New Julfa Armenian Cemetery is a historical cemetery near New Julfa Armenian quarter of Isfahan , Iran .
99-563: Among those interred here are: See full list of international interments here During World War II (1942–1945), hundreds of Polish orphans passed through Isfahan from Soviet Union en route to the Persian Gulf ports for departure to Africa or to New Zealand . Some of them lived in Isfahan from the beginning until the end of the war, other stayed there shortly. The graves of those Polish , who did not succeed in coming back home, situated on
198-529: A cold desert climate ( Köppen BWk ). No geological obstacles exist within 90 kilometres (56 miles) north of the city, allowing cool winds to blow from this direction. Despite its altitude, Isfahan remains hot during the summer, with maxima typically around 35 °C (95 °F). However, with low humidity and moderate temperatures at night, the climate is quite pleasant. During the winter, days are cool while nights can be very cold. Snow falls an average of 6.7 days each winter. However, generally Isfahan's climate
297-547: A tram network in the city. The Isfahan Metro was opened on 15 October 2015. It currently consists of one north–south line with a length of 20.2 kilometres (12.6 mi), and two more lines are currently under construction, alongside three suburban rail lines. The city is served by a railway station , with the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways running trains to Bandarabbas and Mashhad . The first high-speed railway in Iran,
396-605: A double shrine of "Ge-Kourotrophos" and "Demeter-Chloe" on the Acropolis. Near the Olympieion of Athens there was the temenos of Ge-Olympia. Thucydides mentions that it was among the oldest sanctuaries built in Athens, where the Deucalion flood took place. A chthonic ritual was performed in Athens in honour of Ge. The Genesia was a mourning festival in the month Broedromion. A sacrifice
495-561: A flat disk with a wide extent. The earth-goddess can be identified with the nymph "Plataia" (broad one) in Plataea of Boeotia as the spouse of Zeus. Homer uses the form "eureia chthon " (broad earth). Hesiod speaks for the broad-breasted earth, ("eurysternos") the sure seat of all immortals. The same epithet appears in her cults at Delphi and Aegae in Achaea. In the Homeric hymn her conception
594-526: A gift. It is said that he gave to Poseidon Calaureia , that lies off Troezen , in exchange for his oracle. Apollo is the best-known as the oracle power behind Delphi, long established by the time of Homer, having killed Gaia's child Python there and usurped the chthonic power. Hera punished Apollo for this by sending him to King Admetus as a shepherd for nine years. Gaia or Ge had at least three sanctuaries in Greece which were mentioned by Pausanias . There
693-469: A gravestone in Potidaia mentions: " Aether receives the souls and "chthon" receives the bodies". According to Plutarch: " The name of Ge is beloved to every Greek and she is traditionally honoured like any other god": Hesiod 's Theogony tells how, after Chaos , "wide-bosomed" Gaia (Earth) arose to be the everlasting seat of the immortals who possess Olympus above. And after Gaia came "dim Tartarus in
792-637: A poetic form of Γῆ ( Gê ), meaning 'land' or 'earth'), also spelled Gaea ( / ˈ dʒ iː ə / ), is the personification of Earth . Gaia is the ancestral mother—sometimes parthenogenic —of all life. She is the mother of Uranus (Sky), from whose sexual union she bore the Titans (themselves parents of many of the Olympian gods ), the Cyclopes , and the Giants , as well as of Pontus (Sea), from whose union she bore
891-447: A premilinary offering among other gods. Ge was associated with the dead at Mykonos. Seven black lambs were offered to "Zeus Chthonios" and "Ge-Chthonia" in the month Lenaion. The worshippers were offered to feast at the place of worship. At Sparta Gaia was worshipped together with Zeus. There was a double shrine of "Ge" and "Zeus Agoraios" (of the market place). Gaia has several epithets and attributes. In poetry chthon frequently has
990-430: A reward, for Athena's sake. Gaia also turned the young Libanus into rosemary when he was killed by impious people. Zeus hid Elara , one of his lovers, from Hera by stowing her under the earth. His son by Elara, the giant Tityos , is therefore sometimes said to be a son of Gaia, the earth goddess. Gaia also made Aristaeus immortal. It seems that the worship of the "earth" was indigenous in Greece. However it
1089-485: A sacred well was used for predicting the cause of diseases. At Athens Ge acquired the cult-title Themis . Themis was an oracular goddess related to Ge and she was not originally interpreted as goddess of righteousness. The cult of Gaia was probably indigenous in Attica. In the cult of Phlya , Pausanias reports that there were altars to Dionysos, certain nymphs and to Ge, whom they called the "great goddess". The Great goddess
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#17328490802281188-511: A separate section at the eastern border of the cemetery, at main alley dividing the cemetery and is surrounded by a rather low wall. At its right border, there are two rows of individual graves. The section includes 18 graves (1 military and 17 civilians) altogether. The principal element of the Polish plot is a central granite monument with Piast Eagle , engraved on it. The eagle is crowned and it has an image of Czestochowa Holy Mother on its chest. It
