Zoomorphic iconography and the metamorphosis of ibex stucco decorations inside Umayyad castles (original) (raw)
Related papers
2020
A new concentration of rock art consisting of large number of petroglyphs is situated on the hillside of the Mount Eüji-iti in Kirmanshah in central western Iran. According to the subject-matter, iconographic features, style, and patination of some images, it seems that a part of the petroglyphs could be made in a time-span from Bronze Ages to the Iron Ages in first millennium BCE. The paper attempts to establish a bridge between the rock art and the archaeological context of western Iran. Drawing on archaeological evidence, the paper discusses that, at least, a part of the engravings, particularly ibexes, could possibly be of sacred value to its producers.
The Ibex as an Iconographic Symbol in the ancient Near East
The study of pottery design on hundreds of extant examples from the ancient Near East reveals the early popularity of one particular animal—the ibex. The treatment that this animal received on pottery from a wide number of Near Eastern sites, over a span of a thousand years, gives a clear picture of its reverential status as well as providing us with possible clues toward a cosmology for the people of the ancient Near East. A brief review of the ibex’s appearance on Palaeolithic bone carvings demonstrates the longevity of this animal’s role as a cultural symbol and, finally, the ibex’s demise in the fourth millennium B.C. marks a turning point in the cultural life of Near Eastern society.
BULLETIN of MIHO MUSEUM, 2021
One of the starting points for this third essay, "Sacred symbols from ancient West Asia and Western Central Asia," is the iconography of the corpse-attacking beasts and birds of prey found in the 3rd millennium BC Jiroft Style (JS) stone artifacts. This corpse is an expression of cloven-hoofed animals lying on their backs, which appears in the designs carved on stone artifacts. These are distinguished from the so-called "animal battling scenes" of ancient Mesopotamia, and it is conceivable that they represent the process of "purification" of a kind of death by beasts and birds of prey. These expressions are important elements that lead to the Bactria-Margiana (BMAC) seal in Central Asia from the end of the 3rd millennium BC to the early 2nd millennium BC, as well as the design of metalware in northern Iran at the end of the 2nd millennium BC. In Essay (1), I considered the elements of wings and horns that appear in the designs of seals, stone vessels, and metal vessels. In Essay (2), I attempted to unravel one aspect of their spiritual world from the sacred tree expressions expressed on JS stone vessels and BMAC pottery. What has become apparent there is that the idea structure symbolized by the three sacred trees of JS in particular is rooted in the three sacred trees in the spiritual world of ancient Iran, which were later transcribed as Bundahishn and Avesta. In this essay I begin with a consideration of the symbolism of animal designs in JS stone vessels, and is an attempt to explore the spiritual world contained in the design of MIHO MUSEUM's "Vase with divine figures" (SS1498), which has the style of JS stone vessels.
AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION FOR MEDIEVAL AND EARLY MODERN STUDIES, BIENNIAL CONFERENCE 8 – 11 February 2024, 2024
This article draws upon research conducted in the Jericho region especially Khirbat al-Mafjar, analyze and discuss the local architecture related to the stucco technique of this palace. Islamic art and architecture in the region are largely unknown yet to the international scientific community due to a turbulent history, especially in the 20th century. However, as a monster, this desert palace and related Islamic decorative art draws inspiration from different traditions: Greco-Roman, Near Eastern, Christian and Sasanian iconography. Figurative art in the Islamic world exists despite condemnation by jurists; one of the favored areas is manuscript decoration, but in the field of architecture it remains marginal. Moreover, when one tries to trace a connection between figurative presences in Islamic architecture, often they appear relatively independent aesthetically, thematically and functionally. Major archaeological discoveries of buildings from the Umayyad period, such as Qasr-Amra, Khirbat al-Mafjar, Qasr al-Hayr West have brought to light astonishing evidence of architectural decoration of a figurative nature. Themes with zoomorphic and anthropomorphic elements are depicted in these monuments, but they are the exception rather than the rule.Today, the palace of Khirbat al-Mafjar is unique in its variety of architectural forms and decorations - a heritage of stucco technique.
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research. Proceedinngs of the 3rd International Conference on Art Studies: Science, Experience, Education (ICASSEE 2019). , 2019
The article examines the issue of what is termed "hidden" zoomorphic images in the architectural ornament of early Islamic Central Asia. For many years, zoomorphic motifs were considered intentionally concealed in floral ornament in order to circumvent the Islamic prohibition of depicting living creatures. The author examines carved stucco (gunch) as a very informative and representative source of early Islamic architectural ornament. The study uses the comparative historic method to describe and classify the "hidden" zoomorphisms and cites analogues; also analysed are mediaeval theologians' opinions on the content of the canonic prohibition. The author makes the following conclusions: although ornamentation grew in significance in the 9th to 12th century, the tradition of quite realistic depiction of animals continued and retained a significance of its own. "Encrypted" zoomoprphisms can rather be considered ultimately stylized floral motifs. The author suggests tracing their development paths from realistic to most abstract floral forms.
Some thoughts on ibex on plinths in early South Arabian art
Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy, 2005
Ibex are an important iconographic element in the art of South Arabia. The origins, geographical distribution, chronology and divine affinities of ibex are considered, drawing on both archaeological and epigraphic sources.