Description

A gigantic wall map of Iran in four sheets was printed in 1969 by National Geographical Organization of the Armed Forces of Iran (or National Geographic Organization) and was based on a map from 1923 (1301). The organization was founded in 1951 to produce maps for military purposes.

Our example had been annotated in manuscript lines, representing the borders and names of regions, cities, rivers etc., probably made by the military. In the post-revolutionary period the symbol of the Kingdom of Persia, Lion and Sun, has been covered with cut-outs representing symbols of the contemporary regime, being the national emblem of Islamic Republic of Iran, a religious calligraphic sign and most notably a sticker mounted over the cartouche with the title. The image represents a large cube, marked with signs “Islamic Republic”, “Independence” and “Freedom” crushing a man, wearing a hat with Stars and Stripes, and decorated with the Star of David and the Hammer and Sickle. The scene is crowned with a white pigeon, carrying the sign “Yes”. A script below the image reads: “We say that Islam and the Islamic Republic is a trust given to us by God the Blessed and Supreme which we should preserve – Iman Khomeini”.

The map is accompanied with another example of the upper right sheet showing the original cartouche without later additions.