1287-521: A similar myth, in which Aphrodite fled from her lustful father Zeus , who was infatuated with her. As Zeus was unable to catch Aphrodite, he gave up and dropped his semen on the ground, which impregnated Gaia. This resulted in the birth of the Cyprian Centaurs . Gaia resented the way Zeus had treated her children, the Titans , so she brought forth the Gigantes to fight Zeus. It was prophesied that
1386-571: Is "the Great goddess", which is an appellation of the "Mother of the gods". She is related to the mystery cult of Phlya which seems to be original. At Athens Gaia had the cult-title Themis . In the Ashmolean Museum a vase shows Pandora (all-giving) rising from the earth and according to some scholars she may be identified with Gaia . "Anesidora" (sending up gifts) on a vase in the British Museum
1485-524: Is a speculation and controversial in the academic community. Some modern mythographers, including Kerenyi , Ruck , and Staples , interpret the goddesses Demeter the "mother", Persephone the "daughter", and Hecate the "crone", as aspects of a former great goddess identified by some as Rhea or as Gaia herself. In Crete , a goddess was worshipped as Potnia Theron (the "Mistress of the Animals") or simply Potnia ("Mistress"), speculated as Rhea or Gaia;
1584-448: Is an epithet of Gaia. Traditionally "gaia" means "earth" and chthon , "under or "beneath the earth" however chthon has occasionally the same meaning with the earth. Pherecydes uses the name Chthonie for the primeval goddess who later became Ge and Musaeus the same name for the oracular goddess of Delphi. Homer uses the for chthon the epithets "euryodeia" (broad-seated) and "polyvoteira" (all-nourishing) which can also be used for
1683-476: Is denoted by the abbreviation GD (Southern Media ) on Sasanian coins. In Ptolemy's Geographia , it appears as Aspadana ( Ἀσπαδανα ), which translates to "place of gathering for the army". It is believed that Spahān is derived from spādānām "the armies", the Old Persian plural of spāda , from which is derived spāh ( 𐭮𐭯𐭠𐭧 ) 'army' and spahi ( سپاهی , 'soldier', literally 'of
1782-522: Is doubtful if the mother-religion is rooted to the Pre-Greek population. In classical times Ge was not an important deity and she didn't have any festivals. She was usually honoured together with other gods or goddesses. Local cults of Gaia are rare and only some of them can be mentioned from the existing evidence. Elements of a primitive cult of Gaia appear at Dodona in Epirus. It seems that in an old religion
1881-495: Is drinking bull's blood. Any woman who may chance not to speak the truth is immediately punished as a result of this test. If several women compete for the priesthood, lots are cast for the honor. Pausanias also mention the sanctuary of Ge Gasepton in Sparta , and a sanctuary of Ge Kourotrophe (Nurse of the Young) at Athens. Aside from her temples, Gaia had altars as well as sacred spaces in
1980-583: Is extremely dry. Its annual precipitation of 125 millimetres (4.9 in) is only about half that of Tehran or Mashhad and only a quarter that of more exposed Kermanshah . The Zayande River starts in the Zagros Mountains, flowing from the west through the heart of the city, then dissipates in the Gavkhouni wetland . Planting olive trees in the city is economically viable because such trees can survive water shortages. The highest recorded temperature
2079-663: Is half (of) the world). Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan is one of the largest city squares in the world, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The name Isfahan is derived from Middle Persian Spahān , which is attested by various Middle Persian seals and inscriptions, including that of the Zoroastrian magi Kartir . The present-day name is the Arabicized form of Ispahan (unlike Middle Persian , but New Persian does not allow initial consonant clusters such as sp ). The region
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#17328490802282178-533: Is interpreted as "Mother of the gods" who is a form of Gaia. It seems that a mystery-cult was related to the Great-goddess. An inscription on the Acropolis of Athens refers to the practice of service in honour of "Ge-Karpophoros" (bringer of fruits) in accordance with the oracle. The oracle was probably Delphic. A sanctuary on the Acropolis was the "Kourotrophion", and the earlier inscriptions mentions simply "The Kourotrophos" (nourisher of children). Pausanias mentions
2277-557: Is located just outside the city. Isfahan is also attracting international investment. Isfahan hosted the International Physics Olympiad in 2007. In 2020, the Iran-Qatar Joint Economic Commission met in the city. In 2023 two hundred Azan playing loudspeakers were installed in the city by the government. The Municipality has created a tourism app Isfahanema. The city is located on the plain of
2376-470: Is located near the grave of Tadeusz Mironowicz. 32°36′50″N 51°39′11″E / 32.6138°N 51.6531°E / 32.6138; 51.6531 Isfahan Isfahan or Esfahan / Espahan ( Persian : اصفهان ; [esfæˈhɒːn] ) is a major city in the Central District of Isfahan County , Isfahan province, Iran . It is the capital of the province, the county, and
2475-500: Is more clear and detailed. She is the Mother of the Gods, the goddess that brings forth life and blesses men with children. She is called "pammе̄tōr", the all-mother who nourishes everything. This conception is closer to the popular belief. In the hymn to Apollo she is called "pheresvios" (life giving) The "mother of the gods" is a form of Gaia. According to Pausanias an epithet of Ge in Athens
