Volume 9, Issue 42 (2022)
CFL 2022, 9(42): 109-146 |
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Ghiasian M R. Ceramic Beehive Covers: An Unknown Treasure from the Folk Arts of Tabriz. CFL 2022; 9 (42) :109-146
URL: http://cfl.modares.ac.ir/article-11-58495-en.html
URL: http://cfl.modares.ac.ir/article-11-58495-en.html
Assistant Professor of Islamic Art, Faculty of Architecture and Art, Kashan University, Kashan, Iran , ghiasian@kashanu.ac.ir
Abstract: (1677 Views)
Research Background
So far, no comprehensive research has been done on ceramic beehive covers. In 1993, the Sotheby’s auction offered a collection of 100 painted beehive covers (Sotheby’s, 1993, pp. 98-113, lots 186-195) and by the end of the twentieth century, several examples were offered again. Germanidou and Konstantinidou have published a very brief paper about a painted beehive cover showing a scene of a beekeeper harvesting honey (Germanidou and Konstantinidou, 2013, pp. 249-252). On the other hand, strangely, no significant research has been done on Tabriz pottery in the Qajar and Pahlavi periods, and the present article is considered an attempt to fill this scientific gap.
Discussion
In general, the remaining examples can be classified into three groups: those with inscriptions, religious paintings and non-religious paintings. Among the examples with inscriptions, in two cases, the prayers of “Oh the One who judges needs” and “Oh the remover of calamities” are mentioned, which should be considered as prayers to seek help from God to meet the needs and repel calamities from bee products. In two cases, the prayers of “Nād ‘Ali” and “Ism-i ‘Azam” are mentioned, which can also be considered as amulets to ward off calamities, and have been popular among the Shiites. Quranic and religious themes should also be considered in connection with increasing the blessing of the product. In some examples, the verse of “Wa in yakād” can be seen that is one of the most widely used verses of the Quran among the Iranian people to ward off evil eyes. Although the reflection of Quranic verses on the beehives can emphasize the importance of honey in Islam as a healing substance, interestingly, the verses and hadiths narrated about honey are not quoted, but prayers and verses from the Quran are written that are associated with blessing of the products and repelling calamities and evil eyes. Religious paintings are generally Shiite and in a general classification include images of panja (khamsa), Doldol and shrines of Shiite Imams.
The Doldol motif, which is a combination of the iconography of Buraq (a beast said to have transported the Prophet Muhammad to heaven), and the Lion and Sun also refers to the first Shiites Imam. Among non-religious paintings, images of animals, whether in pairs or single or next to humans, are the most common. A few examples have also depicted rural scenes, wonders, hunting and etcetera.
Conclusion
Among the cases with inscriptions, prayers were considered as a means of seeking help from God to meet the needs and also as an amulet for repelling calamities from the products. Quranic verses can also be considered in connection with increasing the blessing of the product and repelling evil eye. In addition, the panja symbol was also used to ward off evil eyes and calamities. In addition to Shiite inscriptions, all identified religious paintings are related to Shiite beliefs. Religious paintings include images of Doldol, panja, and shrines of Shiite imams, including the thresholds of Kazemayn and Najaf. The images of the panja and the names of the Five People (the Prophet, his daughter, Imam Ali and his two sons) in some of the images of the shrines show the Shiite beliefs of the people of Azerbaijan. Doldol, the mule of the Prophet that was given to ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, is a symbol of his rightful Imamate for the Shiites. Although the Doldol motif is similar to the iconography of Buraq, the depiction of a lion on its back is reminiscent of the symbol of the Lion and the Sun. Among the non-religious paintings, the most frequent are paintings of animals, which are usually depicted in hunting scenes or on both sides of the Tree of Life. In these paintings, we are faced with different degrees of abstraction, depending on the skills and imaginations of different painters, various images have been created. Finally, the study of these examples contributes to our knowledge of the religion, culture and folk art of the Shiite people of Azerbaijan in recent centuries and is a prelude to further studies on the folk arts the Qajar and Pahlavi periods.
References
Germanidou, S., & Konstantinidou, A. (2013). An unusual ceramic beehive lid decoration from nineteenth-century Tabriz. Iran: Journal of the British Institute of Persian Studies, 51, 249-252.
Sotheby’s. (1993). A collection of beehive covers, Persia, Circa 1735-1935 A.D.: the property of Dr A. Middlehoek of the Netherlands, Lots 186-196. In Islamic and Indian Art, London, Thursday 29th April 1993, 98-115. Sotheby’s.
Article Type: Original Research |
Subject:
Public Art
Received: 2021/09/11 | Accepted: 2021/12/13 | Published: 2022/01/7
Received: 2021/09/11 | Accepted: 2021/12/13 | Published: 2022/01/7
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