The four volumes of this set bring together key contributions to the study of Shi'ism, giving access to material that has hitherto been scattered and difficult to locate. While the majority of the material stems from the past fifty years, earlier studies are included, providing insight into the field's development. This collection reflects the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of today's Shi'ite studies. Volume One covers the birth of Shi'ism and traces its development. The emphasis is on the socio-political history of communities self-identifying as Shi'ite, focusing largely on the majority 'Twelvers', but also covering 'offshoot' sects. Volume Two consists of articles which explore the theologies and philosophical ideals of Shi'ism. Particular emphasis is given to those aspects of Shi'ite orthodoxy and orthopraxy which distinguish them from the Sunni majority. Volume Three is devoted to Shi'ite law, with special reference to the evolution of 'independent reasoning' - the principle which underpins the inherent dynamism of Shi'ite jurisprudence and which has ensured continuation of development down to the present day. Volume Four concentrates on the development of theories of government among the Shi'ite scholarly milieu, tracing political Shi'ism from its turbulent beginnings to its pre-modern and contemporary manifestation.

Proceedings of a Conference held at Durham University, November 3rd and 4th, 2001. Organized by the Centre for Iranian Studies, IMEIS and the Department of Archaeology of Durham University. Papers presented on Current Research in Sasanian Archaeology, Art and History from a Conference held at Durham University, November 3rd and 4th, 2001. Contents: The Functional Layout of the Fire Sanctuary at Takht-i Sulaiman (Dietrich Huff); The Discovery of a Sasanian Period Fire Temple at Bandiyan, Dargaz (Mehdi Rahbar); A Sasanian Site at Barbar, Bahrain (Vesta Sarkhosh Curtis and Sen F. Andersen); Sasanian Coins from aeUman and Bairayn (Derek Kennet); Suburb or slum? Excavations at Merv (Turkmenistan) and Observations on Stratigraphy, Refuse and Material Culture in a Sasanian City (St John Simpson); The Destruction of the Late Antique World Order (James Howard-Johnston); Bishops or Bureaucrats?: Christian Clergy and the State in the Middle Sasanian Period (Scott McDonough); History and Historiography: the Court Genre in Arabic and the Fatinamah-i Sind (Valeria Fiorani Piacentini); Iranian Society in the Sasanian Period (Hassan Karimian); The Great Families in the Sasanian Empire: some Sigillographic Evidence (Rika Gyselen); aeDionysiacAe Iconographic Themes in the Context of Sasanian Religious Architecture (Pierfrancesco Callieri); A Metamorphosis in Sasanian Silverwork: the Triumph of Dionysos? (Mehdi Moussavi Kouhpar and Timothy Taylor); Royal and Religious Symbols on Early Sasanian Coins (Vesta Sarkhosh Curtis); New Perspectives on Sasanian Rock Reliefs (Hubertus von Gall).