2574-401: Is more often the mismanagement of water. The subsidence rate is dire, and the aquifer level decreases by one meter annually. As of 2020, the city had the worst air quality among major Iranian cities. The Damask rose cultivar Rosa 'Ispahan' is named after the city. Cows endemic to Isfahan became extinct in 2020. Wagtails are often seen in farmlands and parks. The mole cricket
2673-417: Is noted for its production of the Isfahan rug , a type of Persian rug typically made of merino wool and silk . There are nuclear experimental reactors as well as uranium conversion facilities (UCF) for producing nuclear fuel in the environs of the city. Isfahan has one of the largest steel-producing facilities in the region, as well as facilities for producing special alloys. The Mobarakeh Steel Company
2772-534: Is one of the largest and fairest of cities, but it is now in ruins for the greater part." In 1387, Isfahan surrendered to the warlord Timur . Initially treated with relative mercy, the city revolted against Timur's punitive taxes by killing the tax collectors and some of Timur's soldiers. In retribution, Timur ordered the massacre of the city residents, his soldiers killing a reported 70,000 citizens. An eye-witness counted more than 28 towers, each constructed of about 1,500 heads. Isfahan regained its importance during
2871-432: Is one of the major pests of plants, especially grass roots. Sheep and rams are symbols of Isfahan. By 2023, the city's Green space was dying because of water shortage; where trees need 150 liters, only 0.7 liter of gray recycled water was available. There is a program to plant Celtis australis , oak trees. Situated at 1,590 metres (5,217 ft) above sea level on the eastern side of the Zagros Mountains, Isfahan has
2970-699: Is the Si-o-Seh Pol or bridge of 33 arches. It was built during the reign of Shah Abbas the Great by Sheikh Baha'i and connected Isfahan with the Armenian suburb of New Julfa . It is by far the longest bridge in Isfahan at 295 m (967.85 ft). Another notable bridge is the Marnan Bridge . Snapp! and Tapsi are two of the carpooling apps in the city. The city has built 42 bicycle-sharing stations and 150 kilometres (93 mi) of paved bicycle paths. As part of Iran's religious laws, women are forbidden to use
3069-469: Is the biggest steel producer in the whole of the Middle East and Northern Africa, and it is the biggest DRI producer in the world. The Isfahan Steel Company was the first manufacturer of constructional steel products in Iran, and it remains the largest such company today. There is a major oil refinery and a large air-force base outside the city. HESA , Iran's most advanced aircraft manufacturing plant,
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3168-418: Is the mother of all in a philosophical poetic thought. "Gaia receives the drops of rain bearing the mortals and bearing food and beasts, therefore she is rightly called "mother of all". Aether of Zeus bears men and gods. Everything which is born by the earth returns to the earth, and everything born from aether returns to the sky. Nothing is destroyed, but it is transformed to another form.". An inscription on
3267-503: Is the number one priority. According to Isfahan province's administrator for Department of Cooperatives, Labour, and Social Welfare , Iran has the cheapest labor workforce anywhere in the world; and this attracts foreign investors. The labor force has continually grown over the last three decades. However, in 2018 the unemployment rate was 15%. Gaea In Greek mythology , Gaia ( / ˈ ɡ eɪ ə , ˈ ɡ aɪ ə / ; Ancient Greek : Γαῖα , romanized : Gaîa ,
3366-565: The Zayandeh Rud (Fertile River) and the foothills of the Zagros mountain range. The nearest mountain is Mount Soffeh (Kuh-e Soffeh), just south of the city. As of 2023 several public housing projects have been undertaken. An artificial network of canals, whose components are called madi , were built during the Safavid dynasty for channeling water from Zayandeh Roud river into different parts of
3465-460: The Safavid era (1501-1736) with the city's golden age under the rule of Abbas the Great who also moved his capital from Qazvin to Isfahan. During his reign, Turkish , Armenian , and Persian craftsmen were forcefully resettled in the city to ensure its prosperity. Later, the city also had enclaves for people of Georgian , Circassian , and Daghistani descent. The city once again declined after
3564-524: The Safavid period (1501–1736). The city's golden age began in 1598 when the Safavid ruler Abbas the Great (reigned 1588–1629) made it his capital and rebuilt it into one of the largest and most beautiful cities in the 17th-century world. In 1598, he moved his capital from Qazvin to the more central Isfahan. He introduced policies increasing Iranian involvement in the Silk Road trade. Turkish , Armenian , and Persian craftsmen were forcefully resettled in
3663-555: The Safavid Empire , Isfahan became the capital of Iran, for the second time in its history, under Abbas the Great . The city retains much of its history. It is famous for its Persian – Muslim architecture , grand boulevards, covered bridges, palaces, tiled mosques, and minarets. Isfahan also has many historical buildings, monuments, paintings, and artifacts. The fame of Isfahan led to the Persian proverb Esfahān nesf-e-jahān ast (Isfahan
