used as a recreation center due to its beautiful attractions under the reign of the Qajar dynasty, Fath Ali Shah often used to explore the city. In 1831 his portrait and that of some Qajar princes were engraved on a rock at Cheshmeh Ali hill and its surrounding was decorated with tablets covered by poetry. - Tuğrul TowerTughrul TowerTuğrul Tower is a 12th century monument, located in the city of Rey, Iran. Tuğrul Tower is near Rashkan castle....
, constructed under the Seljuqs at the order of Tuğrul Beg in 1140, once he transferred the capital city from Nishapur to Ray. The tower is 20 meters high and the surface of its exterior is divided into 24 sections, which besides manifesting beauty and durability, symbolizes the figures of constellation as well as a 24-hour length of time (a day and a night). - Shah Abbasi Caravanserai. One of the ancient residential and commercial complexes, which was used as a lodging by traders and located on the shrine street, close to the BazaarBazaarA bazaar , Cypriot Greek: pantopoula) is a permanent merchandising area, marketplace, or street of shops where goods and services are exchanged or sold. The term is sometimes also used to refer to the "network of merchants, bankers and craftsmen" who work that area...
. It comprises four verandas and is surrounded by stones all around, which used to serve as a market place where goods and commercial products were presented and sold by traders. - Ray Bazaar. Located to the north of Shah-Abdol-Azim's shrine, it comprises two sections and a crossroad is formed at their intersection. It has long been a center for the sale of spices, traditional herbs, and commercial goods which were imported by traders via the Silk RoadSilk RoadThe Silk Road or Silk Route refers to a historical network of interlinking trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian landmass that connected East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa...
. The structure of the bazaarBazaarA bazaar , Cypriot Greek: pantopoula) is a permanent merchandising area, marketplace, or street of shops where goods and services are exchanged or sold. The term is sometimes also used to refer to the "network of merchants, bankers and craftsmen" who work that area...
is constructed from plaster, brick, raw mud brick and mud. It dates back to the Safavid era and is approximately 500 years old. - Anyanaj Tower, an octagonal tower known as Naqareh Khaneh stands on the slopes of Tabarak mountain. A cellar is linked to the tower from underneath though a vestibule erected outside. The tower, which is constructed by stone and plaster and decorated by brickwork and zigzag vaults, dates back to the SaljukSeljuq dynastyThe Seljuq ; were a Turco-Persian Sunni Muslim dynasty that ruled parts of Central Asia and the Middle East from the 11th to 14th centuries...
era. - Gebri Crypt. Zoroastrians lived in this area, who used to leave the corpses of the dead in the open air usually on a structure known as a Dakhma (Persian: دخمه) or Tower of Silence. According to their traditions, once the flesh had decayed, the remaining bones would be buried. The ancient Zoroastrians disapproved of contaminating the earth (ZamZamZam is the Avestan language term for the Zoroastrian concept of "earth", in both the sense of land and soil and in the sense of the world...
) with a corpse through regular burial, or contaminating fire (AtarAtarAtar is the Zoroastrian concept of holy fire, sometimes described in abstract terms as "burning and unburning fire" or "visible and invisible fire" ....
) through cremation (An afront to Armaiti and Asha respectively) due to the belief that corpses are nasuNasu (Zoroastrianism)In Zoroastrian doctrine Nasu means impure and unclean. Actions such as cutting nails, ripping or shredding paper, cutting hair, dead bodies, urinating are all considered nasu in Zoroastrianism....
(unclean and impure). Gebri crypt was built as a high circular structure, six meters high, which was constructed by stone and mortar. It dates back to the 1st millennium BCE, around 3,000 years ago and was earlier called by different names, such as Khamoushan tower, Ostvaran, Ostkhan-ran, Marg (Death) tower and Sokout (Silence) tower. - Paintings of Monarchs on Ashkan Mountain. At the order of Fath Ali Shah Qajar, a slide was erected on the Ashkan mountain as a sliding and recreation tool for the monarchic family. At the southern slopes of the mountain, a rough image of the Sassanid kings has been carved on a rock, which was leveled for this purpose. The image was left incomplete. Later at the order of Fath Ali Shah the image was erased to be replaced by his own portrait, while he had a crown on head and a spear in hand targeted at a lion.
