Bazaar, Iran and Central Asia - Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE
[Article]
Floor, Willem
Leiden
Brill
(2,576 words)
The bazaar in Iran and Central Asia is: 1) a daily market, usually a fixed urban market centre characterised by buildings in a typical layout and with a typical architectural design, with merchants' stands; 2) a less frequent (usually weekly) urban or rural market with stands; or 3) a seasonal or annual fair. The daily urban bazaar constituted the central business district and served religious, commercial, financial, political, and social functions. The bazaar (from Persian bāzār) was usually located near the main thoroughfares leading to the main city gates. Until