3762-633: The Sasanian Empire (3rd–7th century Sassanid era); it was repaired during the Seljuk period. Further upstream is the Khaju Bridge , which Shah Abbas II built in 1650. It is 123 metres (404 feet) long, with 24 arches; and it also serves as a sluice gate. Another bridge is the Choobi (Joui) Bridge , which was originally an aqueduct to supply the palace gardens on the north bank of the river. Further upstream again
3861-529: The Seljuq dynasty , Toghril Beg , made Isfahan the capital of his domains in the mid-11th century; but it was under his grandson Malik-Shah I (r. 1073–92) that the city grew in size and splendour. After the fall of the Seljuqs ( c. 1200 ), Isfahan temporarily declined and was eclipsed by other Iranian cities, such as Tabriz and Qazvin . During his visit in 1327, Ibn Battuta noted that "The city of Isfahan
3960-519: The Siege of Isfahan by Afghan invaders in 1722. In the 20th century, Isfahan was resettled by many people from southern Iran: especially during the population migrations at the start of the century, and in the 1980s, following the Iran–Iraq War . Under Median rule, a commercial entrepôt began to show signs of more sedentary urbanism, steadily growing into a noteworthy regional centre that benefited from
4059-556: The Tehran-Qom-Isfahan line is currently being constructed and will connect Isfahan to Tehran and Qom. Isfahan is served by Isfahan International Airport , which in 2019 was the 7th busiest airport in Iran. In 2014, industry, mines, and commerce in Isfahan province accounted for 35% to 50% (almost $ 229 billion) of the Iranian Gross Domestic Product . In 2019, Isfahan province's governorate said that tourism
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4158-449: The primordial sea gods . Her equivalent in the Roman pantheon was Terra . The Greek name Γαῖα ( Gaia Ancient Greek : [ɡâi̯.a] or [ɡâj.ja] ) is a mostly epic, collateral form of Attic Γῆ ( Gē [ɡɛ̂ː] ), and Doric Γᾶ ( Ga [ɡâː] ), perhaps identical to Δᾶ ( Da [dâː] ), both meaning " Earth ". Some scholars believe that
4257-608: The Cyclopes and Hecatonchires were born, Uranus hid them in a secret place within Gaia, causing her great pain. So Gaia devised a plan. She created a grey flint (or adamantine ) sickle. And Cronus used the sickle to castrate his father Uranus as he approached his mother, Gaia, to have sex with her. From Uranus' spilled blood, Gaia produced the Erinyes , the Giants , and the Meliae (ash-tree nymphs). From
4356-460: The Gigantes, who were born from Uranus's blood, could not be killed by the gods alone, but they could be killed with the help of a mortal. Hearing this, Gaia sought for a certain plant that would protect the Gigantes even from mortals. Before Gaia or anyone else could get it, Zeus forbade Eos (Dawn), Selene (Moon) and Helios (Sun) to shine, harvested all of the plant himself, and had Athena summon
4455-536: The Jewish immigrants settled in Isfahan instead of returning to their homeland. The 10th-century Persian historian Ibn al-Faqih wrote: When the Jews emigrated from Jerusalem, fleeing from Nebuchadnezzar, they carried with them a sample of the water and soil of Jerusalem. They did not settle until they reached the city of Isfahan, whose soil and water was deemed to resemble that of Jerusalem. Thereupon they settled there, cultivated
4554-542: The Roman equivalent of Gaia), Caelus (Sky, the Roman equivalent of Uranus) and Mare (Sea) are the children of Aether and Dies (Day, the Roman equivalent of Hemera ). With Aether, Terra produces Dolor (Pain), Dolus (Deception), Ira (Anger), Luctus (Mourning), Mendacium (Lying), Iusiurandum (Oath), Vltio (Vengeance), Intemperantia (Self-indulgence), Altercatio (Quarreling), Oblivio (Forgetfulness), Socordia (Sloth), Timor (Fear), Superbia (Arrogance), Incestum (Incest), Pugna (Fighting), Oceanus (Ocean), Themis, Tartarus, Pontus,
4653-559: The Sasanian dynasty. The historical facts suggest that, in the late 4th and early 5th centuries, Queen Shushandukht , the Jewish consort of Yazdegerd I (reigned 399–420), settled a colony of Jewish immigrants in Yahudiyyeh (also spelled Yahudiya), a settlement 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) northwest of the Zoroastrian city of Gabae (its Achaemid and Parthian name; Gabai was its Sasanic name, which
4752-611: The Titans, Briareus, Gyges, Steropes, Atlas, Hyperion, Polus, Saturn , Ops , Moneta , Dione, and the Furies ( Alecto , Megaera , and Tisiphone ). By Tartarus, Terra then becomes the mother of the Giants, which are listed as Enceladus , Coeus, Ophion , Astraeus , Pelorus, Pallas, Emphytus, Rhoecus, Ienios, Agrius, Palaemon, Ephialtes , Eurytus, Theomises, Theodamas, Otos, Typhon, Polybotes, Menephiarus, Abseus, Colophomus, and Iapetus. According to
4851-632: The army') in Central Persian. Some of the other ancient names include Gey , Jey (old form Zi), Park, and Judea. Human habitation in the Isfahan region can be traced back to the Palaeolithic period. Archaeologists have recently found artifacts dating back to the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic , Neolithic , Bronze , and Iron ages. During the Median rule, Isfahan became a regional centre especially from
4950-661: The benefits from the Zayandehrud River. It was a religiously and ethnically diverse city during the reign of Cyrus the Great and exhibited religious tolerance. The Arabs captured Isfahan in 642 CE and made it the capital of al-Jibal province. The city further grew prosperous under the Buyid dynasty , and further under the Seljuk dynasty . With the fall of the Seljuks in 1200 CE, the city temporarily declined but regained its importance during
