The Remains of Our Ancestors: A Survey of Pahlavi Epigraphic, Textual and Literary Tradition

In Persian and Arabic sources the administrative language of the SasanianEmpire,

and its possible courtly language was called Pahlavi. Today, we also use Middle Persian

interchangeably with Pahlavi to signify the literature produced during the phase between

the Old Persian and that of Classical Persian phases of the language. This short book aims

to discuss texts produced as inscriptions on coins, stone, papyri, parchment, leather and

later paper between the third and the tenth centuries CE. This survey is in some ways similar

what has been produced by previous scholars, with two major differences.

First, there is the attention to the works produced by scholars in Iran whose mastery

of Classical Persian affords insights into Pahlavi texts which may not have been noticed by

other scholars around the world. Secondly, rather than giving a monolithic reading of the

literature produced, the a historical classification based on the works of Alberto Cantera and

Miguel Angel Andr s-Toledo is provided as the framework. I believe their reading of some

of the Pahlavi provide a far better understanding and classification of these texts.

This work was complete over two intensive Pahlavi summer schools at the University of

California, Irvine. As part of these classes, I had to prepare an introductory reading for those

interested in learning Pahlavi and used this text to provide an outline of Pahlavi literature.

With the support of the Razi Family Foundation I was able to complete the work and the

following is the product of such endeavor. This is still a first look at a huge corpus from the

Sasanian and post-Sasanian Middle Persian literature which we only have begun to study

and understand. It is through the new generation of scholars who will provide new readings

and discussion of Pahlavi texts that we will be able to have a better understanding of what

has remained for us from the late antique Persianate World.