A Historical Investigation of the Eating Habits in Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PHD in Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran.Tehran,Iran.

2 Professor of Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran.Tehran,Iran.

https://doi.org/10.34785/J016.2019.694

Abstract

Over 90 percent of Iran’s water resources is used in agriculture, and this is despite the fact that the crops are mainly for domestic consumption. It seems that the other side of the water crisis caused by agriculture in Iran involves the demands and eating habits of the consumers. The diets are now becoming increasingly fatty, substantial and high-calorie, and, thus, a great amount of water usage depends indirectly on eating habits. Given the country’s water crisis in the last half century, this study seeks to answer the following question: what eating habits and lifestyles in the Iranian history prevented drought, and disrupting the balance of nature? To answer this question, historical books and travel writings were examined, and their validity was analyzed and investigated through in-depth interviews with elders and nomads. The results of this study suggest that the historical adaptability of the Iranians to nature was owing to factors such as a population of 10 million or less, high population mobility, regional, limited, undiverse diets, high endurance and fatalistic beliefs. For many reasons, the change in the dominant eating habits of the country has led to a greater vulnerability of the country’s environment.

Keywords

References

 
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Sociology of Culture and Art
Volume 1, Issue 1 - Serial Number 1
January 2020
Pages 121-93

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