5049-430: The bountiful ("polyphorbos") earth, but she calls Hades and Persephone to avenge her against her son In the poems of Hesiod she is personified. Gaia has a significant role in the evolution of the world. She is the nurse of Zeus, and she has the epithet "Kourotrophos". Kourotrophos was the name of an old goddess who was subordinate to Ge. Dieterich believed that Kourotrophos and Potnia theron construct precisely
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#17328490802285148-466: The broad-bossomed), is mentioned at Delphi by Mnaseas . A temple of Ge was built to the south of the temple of Apollo . "Eutysternos" is a surname of Ge and it had an earlier use by Hesiod. It was also given to her in her worship at the Achaean Aegai. In Eumenides , the priestess announced her first prayers to "Gaia the first prophetess". At Aegai there was a very old image of the earth-goddess, and
5247-575: The capital of al-Jibal ("the Mountains") province, an area that covered much of ancient Media. Isfahan grew prosperous under the Persian Buyid (Buwayhid) dynasty, which rose to power and ruled much of Iran when the temporal authority of the Abbasid leaders waned in the 10th century. The city walls of Isfahan are thought to have been constructed during the tenth century. The Turkish conqueror and founder of
5346-487: The city of Isfahan. The words "Aspadana", "Ispadana", "Spahan", and "Sepahan", all from which the word Isfahan is derived, referred to the region in which the city was located. Isfahan and Gay were supposedly both circular in design, which was characteristic of Parthian and Sasanian cities. However, this reported Sasanian circular city of Isfahan has not yet been uncovered. When the Arabs captured Isfahan in 642 CE, they made it
5445-567: The city to ensure its prosperity. Their contributions to the economic vitality of the revitalized city supported the recovery of Safavid glory and prestige, after earlier losses to the Ottomans and Qizilbash tribes, ushering in a golden age for the city, when architecture and Persian culture flourished. As part of Abbas's forced resettlement of peoples from within his empire, as many as 300,000 Armenians (primarily from Jugha ) were resettled in Isfahan during Abbas' reign. ) In Isfahan, he ordered
5544-615: The city. Designed by Sheikh Bahaï, an engineer of Shah Abbas, this network has 77 madis in the northern course, and 71 in the southern course of the Zayandeh Rud. In 1993, this centuries-old network provided 91% of agricultural water, 4% of industrial needs, and 5% of city needs. 70 emergency wells were dug in 2018 to avoid water shortages. Towns and villages around Isfahan have been hit so hard by drought and water diversion that they have emptied out and people who lived there have moved. An anonymous journalist said that what's called drought
5643-519: The city. The city's prosperity lasted until it was sacked by Afghan invaders in 1722, during a marked decline in Safavid influence. Thereafter, Isfahan experienced a decline in importance, culminating in moving the capital to Mashhad and Shiraz during the Afsharid and Zand periods, respectively, until it was finally moved to Tehran , in 1775, by Agha Mohammad Khan , the founder of the Qajar dynasty. In
5742-641: The depth of the wide-pathed Earth", and next Eros the god of love. Hesiod goes on to say that Gaia brought forth her equal Uranus (Heaven, Sky) to "cover her on every side". Gaia also bore the Ourea (Mountains), and Pontus (Sea), "without sweet union of love" (i.e., with no father). Afterward, with Uranus, her son, she gave birth to the Titans , as Hesiod tells it: She lay with Heaven and bore deep-swirling Oceanus , Coeus and Crius and Hyperion and Iapetus , Theia and Rhea , Themis , and Mnemosyne and gold-crowned Phoebe and lovely Tethys . After them
5841-429: The district. It is located 440 kilometres (270 miles) south of Tehran . The city has a population of approximately 2,220,000, making it the third-most populous city in Iran, after Tehran and Mashhad , and the second-largest metropolitan area. Isfahan is located at the intersection of the two principal routes that traverse Iran, north–south and east–west. Isfahan flourished between the 9th and 18th centuries. Under
5940-470: The early years of the 19th century, efforts were made to preserve some of Isfahan's archeologically important buildings. The work was started by Mohammad Hossein Khan , during the reign of Fath Ali Shah . Download coordinates as: The city has had four master development programs. The first one was created in 1971 by German engineering firm that included checkered streets' design. In the 20th century, Isfahan
6039-442: The earth goddess was worshipped together with the sky-god (Zeus). At Thebes there was cult of "Gaia Makaira Telesforos". Telesforos means "bringing fruits to perfection". The earth goddess had powers over the ghosts and the dreams which come from the underworld, therefore she acquired oracular powers. These conceptions are evident in her cults at Delphi , Athens and Aigai of Achaea. An inscription "ieron eurysternou" (sunctuary of
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#17328490802286138-402: The earth. In some plays of Aeschylus "chthon" is the earth-goddess Gaia. The tragic poets usually describe Gaia as mother of all, all-nourishing and all-productive who must be honoured. In Aeschylus' Prometheus Unbound , Gaia is the mother mother of all ("pammetor") and in a fragment of Euripides chthon has the same epithet. In Persai of Aeschylus offerings are recommended to Ge and