Notable people
- Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi
- Abu Hatim al-RaziAbu Hatim Ahmad ibn Hamdan al-RaziAbu Hatim, Ahmad ibn Hamdan al-Razi was a Persian Ismaili philosopher of the 9th century. He was also the chief dai' of Rayy and the leader of the Ismaili d'awah in Central Persia.-View on Jesus's ascension:...
- Amin RaziAmin Razi' was a 16th century Persian geographer and author of an encyclopedia called Haft iqlīm . It provided information about the seven different regions known to the Islamic world at the time.-References:...
- Harun al-RashidHarun al-RashidHārūn al-Rashīd was the fifth Arab Abbasid Caliph in Iraq. He was born in Rey, Iran, close to modern Tehran. His birth date remains a point of discussion, though, as various sources give the dates from 763 to 766)....
- Fakhr al-Din al-RaziFakhr al-Din al-RaziAbu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Umar ibn al-Husayn al-Taymi al-Bakri al-Tabaristani Fakhr al-Din al-Razi , most commonly known as Fakhruddin Razi was a well-known Persian Sunni Muslim theologian and philosopher....
- Najmeddin RaziNajmeddin RaziAbū Bakr 'Abdollāh b. Moḥammad b. Šahāvar b. Anūšervān al-Rāzī commonly know by the laqab, or sobriquet, of Najm al-Dīn Dāya, meaning "wetnurse"...
- Morteza AviniMorteza AviniSayyed Morteza Avini was an Iranian photographer of the Iran-Iraq war.Avini was born in 1947 in Rey, south of Tehran...
- Javad NekounamJavad NekounamJavad Nekounam is an Iranian footballer who plays for CA Osasuna in La Liga.Usually playing as a central midfielder, he is known for his passing ability, defensive acumen, ball distribution and powerful long-range shots. He represented his national team over 120 times.-Early years / UAE:Having...
- Farzad Ashoubi
- Hadi SaeiHadi SaeiHadi Saei Bonehkohal is a former Iranian Azerbaijani Taekwondo athlete who became the most successful Iranian athlete in Olympic history after winning gold in the 2008 Summer Olympics. He competed in the Men's 68 kg at the 2004 Summer Olympics and won the gold medal...
- Alireza DabirAlireza DabirAlireza Dabir is a champion freestyle wrestler from Iran. Dabir won a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000, as well as the World Championship in 1998. He was runner-up in 1999, 2001, and 2002. In the Athens Olympics, Dabir lost his first two matches due to a severe shoulder...
- Hamid SourianHamid SourianHamid Sourian Reihanpour is an Iranian wrestler, was part of national team from 2001 to 2011. He is a five-time world champion in Greco-Roman wrestling . Sourian amazingly won both the Junior World Championships and Senior World Championships in 2005...
- Mehdi KamraniMehdi KamraniMehdi Kamrani is an Iranian professional basketball player. He currently plays for Mahram Tehran in the Iranian Super League as well as for the Iranian national basketball team, as a guard...
See also
- Shah-Abdol-Azim CemeteryShah-Abdol-Azim CemeteryThe Shāh Abdol Azīm Shrine , located in Rey, Iran, contains the tomb of: ‘Abdul ‘Adhīm ibn ‘Abdillāh al-Hasanī . Shah Abdol Azim was a fifth generation descendant of Hasan ibn ‘Alī and a companion of Muhammad al-Taqī...
- Behesht-e Zahra CemeteryBehesht-e ZahraBehesht-e Zahra , is the largest cemetery in Iran. Located in the southern part of metropolitan Tehran, it is connected to the city by a metro line. The cemetery has been one of the inspirations for the popular webcomic, Zahra's Paradise.-History:...
- Ebn-e Babooyeh CemeteryEbn-e BabooyehEbn-e Babooyeh cemetery, Ibn-e Baabevey, or Ibn Babviyeh is located in Iran in the town of Rey ....
External links
- The Tehran province Cultural Heritage Organization.
- Archeological site of an ancient Fire Temple near Ray.
- Background on the 1934-1936 joint expedition financed by the University Museum at the University of Pennsylvania and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts led by Erich Schmidt
- Ali Spring (Cheshmeh Ali), Ray
- Toqrol Tower, Ray
- Daily Life Ornamented: The Medieval Persian City Of Rayy Special Exhibition at Chicago Oriental Institute (May 15-October 14, 2007).