A Historical analysis of the role and position of women in mourning rituals in Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

T.M.U

10.22077/jcrl.2024.6830.1065

Abstract

When we talk about religion in a historical perspective, we are dealing with a cultural phenomenon that has deep social, mythological and cultural roots. One of these social aspects, which has been associated with rituals throughout history, is gender role and function. Rituals are the systematic embodiment of mythological and religious beliefs and covenants, and women in most societies, compared to men, have a more prominent role in enforcing and reproducing religious ideas. Mourning ritual is one of the universal rituals in the world; In Iran, the ancient rituals of mourning in combination with the religious event of Ashura have remained strong and are held until today. A look at the history of these rituals also shows that women have always had an essential and decisive role in holding and participating in mourning rituals. This research seeks to answer the question: what are the mythological, historical and social reasons for the presence and significant role of women in formal mourning rituals? The research method is historical-analytical and the results obtained show that women, due to the feminine nature of mourning rituals, have always been supporters and participants of these rituals, and political systems, despite historical limitations for women, have not created an obstacle for them in this field, but due to necessity, they have sometimes made political and social use of their ritual participation.

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Journal of Ritual Culture and Literature
Volume 3, Issue 1 - Serial Number 5
September 2024
Pages 39-58

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