YazdiCoffee (Persian: قهوه یزدی), also known as Qahveh-ye Rouze’i (قهوه روضهای) or Qahveh-ye Azadari (قهوه عزاداری) inYazd,Iran, is a traditional coffee associated with mourning ceremonies, particularly during the Islamic month ofMuharram.[1][2] Historical evidence suggests that this coffee has been prepared and served to mourners in Yazd since at least theQajar era.[2]
In theArab world, coffee was typically roasted with spices such asginger,cinnamon, andcardamom and consumed without sugar. InIran, different regions developed their own variations based on local tastes.[3]
According to theEncyclopaedia Iranica, the earliest documented reference to coffee in Iran appears in the writings ofEmad al-Din Mahmoud ibn Masoud Shirazi, a Persian physician, in 1537 CE.[4]Ottoman records indicate that coffee was introduced in the empire around the same time, suggesting a parallel timeline for its introduction in Iran.
Serving coffee at mourning and funeral ceremonies has long been customary in theMiddle East.[3] In Iran, it became known asQahveh-ye Tarhim (قهوه ترحیم; lit. Condolence Coffee), which closely resembled Turkish coffee but was infused withrosewater androck candy.[3] Yazdi Coffee, uniquely developed over centuries to match local tastes, remains a distinctive variation within this tradition.[3]
Researcher Seyed Mahmoud Najafian suggests that the practice of distributing coffee at mourning ceremonies in Yazd may haveZoroastrian origins. He notes that the termPorsseh (پُرسه), meaning a funeral gathering, was borrowed from Zoroastrian customs into Muslim mourning traditions in Yazd.[5] Similarly, the tradition of serving coffee may have been adapted from Zoroastrian rituals.[6]
Oral traditions trace Yazdi Coffee back to theSafavid era, but the earliest written documentation dates to 1832 CE in thewaqf (endowment) document of theImam Hosseini House in Yazd.[7] This house continues to serve Yazdi Coffee today, adhering to traditional preparation methods established over two centuries ago.[8]
In contemporary Yazd, Yazdi Coffee is served in variousTakyehs andHusayniyyas (religious gathering places) duringMuharram.[2] However, the preparation at the Imam Hosseini House is considered the most authentic, as it has remained unchanged for two centuries.[8] Traditionally, the coffee is distributed by a servant performing ablution, often accompanied byYazdi cake.[9]
In July 2019, Yazdi Coffee was officially registered as part of Iran’s NationalIntangible Cultural Heritage.[10] The decision was made during the National Conference on Intangible Cultural Heritage inArdabil, where Yazdi Coffee was recognized under registration number 1893.[11][8]
The traditional preparation of Yazdi Coffee follows a meticulous process maintained for generations at the Imam Hosseini House:[12][13]
