Funerary Customs in the Illustrations of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh: Investigating and Analyzing

Document Type : Research/Original/Reqular Article

Authors

1 Master student of Islamic Art (Historical Studies) , University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Carpet, Faculty of Art, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran

Abstract

Analyzing themes of mourning in illustrations, a significant artistic and contemplative element, can lead to a deeper understanding of fundamental concepts related to grief. It is also essential for understanding Iranian illustration within its textual context, which provides its identity. Funeral customs and traditions in any given period reflect the beliefs and values of a nation. This article aims to identify under-explored illustrations depicting mourning within Shahnameh manuscripts and to discern variations in funeral rites based on the Shahnameh text, written historical sources, and the illustrations themselves, using a qualitative approach. This research seeks to answer the following questions: 1. What are the elements and characteristics of mourning illustrations in handwritten copies of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh? 2. How are the most important visual features of mourning depicted in the selected illustrations? The research findings indicate that mourning illustrations in the Shahnameh are portrayed based on the funeral customs and traditions described in the text and poems of the Shahnameh. The most common visual manifestations of mourning in these illustrations include self-flagellation, throwing dust on one's head, and tearing one's clothes. However, some aspects of mourning present in the Shahnameh text, such as the stages of shrouding and burial, various forms of lamentation, and the duration of mourning, are not depicted in the illustrations. The research employs a descriptive-analytical method, with data gathered from library sources. From twelve identified illustrations, six depicting mourning and funeral rites from the Ilkhanid (Mongol), Timurid, and Safavid (Tabriz II and Isfahan) schools—representing an evolution of these themes and exhibiting the most prominent features—were selected for closer analysis.

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Iranian Journal for the History of Islamic Civilization
Volume 57, Issue 1
September 2024
Pages 1-26

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History

  • Receive Date: 10 July 2024
  • Revise Date: 24 September 2024
  • Accept Date: 10 October 2024

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