Persian Street Scenes

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 6, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 17.

Persian Street Scenes.

S. G. W. BENJAMIN, recently United States Minister at the court of Persia, describes in the January Century his impressions of that country. From an illustrated paper in the number, on "Teheran," we take the following:—

"In such a climate as that of Teheran, life is naturally passed chiefly in the open air. The chill of winter, rarely severe, seems to make little difference in the habits of the people. The shops are all open to the streets; the customers stand outside, and even the shop-keeper attends to most of his business from the exterior of the shop. If he is a baker, grocer, or costermonger, in all probability he and the customer both stand in the street, retreating into the shop only when a string of camels or a dashing cortege forces them to move out of the way. A carpenter may frequently be seen arranging a piece of joinery on the pavement in front of his shop. The schools often in nowise differ from the shops; in the midst of a crowded thoroughfare one may see twenty or thirty lads seated on their heels repeating the lesson together in monotonous tone.

"Another common sight in the streets of Teheran is the itinerant barber. The Koran enjoins the masculine Mohammedan to shave his crown. The Sunnees shave the entire head, excepting a long lock in the center, whereby, it is said, the archangel may pluck them out of the grave. But the Sheahs of Persian Mussulmans shave from the forehead to the nap of the neck, leaving a highly prized lock on each side. It is, therefore, common to see a man of the lower classes seated on the pavement, going through the operation of having his head shaved. The remaining hair and the beard are dyed, and it is rare that one sees gray hairs in Teheran. The first tint applied is henna, an orange-yellow vegetable dye. Many consider this so handsome as to prefer it without the further application of indigo, which most select. The last tint combined with the henna, imparts a durable and rather agreeable dark-brown color to the hair. The women, also, have their hair dyed, and join the eyebrows with the pencil.

"All classes make use of the bath at least once a week, the wealthy having steam-baths attached to their dwellings. No Christian is ever permitted admittance to the baths of the Persians. The public baths answer the purpose of clubs and sewing-circles; the women go in the morning, take their sewing with them, and, after being thoroughly steamed and scrubbed, devote several hours to smoking the kalian, embroidering, and discussing the scandal of the neighborhood, which they assiduously circulate on their way home.

"Another street sight of Teheran is the tea-house, equivalent to the coffee-house of Constantinople, or the beer-garden of Munich. These establishments are generally thronged towards the close of the day. Both wine-drinking and card-playing are forbidden to true believers, and, therefore, neither is seen in those places of public resort. But both are indulged in at home.

"Another characteristic sight in the streets of Teheran is the bread. Persian bread is made in sheets the thickness of sole leather; the best quality is somewhat thinner. It is formed in the shape and size of a side of leather. This bread is cheap, one cent a sheet, and, what is more, it is sweet and nourishing, and, with curds, cheese, and fruit, forms a staple article of diet with a large part of the population. Consequently, one constantly meets with people carrying sheets of bread home with them, the women holding them in front like leather aprons."