6237-506: The establishment of a new quarter for these resettled Armenians from Old Julfa, and thus the Armenian Quarter of Isfahan was named New Julfa (today one of the largest Armenian quarters in the world). Shah Abbas would also oversee a transformation of the urban pattern of Isfahan. The plans included the new, rectangular Shah Square and the linear Chahar Bagh Boulevard . Between these two focal points of Isfahan’s urban revitalization
6336-580: The exceptionally fertile soil on the banks of the Zayandehrud River, in a region called Aspandana or Ispandana. When Cyrus the Great unified Persian and Median lands into the Achaemenid Empire , the religiously and ethnically diverse city of Isfahan became an early example of the king's fabled religious tolerance. It was Cyrus who, having just taken Babylon , made an edict in 538 BCE declaring that Jews in Babylon could return to Jerusalem. Later, some of
6435-483: The floor opens to the width of a cubit, and they say that along this bed flowed off the water after the deluge that occurred in the time of Deukalion, and into it they cast every year wheat mixed with honey ... The ancient sanctuary of Zeus Olympios the Athenians say was built by Deukalion (Deucalion), and they cite as evidence that Deukalion lived at Athens a grave which is not far from the present temple. In Athens, there
6534-453: The goddess. At Olympia her altar was called "Gaios". The altars were given the name of a deity in primitive stages of religion. At Olympia like in Dodona it seems that she was honoured together with the sky-god Zeus . At Aigai she had an oracular power. According to Pliny the priestess drank a small quantity of the blood of a bull before entering the secret cave. At Patras in the oracle of "Ge",
6633-406: The intersection of the ancient roads to Susa and Persepolis made it an ideal candidate to house a standing army, which would be ready to march against Constantinople at any moment. The words "Aspahan" and "Spahan" are derived from the Pahlavi or Middle Persian meaning 'the place of the army'. Although many theories have mentioned the origins of Isfahan, little is known of it before the rule of
6732-439: The mortal Heracles , who assisted the Olympians in defeating the Gigantes. According to Hesiod , in his lost poem Astronomia , Orion , while hunting with Artemis and her mother Leto , claimed that he would kill every animal on earth. Gaia, angered by his boasting, sent a giant scorpion to kill him, and after his death, he and the scorpion were placed among the stars by Zeus. According to Ovid , Gaia for some reason sent
6831-409: The mother goddess. Ge is also personified in the myths of Erichthonius and Pluto . Erichthonius is early mentioned in the Catalogue of ships . He is born by the Homeric earth which produces fruits and cereals (zeidoros arura ). The name of Erichthonius includes chthon which is not the underground kingdom of the dead, but the Homeric earth. In ancient times the earth was considered a plane or
6930-399: The mythographer Apollodorus , however, Gaia and Tartarus were the parents of Echidna . The god Hephaestus once attempted to rape Athena , but she pushed him away, causing him to ejaculate on her thigh. Athena wiped off the semen and threw it on the ground, which impregnated Gaia. Gaia then gave birth to Erichthonius of Athens , whom Athena adopted as her own child. Nonnus describes
7029-491: The name of which is Eumolpia, and it is assigned to Musaeus , son of Antiophemus. In it the poet states that the oracle belonged to Poseidon and Earth in common; that Earth gave her oracles herself, but Poseidon used Pyrcon as his mouthpiece in giving responses. The verses are these: "Forthwith the voice of the Earth-goddess uttered a wise word, And with her Pyrcon, servant of the renowned Earth-shaker." They say that afterwards Earth gave her share to Themis, who gave it to Apollo as
7128-535: The north, and Shiraz, 200 kilometres (120 mi) to the south. Highways also service satellite cities surrounding the metropolitan area. The Isfahan Eastern Bypass Freeway is under construction. In 2021, a new AVL system was deployed in the city. The bridges over the Zayanderud comprise some of the finest architecture in Isfahan. The oldest is the Shahrestan Bridge , whose foundations were built during
7227-460: The other of Aphrodite ... Next to the grove is a sanctuary of Demeter; she and her daughter [Persephone] are standing, but the image of Ge (Earth) is seated." The Temple of Zeus Olympios in Athens reportedly had an enclosure of Ge Olympia: [Within the sanctuary of Zeus Olympios in the lower town of Athens:] Within the precincts are antiquities: a bronze Zeus, a temple of Kronos (Cronus) and Rhea and an enclosure of Ge (Earth) surnamed Olympia. Here
7326-467: The provinces of the nation from Isfahan, and the city's urban development accelerated to accommodate the needs of a capital city. The next empire to rule, the Sassanids (224–651 CE), presided over massive changes in their realm, instituting sweeping agricultural reforms and reviving Iranian culture and the Zoroastrian religion. Both the city and region were then called by the name Aspahan or Spahan. The city
7425-469: The public bicycle-sharing network, as decreed by the representative of the Supreme Leader in Isfahan, Ayatollah Yousef Tabatabai Nejad , and General Attorney Ali Esfahani. The Isfahan and Suburbs Bus Company operates transit buses in the city. East-West BRT Bus Rapid Transit Line buses carry up to 120,000 passengers daily. The municipality has signed a memorandum with Khatam-al Anbiya to construct
