Spektrum Iran

From Balkh to Ṭanǧa – History and Narratives of Adaptation and Acculturation (8th–12th Centuries)

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Author

Gabriele Dold-Ghadar

Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Germany

https://doi.org/10.22034/spektrum.2020.225766
Abstract
This article examines the dynamics of migration and cultural exchange between the East (particularly Iran) and the West (focusing on Al-Andalus) from the 8th to 12th centuries. It challenges the simplistic notion of "migration enriches" by exploring the complex processes of acculturation, where not all transferred elements were accepted or preserved. The study highlights the role of merchants, scholars, and artisans as vehicles of cultural transmission, emphasizing Persian influences in religion, architecture, poetry, and medicine. Key themes include the Jewish-Persian diaspora, the adaptation of Sasanian artistic motifs in Andalusian architecture (e.g., the Alhambra’s lion fountain), and the linguistic legacy of Persian loanwords in Spanish. The article also critiques the politicized narratives of migration, noting how "portable homelands" (lieux de mémoire) helped migrant communities preserve identity. Examples range from the Karaites’ westward migration to the syncretic blend of Zoroastrian and Islamic symbols in Iberian art. The study concludes that cultural exchange was often incidental, shaped by trade, conquest, and scholarly networks rather than deliberate policy.

Keywords

Migration
acculturation
Al-Andalus
Persian influence
Sasanian art
Jewish diaspora
linguistic loans
intercultural exchange

Subjects

Spektrum Iran
Volume 33, Issue 1
June 2020
Pages 185-187

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