Ghuhistan
Subject Areas : Epistemological and methodological researcher of historical research
1 - history department of mahallat - markazi - iran
Keywords: Birjand, South Khorasan, historical geography, Ghohestan, ethnic changes,
Abstract :
A number of places in Iran are given prominence due to their historical, geographical, and political backgrounds. One of them, Ghohestan, or the state of mountains, was known to be called Ghayenat in the Islamic era. It is, however, officially dubbed as Southern Khorasan (Khorasan Jonnubi). Ghohestan's strategic importance and its close proximity to the east and south of Iran with various tribes dwelling in it stimulated significance to the region through the passage of time in the historiography of Khorasan and Iran. Employing the popular humanistic research methods based on documentary and theoretical studies, the following paper aims to conduct a geographical survey on the region and shade light, however briefly, on the unknown aspects of its history. What is acquired from the findings is that Ghohestan sustained a strategic significance and witnessed and fostered a series of historical changes in the Islamic era due to its geographical coherence with the larger Khorasan, economic and cultural interstate exchanges, and political and ethnic characteristics. Even today, the area displays numerous strategic capabilities in confrontation with the issues of immigration, social and political challenges, and ethnic tensions which demand the attention of the governmental agencies.
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