7524-813: The region's wāli (governor), with his son serving as dāruḡa (prefect) of Isfahan. He was accompanied by a troop of soldiers, some of whom were Georgian Orthodox Christians. The royal court in Isfahan had a great number of Georgian ḡolāms (military servants), as well as Georgian women. Although they spoke both Persian and Turkic, their mother tongue was Georgian. Now the city had enclaves of those of Georgian , Circassian , and Daghistani descent. Engelbert Kaempfer, who dwelt in Safavid Iran in 1684–85, estimated their number at 20,000. During Abbas's reign, Isfahan became famous in Europe, and many European travellers, such as Jean Chardin , gave accounts of their visits to
7623-511: The root ga- . The Greeks invoked Gaia in their oaths, and she should be aware if one broke his oath. In the Homeric poems she appears usually in forms of oath. In Iliad the sacrifice of a black lamb is offered to Gaia and she is invoked in the formula of an oath. Homer considers her a physical distinct existence not clearly conceived in anthropomorphic form. Gaia does not seem to have any personal activity. In Iliad Alpheia beats with her hands
7722-524: The same meaning with gaia . Some of her epithets are similar in some Indo-European languages. The universitality of the goddess is expressed by the prefix pan ,( πάν ). Some of the epithets of Gaia and Demeter are similar showing the identity of their nature. Gaia is believed by some sources to be the original deity behind the Oracle at Delphi . It was thus said: "That word spoken from tree-clad mother Gaia's (Earth's) navel-stone [Omphalos]." Depending on
7821-532: The sanctuaries of other gods. Close to the sanctuary of Eileithyia in Tegea was an altar of Ge; Phlya and Myrrhinos had an altar to Ge under the name Thea Megale (Great goddess); as well as Olympia which additionally, similar to Delphi, also said to have had an oracle to Gaia: On what is called the Gaion (Gaeum, Sanctuary of Ge) [at Olympia] is an altar of Ge (Earth); it too is of ashes. In more ancient days they say that there
7920-497: The scorpion to kill Leto instead, and Orion was killed trying to protect her. When Boreas , the god of the north wind, killed Pitys , an Oread nymph , for rejecting his advances and preferring Pan over him, Gaia pitied the dead girl and transformed her into a pine tree. According to little-known myth, Elaea was an accomplished athlete from Attica who was killed by her fellow athletes, because they had grown envious of her and her skills; but Gaia turned her into an olive tree as
8019-417: The service was in the hands of a virgin woman. The serpent represented the earth deity and was related to the chthonic oracular cult. This is evident at Delphi. Traditionally the oracle belonged originally to Poseidon and Ge and the serpent Python represents the earth spirit. Ge was probably present at the oracle of Trophonius at Livadeia . The prophecies were usually given by the priestesses and not by
8118-560: The soil, raised children and grandchildren, and today the name of this settlement is Yahudia. The Parthians (247 BCE – 224 CE), continued the tradition of tolerance after the fall of the Achaemenids , fostering a Hellenistic dimension within Iranian culture and the political organization introduced by Alexander the Great 's invading armies. Under the Parthians, Arsacid governors administered
8217-448: The source, Gaia passed her powers on to Poseidon , Apollo , or Themis . Pausanias wrote: Many and different are the stories told about Delphi, and even more so about the oracle of Apollo. For they say that in the earliest times the oracular seat belonged to Earth, who appointed as prophetess at it Daphnis, one of the nymphs of the mountain. There is extant among the Greeks an hexameter poem,
8316-526: The south, the Shah Mosque would become the new primary place of worship for city residents. In the 16th and 17th centuries, thousands of deportees and migrants from the Caucasus settled in the city. Following an agreement between Abbas the Great and his Georgian subject Teimuraz I of Kakheti ("Tahmuras Khan"), whereby the latter became Muslim and accepted Safavid rule in exchange for being allowed to rule as
8415-456: The spirit of the departed. She is called "pamphoros", (all bearing). In Choephori , Electra in her prayer describes Gaia as an avenger of wrong. Sophocles in Philoctetes calls Gaia "pamvōtis" (all nourishing) A famous fragment of Danaides describes the sacred marriage between heaven and earth. Ouranos and Gaia are cosmic powers and natural processes. In Chrysippus of Euripides Gaia
8514-462: The testicles of Uranus in the sea came forth Aphrodite . By her son, Pontus, Gaia bore the sea-deities Nereus , Thaumas , Phorcys , Ceto , and Eurybia . Because Cronus had learned from Gaia and Uranus that he was destined to be overthrown by one of his children, he swallowed each of the children born to him by his Titan older sister, Rhea. But when Rhea was pregnant with her youngest child, Zeus , she sought help from Gaia and Uranus. When Zeus
8613-506: The title was later applied in Greek texts to Artemis . The mother goddess Cybele from Anatolia (modern Turkey ) was partly identified by the Greeks with Gaia, but more so with Rhea. Beliefs and worship amongst modern pagans (also known as neopagans ) regarding Gaia vary, ranging from the belief that Gaia is the Earth to the belief that she is the spiritual embodiment of the earth or the goddess of
