Matthew Melvin-Koushki. “The Occult Sciences in Safavid Iran and Safavid Occult Scientists Abroad”
Matthew Melvin-Koushki. “The Occult Sciences in Safavid Iran and Safavid Occult Scientists Abroad” in Rudi Matthee (ed.). The Safavid World. London: Routledge, 2021, p. 403-427
Full text
1This chapter on the occult sciences from Matthew Melvin-Koushki argues that the Safavid period was broadly continuous with earlier scientific production despite the social and religious upheavals experienced under the dynasty. The author points to a lack of research due to the modern dismissal of this particular branch of authoritative knowledge. Critical for the harnessing of imperial sacral power, the author argues that the occult sciences and their techniques occupied the textual output of some of the period’s most well-known philosophers and theologians—some of whom found patronage in the wealthier Sunni Ottoman and Mughal empires. The chapter gives detail for the examples of geomancy, lettrism and alchemy and contains excerpts from primary sources that discuss the historical legitimacy of these sciences or reflect on their practice.
References
Electronic reference
Riaz Tony Howey, “Matthew Melvin-Koushki. “The Occult Sciences in Safavid Iran and Safavid Occult Scientists Abroad””, Abstracta Iranica [Online], Volume 44 | 2022, document 2, Online since 30 November 2022, connection on 29 November 2023. URL: http://journals.openedition.org/abstractairanica/55222; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/abstractairanica.55222
Top of pageCopyright
The text and other elements (illustrations, imported files) are “All rights reserved”, unless otherwise stated.
Top of page