During the early twentieth century, historians often argued that the introduction of print technology in sixteenth-century Safavid Iran was resisted primarily due to religious opposition. However, recent archival research shows that Safavid scribes and calligraphers occupied prestigious positions within the state administration, where their handwritten documents served as essential symbols of royal authority. Furthermore, the Safavid court actively subsidized scribal guilds to produce manuscripts even when cheaper, imported printed texts from Europe were available in local markets. This evidence suggests that the state's preference for handwritten texts over print was primarily motivated by
Which choice most logically completes the text?
- a desire to preserve the bureaucratic and symbolic value associated with scribal production.Answer
- Ba belief that European print technology was mechanically inferior to the calligraphy produced by Safavid scribes.
- Ca broader economic strategy to completely ban all foreign goods and imports from European markets.
- Dan attempt to reduce the literacy rates of the general public by restricting access to printed materials.
Answer
a desire to preserve the bureaucratic and symbolic value associated with scribal production.
The text explains that Safavid scribes held prestigious positions in the state bureaucracy and their manuscripts functioned as crucial symbols of royal authority. It also notes that the court subsidized these scribes despite the availability of cheaper printed imports. This indicates that the state valued the administrative and symbolic importance of handwritten documents, making the preservation of this value the most logical explanation for its support of scribal work over printing.
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