Zoomorphic iconography and the metamorphosis of ibex stucco decorations inside Umayyad castles (original) (raw)

This paper delves deeply into the symbol of the ibex and its profound iconographic metamorphosis. The central focus is whether examining existing stucco sculptures, from the Iranian Style “Out of Place” to Umayyad sculptural embellishment, can illuminate the early popularity of the ibex. The portrayal of this animal in the stuccoes from various Near Eastern sites spanning a millennium confirms its revered status, offering profound insights into the cosmology of ancient Near Eastern peoples. The parallels with the mainstream of Iranian stucco decoration are clear, although not close enough to justify more than this broad deduction. The early appearance of the ibex carries a weighty symbolic message: Samarran ware consistently depicts this caprid with long, branch-like antlers, symbolizing the Tree of Life or Sacred Tree. This symbolism is further exemplified by a piece from the Iranian Plateau, c4500 BC, where the antler trees dominate the entire motif. In other words, the ibex—in the North Mesopotamian and the Iranian plateaux—emerges fully formed, carrying an already well-developed symbol of fertility. The study also uncovers a pivotal moment in ancient Islamic art in Umayyad castles, where a new technique emerges, giving birth to three-dimensional figures of ibex heads depicted in profile and executed in high relief in stucco.