8712-562: The word is of uncertain origin. Beekes suggested a probable Pre-Greek origin. M.L.West derives the name from the Indo-European from *dʰéǵʰōm (earth). Greek : gaia (<*gm-ya), chamai (χαμαί) on the earth, Hittite : tekan , Tocharian : tkam , Phrygian zemelo , Proto-Slavonic : *zem-yã , Avestan : za (locative: zemi ), Vedic : ksam , Latin : hum-us , Albanian : dhé . In Mycenean Greek Ma-ka (probably transliterated as Ma-ga , "Mother Gaia") also contains
8811-432: Was 43 °C (109 °F) on 11 July 2001 and the lowest recorded temperature was −19.4 °C (−3 °F) on 16 January 1996. Over the past decade, Isfahan's internal highway network has been undergoing a major expansion. Much care has been taken to prevent damage to valuable, historical buildings. Modern freeways connect the city to Iran's other major cities, including the capital Tehran, 400 kilometres (250 mi) to
8910-552: Was a large garden, what is today the Hasht Behesht Gardens. The new, geometric, planned portions of Isfahan would stand out against the old city’s complex street layouts, attracting foreign emissaries and wealthy residents along the Chahar Bagh. Shah Square would be adorned by 4 grand monuments on each side. Importantly to the north, a turquoise gate connected the new square to Isfahan’s Grand Bazaar and old square , while to
9009-580: Was a statue of Gaia on the Acropolis depicting her beseeching Zeus for rain as well as an image of her close to the court of the Areopagos in Athens, alongside the statues of Plouton and Hermes, "by which sacrifice those who have received an acquittal on the Areopagos". Some modern sources, such as Mellaart , Gimbutas , and Walker , claim that Gaia as Mother Earth is a later form of a pre-Indo-European Great Mother , venerated in Neolithic times. Her existence
9108-680: Was a temple of Ge Eurusternos on the Crathis near Aegae in Achaia with "a very ancient statue": It is a journey of about thirty stades [from the stream of Krathis (Crathis) near the ruins of Aigai (Aegae) in Akhaia] to what is called the Gaion (Gaeum), a sanctuary of Ge (Earth) surnamed Eurysternos (Broad-bossomed), whose wooden image is one of the very oldest. The woman who from time to time is priestess henceforth remains chaste and before her election must not have had intercourse with more than one man. The test applied
9207-669: Was an oracle also of Ge (Earth) in this place. On what is called the Stomion (Mouth) the altar to Themis has been built. Her statues were naturally to be found in the temples of Demeter, such as the Temple of Demeter in Achaia: "They [the Patraians of Akhaia (Achaea)] have also a grove by the sea, affording in summer weather very agreeable walks and a pleasant means generally of passing the time. In this grove are also two temples of divinities, one of Apollon,
9306-459: Was born Cronos ( Cronus ) the wily, youngest, and most terrible of her children, and he hated his lusty sire. According to Hesiod, Gaia conceived further offspring with her son, Uranus, first the giant one-eyed Cyclopes : Brontes ("Thunder"), Steropes ("Lightning"), and Arges ("Bright"); then the Hecatonchires : Cottus, Briareos, and Gyges, each with a hundred arms and fifty heads. As each of
9405-414: Was born, Rhea gave Cronus a stone wrapped in swaddling-clothes in his place, which Cronus swallowed, and Gaia took the child into her care. With the help of Gaia's advice, Zeus defeated the Titans. But afterwards, Gaia, in union with Tartarus , bore the youngest of her sons Typhon , who would be the last challenge to the authority of Zeus. According to the Roman mythographer Hyginus , Terra (Earth,
9504-470: Was governed by a group called the Espoohrans, who descended from seven noble Iranian families. Extant foundations of some Sassanid-era bridges in Isfahan suggest that the Sasanian kings were fond of ambitious urban-planning projects. While Isfahan's political importance declined during this period, many Sassanid princes would study statecraft in the city, and its military role increased. Its strategic location at
9603-543: Was performed to Ge, and the citizents brought offerings to the graves of the dead. An ancient Gaia cult existed at the "Marathonian Tetrapolis" near Athens . In the month Poseideon a pregnant cow was sacrificed to "Ge in the acres" and in Gamelion a sheep to" Ge-near the oracle". Both sacrifices were followed by rituals and the second was related to Daeira a divinity connected with the Eleusinian mysteries. At Eleusis Ge received
9702-508: Was resettled by many people from southern Iran. Many of these migrants came during the population migrations at the start of the century and in the 1980s following the Iran–Iraq War . During the war, 23,000 from Isfahan were killed; and there were 43,000 veterans. In 1921 Telephone office were first created in Shams Abadi street. Today, Isfahan produces fine carpets, textiles, steel, handicrafts, and traditional foods, including sweets. Isfahan
9801-515: Was shortened to Gay (Arabic 'Jay') that was located on the northern bank of the Zayanderud River (the colony's establishment was also attributed to Nebuchadrezzar , though that's less likely). The gradual population decrease of Gay (Jay) and the simultaneous population increase of Yahudiyyeh and its suburbs, after the Arab conquest of Iran, resulted in the formation of the nucleus of what was to become
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