Bazaar of Isfahan

This photograph shows a part of the bazaar in Isfahan, Iran as it appeared in 1944. A bazaar is a marketplace or assemblage of shops where a wide variety of goods and services are displayed for trade. “Bazaar” is derived from the Persian word for “market,” and many believe that the bazaar is one of the most important landmarks of Persian civilization. Archaeologists have found evidence of bazaars in different parts of Iran, and scholars have concluded that the development of cities was based on not only a rising population, but also on the increase of production, which contributed to the growth of trade and accumulation of wealth. The bazaar of Isfahan, part of the heritage of the Seljuqid (circa 1000s–late 12th century) and Safavid (1501–1722) periods, is one of the oldest and largest bazaars of the Middle East. It is located in a vaulted, two-kilometer street linking the old city with the new. The vaulted ceiling, skylights, and latticed windows along with small shops selling Persian handicrafts are seen in the photograph.