There were 33 contributors, and their contributions came in irregularly over a number of years, with many
delays and difficulties; and as they were assembled it became clear to
Ehsan Yarshater that the enormous time span and diversity of
subject-matter were going to present problems for the general reader.
Accordingly he went beyond what most would consider to be the call of
editorial duty, providing the work with a long, lucid and deeply
perceptive introduction, in which he provided guidelines to the whole; and
he also set concise introductory pieces before each of the nine main
sections into which it is divided. His own contributions comprised
chapters on "Iranian common beliefs and world-view," "Iranian national
history," and "Mazdakism." The volume appeared in 1983; and the first
print was sold out with the same rapidity that had marked the purchase of
publications of the Bongah-e Tarjoma.
Just a little later yet another massive undertaking, which had been
initiated by Ehsan Yarshater in 1971, began to bear fruit. This was an
annotated English translation of Tabari's "History of Prophets and Kings"
(Tarikh al-rusul wal moluk). Ehsan Yarshater had suggested this as a
desirable enterprise to UNESCO, for consideration by its Arabic
Commission; but since that commission favored other tasks, he himself
undertook it, with UNESCO's approval, under the auspices of the Bongah.
Only a few contracts had been signed with scholars when the Bongah was
closed down, and funding had again to be sought elsewhere. It came to be
provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities; and publication of
the History, to be in 40 volumes, began in 1985. Seventeen volumes have
by now appeared, with ten in the press. Ehsan Yarshater sometimes regrets
his involvement in this work, more properly the domain of Arabists; but,
again, it is not in his character to abandon a task once embarked on.
The work of the Iranian Center proceeded vigorously meanwhile, and was
diversified. The publication of volumes in the multilingual,
multinational Persian Heritage Series continued steadily; and the Columbia
Iranian Lecture Series, founded and endowed by Ehsan Yarshater in 1979,
brought a succession of Iranists from other universities in the States and
abroad to give an annual set of lectures. This was fittingly inaugurated
by the great Iranist H.W. Bailey, and his and three other sets of lectures
have so far been published in book form. Subsequently in 1987, Ehsan
Yarshater established an Iranian Seminar, whose meetings are regularly
attended by Iranists from New York's universities and those of
neighbouring states, and often, by invitation or the chance of travel by
others from farther afield. Both lectures and seminars are occasions for
stimulating discussion and the fruitful sharing of knowledge.
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