Iran Local Histories
Yaser Mollazaei
Abstract
During the reign of the Safavid’s Iran, a new chapter in Iran-Europe relations was established in various political, economic, and cultural dimensions. The collection of geographical information about Iran by Europeans was one of the most significant outcomes of the expanding relations between ...
Read More
During the reign of the Safavid’s Iran, a new chapter in Iran-Europe relations was established in various political, economic, and cultural dimensions. The collection of geographical information about Iran by Europeans was one of the most significant outcomes of the expanding relations between Iran and Europe during this historical period. This effort not only appeared in written records but also manifested in the production of geographical maps. Olearius's travelogue about Iran, including a geographical map of Iran appended to it, is one of the most prominent examples of European efforts to acquire geographical knowledge about Safavid’s Iran. In this geographical map, alongside references to various human and natural phenomena, a natural feature named "Lake Babacamber" was located in the northern part of the Khorasan province. In this context, the central question of the article is: What is the historical origin of the name Babacamber attributed to a lake in Khorasan, and why did Olearius use this name to identify the lake? This research aimed to answer this question through a library-based approach, employing a comparative and analytical method to examine historical and geographical data reflected in local chronicles, lesser-known manuscripts, historical maps, geographical writings, literary works, historiography, and European geographical encyclopedias. This article's assessment reveals that although the location of the lake on Olearius's map encounters minor discrepancies, a comparative and analytical approach shows that the lake in question is indeed Saryqamysh Lake, located between the Khwarezm Lake and the Caspian Sea. Olearius chose the name Baba Qanbar for it. Comparing Olearius's chosen name with a range of historical sources, including local chronicles, lesser-known manuscripts, historical maps, geographical writings, literary works, historiography, and European geographical encyclopedias, demonstrates that the name Baba Qanbar on Olearius’s map refers to one of the servants and attendants of Imam Ali (AS), named Qanbar, who, along with his descendants, lived in Khorasan for some time. According to historical evidence, Qanbar and his descendants gained significant social status in Khorasan, to the point that some mosques in Khorasan were named after Qanbar and his family. Due to Qanbar's religious and social stature, his name found its way into various historical, literary, and religious texts. A prominent example of this is the addition of the Sufi prefix "Baba" to his name, which is even reflected in Olearius's map. Because of Qanbar's social and religious fame in Khorasan, it provided a basis for cartographers like Adam Olearius to name the lake in the northern part of Khorasan province Baba Qanbar.
