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Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [272r] (546/1814)
The record is made up of 2 volumes with inserts (898 folios). It was created in 1892-1924. It was written in English, Urdu and German. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
TEHERAN
327
At the further extremity of the Gulistan rises the extraordinary
circular structure, the arched ribs and girders of whose open roof
I had seen from a distance as I approached Teheran,
rising above the low level of the housetops. This is the
Takieh, or Theatre, built for the annual performance of the Tazieh,
or Passion Plav of Persia. 1 I entered and looked around. The
1/
building was entirely empty, save for some chained beasts, a curious
use to which to put so consecrated a structure. It consists of a
great rotunda, in the centre of which is a circular stone plat-
O 7 #
form, mounted by steps and ramps (for the animals employed m
the play). This is the stage. An open passage runs round, suc
ceeded bv five tiers of stone seats, which, on the occasion of the
performances, are packed with veiled women. Between these,
numerous gangways lead to arched passages,, through which the
actors come in. On one side is a lofty marble mimbar, or pulpit,
i.e. a small platform at the head of a steep flight of steps, whereon
stands the mullah, who directs or interprets the ceremonies. Above
the stone tiers rise three stories of loggias, or boxes, with fanciful
brickwork and light arcades. 2 Some of these, which conceal the
ladies of the ftoyal harem, are shielded with green lattice screens.
From the upper rim of the building rise the great arched and
iron-bound traverses of the roof. It was originally intended to
1 I was not in Persia during the month of Moharrem, when, in every great city,
if not in every town throughout the country, this famous religious tiagedy
which reproduces and commemorates the martyrdoms of Hasan and Husein and
their devoted followers—is performed. I shall therefore say nothing of that
which I did not see. Admirable accounts of the Tazieh, however, have been left
by most visitors to Persia ; notably J. P. Morier (1811), Second Journey, pp. 175-
184 • A. Vambery (1863), Life and Adventures, cap. viii. ; A. H. Mounsey (1865),
Journey through the Caucasus, pp. 311-315; C. J. Wills (1866-1881), In the Land
of the Lion and Sun, cap. xxvi., and Persia as it is, cap. xxiv.; S. G-. Benjamin
(1883-1885), Persia and the Persians, cap. xiii. For more particular information
vide A Chodzko, Le Theatre en Perse (Revue Independante), Paris, 1814 ; Theatre
Persan, Choix de Teazles, Paris, 1878; Comte A. de Gobineau, Les Religions et
les Philosophies de VAsie Centrale, cap. xiii.-xvi., 1865; Sir L. Pelly, Ihe Miracle
Play of Hasan and Husain, 1879 ; Ed. Montet, La Religion et le Theatre en Perse
(Revue de Phistoire des Religions), Paris, 1887 ; Ztf Theatre en Perse, Geneva,
1888; Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, April, 1890; Matthew Arnold, A
Persian Passion Play (in Essays in Criticism) ; Ethe, Persische^ Passionspiel
(Morgenland. Stud., p. 171) ; and E. Renan, Nouvelles Etudes dllistoire Religieuse>
Paris, 1884.
2 So great is the demand for these boxes that the Crown revenues are swollen
by the annual sum of 420Z., paid as rent for the yearly performance by the leading
courtiers and noblemen.
About this item
- Content
These two volumes are George Curzon's own personal annotated copies of both volumes of his book Persia and the Persian Question , which was published in 1892. Alongside the volumes are various loose papers relating to Persia [Iran], consisting of the following: received correspondence; newspaper cuttings; publishers' press releases; cuttings from various booksellers' catalogues; various journal and magazine articles; two items of printed official British correspondence; several prints of photographs and sketches; and a few handwritten notes by Curzon.
In most cases these papers, which range in date from 1892 to 1924, relate to the chapters in the book where they were originally inserted, suggesting that they were kept by Curzon with the intention of using them to inform a revised edition of the book.
Of particular note among the small amount of correspondence are two letters received by Curzon in 1914 and 1915 from retired schoolmaster and Islamic scholar Sayyid Mazhar Hasan Musawi of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India (ff 5-9 and ff 44-53). These letters, which are written in Urdu and are accompanied by English translations, discuss in detail several inaccuracies found in the Urdu version of Persia and the Persian Question .
The various prints of photographs and sketches, which were originally inserted into volume two, are of different locations in the Gulf region. Several of these appear to have been produced in preparation for the publication of the second volume of John Gordon Lorimer's Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Oman and Central Arabia (i.e. the 'Geographical and Statistical' section) in 1908, as they are identical to the versions found in that volume.
Also of note among the loose papers are an illustrated article from Country Life dated 5 June 1920, entitled 'The People of Persia' (ff 36-37), and a printed family tree of the Shah of Persia [Aḥmad Shah Qājār], produced in preparation of his visit to Britain in 1919 (f 233).
Volume one of Persia and the Persian Question contains a map of Persia, Afghanistan and Beluchistan [Balochistan], which is folded inside the front cover (f 1).
The German language material consists of a publisher's press release for two books authored by German archaeologist Ernst Emil Herzfeld (ff 29-30).
- Extent and format
- 2 volumes with inserts (898 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: this shelfmark consists of two physical volumes. The foliation sequence commences at the first folio of volume one (1-463), and terminates at the last folio of volume two (ff 464-898); these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Each volume contains a large number of loose leaves, which have been foliated in the order that they were inserted into the volume; for conservation reasons, these loose folios have been removed from the volume and stored separately. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers of the two volumes.
Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English, Urdu and German in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
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Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [272r] (546/1814), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/33, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100157213844.0x000099> [accessed 5 June 2026]
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- Reference
- Mss Eur F111/33
- Title
- Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Questionby George Curzon, with Inserted Papers
- Pages
- 54r:135v, 147r:149v, 158r:180v, 183r:221v, 224r:224v, 227r:246v, 248r:257v, 259r:260v, 268r:362v, 364r:364v, 367r:388v, 390r:400v, 402r:416v, 419r:432v, 434r:444v, 448r:462v, 464r:471v, 475r:481v, 483r:513v, 516r:525v, 527r:544v, 546r:563v, 566r:598v, 600r:622v, 624r:656v, 658r:665v, 667r:675v, 678r:684v, 687r:688v, 691r:691v, 693r:693v, 695r:708v, 711r:721v, 724r:726v, 728r:729v, 731r:736v, 742r:742v, 746r:757v, 759r:761v, 763r:763v, 765r:765v, 772r:777v, 780r:789v, 793r:794v, 797r:809v, 811r:821v, 825r:840v, 843r:898v
- Author
- Curzon, George Nathaniel, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston
- Usage terms
- Public Domain