Morphology of the Ancient Symbols of Shamanism in the Legend of Ashiq Asli and Karam According to the Sirous Ghamari, Based on Mircea Eliade's Interpretive Anthropology
Document Type : پژوهشی اصیل
Authors
1
PhD Candidate in Department of Research Art, Ki.C., Islamic Azad University, Kish, Iran,.
2
Associate Professor of Art Anthropology, Faculty Member, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
3
Professor, Faculty member Islamic Azad University, Yazd Branch, Yazd, Iran.
10.48311/cfl.2025.86461.0
Abstract
Shamanism, one of the world’s most ancient spiritual traditions, represents a significant form of religious identity among nations. Its importance lies in simultaneously affecting the human body and soul, seeking healing and protection through magical mediation by a shaman who invokes the spirits. The ancient life of the Turkic peoples is deeply intertwined with the emergence of this religion, and due to the historical coexistence of Turks and Azerbaijanis, Shamanistic elements have become embedded in their shared culture. The most prominent cultural representatives of the Turkic world are the Ozans, and within Azerbaijani culture, the Ashiqs—folk singers and poets who, through their social role, resemble shamans as creators, narrators, and heroes of communal tales. Findings reveal that the love epic Asli and Karam, one of Azerbaijan’s enduring legends in Iran, reflects deeply interwoven aspects of Iranian narrative identity—such as love, separation, reunion, and the death of lovers—alongside symbolic Shamanistic motifs including initiation, membership, journey, quest, natural and supernatural influences. These features provide valuable creative material for local performing arts and cinematic adaptations. The results highlight both the story’s reliance on Iranian cultural identity and the persistence of ancient Shamanic symbols shaped by the environmental and biological culture of Turks and Azerbaijanis. This qualitative study employs Eliade’s interpretive anthropological approach, drawing upon Sirus Qamari’s narration of the Asli and Karam legend and utilizes library-based sources.
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