From Russia with Tea: The Journey of the Russian Samovar into the Iranian Tea-Drinking Culture & National Identity

Русский самовар, or the Russian samovar in English, has long been recognized as a distinctive symbol of authentic Russian identity and an integral part of Russian cultural heritage and tea-drinking tradition. One might be surprised to discover, however, that Russians are not the only nation that celebrates and cherishes samovar as a beloved artifact of national cultural heritage. Iran became another country where the Russian samovar left a prominent cultural mark and significantly influenced the patterns of tea consumption. This paper attempts to illuminate still opaque moments in the journey of the Russian samovar from its native birthplace and into the distant and unfamiliar lands of Qajar Iran in the first half of the XIX century. In addition, the chief premise of this paper is centered on the contention that introduction and virtually immediate popularity of samovars in Iran is correlated with a steep increase in the consumption of tea and parallel decline in the consumption of coffee in the country. The paper concludes that despite samovar’s colonial credentials, the affection for and popularity of the Russian samovar on Iranian markets illustrate the intricacies and diversity of a myriad of cultural and intellectual exchanges that transpired between the two nations.