The Refuge Role of Quhistan in the 1st and 2nd Century AD Relying on Locating Migration of Zoroastrians

Document Type : تاریخ هنر خراسان بزرگ

Abstract

Quhistan, a major part of it is located in the South Khorasan province now, is of special importance in the political and geographical history of the region. The historic Quhistan comprised several towns and large districts that distinguished this region geopolitically from other areas of the East of Iran. The great migrations to this region were noted in historical sources. Arab immigration in the first and second centuries AD, and great migration of Zoroastrians in the early Islamic centuries are the most significant of these immigrations in the early Islamic centuries.Apart from political migration of Arabs to this region for further dominance on Khorasan province, this region has always been a safe refuge for minorities throughout history, who continued their living in the light of security and geographical isolation of Quhistan. According to the studies carried out and by a review of the history of Quhistan, this region can be recognized as a safe refuge for political and religious minorities throughout history. Social tolerance within communities should not be neglected, because this region has always been a place for settlement of the followers of different religions and ethnicities. In this paper, part of the history Quhistan and the importance of this region in absorption of different immigrants are addressed.This study will answer these questions that: First, what is the reason for the selection of Quhistan as the migration destination? And Secondly, how can we generalize choosing Quhistan as a haven for Zoroastrians to other migrations to this territory? This research clarifies the significance of Quhistan in this historical selection through an overview of these migrations by an emphasis on locating and determining the path of the Zoroastrian immigrants on their journey to India using the existing resources. In addition to religious and historical tolerance of its people, finds originality and geographical isolation of this land in history as an important factor in choosing destination of religious immigrations in order to refuge