Sensory Ethnography of the “Zayanderood” river in Isfahan, Iran

My PhD project is a sensory ethnographical study, which is based on people’s senses, experiences and memories of the Zayanderood, or “Live River” in the city of Isfahan in Iran. Participants are interviewed in a real-time dialog in virtual space, and they explain how they sense the environment, specifically the riversides and riverbed and the famous old bridges. The important aspects that are analysed include the sensory stimulation of memories via sight, sound and smell, the reporting of the sensual experiences, and the resulting thoughts and imaginations of the participants about past and present places, activities and feelings. The location of the river was chosen not only for its historical significance, but especially because now the water often dries up, giving a new face to the cityscape and resulting
changes in recreational usage. The study was designed to elicit participants’ responses to these changes (such as the presence and absence of water). lt also could evaluate the relative importance of different senses as they are involved both as stimuli and in responses. The imagination and emotions of participants as observed during the interviews are encoded in the documentation of the study.
The study has relevance to anyone who needs to reconcile two worlds (such as past and present, there and here, presence and absence, for example the disorientation of emigrants). lt is also relevant to human adaption to changes, and to the integration of sensory stimuli in memory.