Exploring the Origin of the Double-Headed Eagle Symbol in the Visual Culture of the Al-Buyeh Period with an Iconological Approach

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran, Corresponding Author.

2 Ph.D. Student of Comparative and Analytical History of Islamic Art, Iran University of Art, Tehran, Iran.

10.22051/jjh.2024.43916.1989

Abstract

The symbolic and mythological content is a hallmark of Iranian art, reflecting the cultural meanings of society in each historical period. These concepts allow for the inference of the hidden content within the motifs used, revealing their intrinsic value and significance. Following the fall of the Sassanian Empire, the rise of Islam, and the subsequent decline of the Abbasid caliphs, significant shifts occurred in the legitimacy of Iranian rulers. This era saw the resurgence of the idea of a powerful state and the revival of Iran's ancient heritage, leading to the establishment of dynasties such as the Tahirids, Saffavids, Samanids, and Buyeh. Al-Buyeh period, recognized as a Shiite dynasty, is considered one of the most artistically, politically, socially, and scientifically prosperous periods in the history of Islamic and Iranian civilization. The religious and political autonomy of this era influenced the artistic works, which were content-wise shaped by Shiite beliefs and structurally by Sassanian art. A distinctive feature of this period's art is the presence of religious concepts and elements, often represented through various animal and predominantly mythological motifs. The double-headed eagle motif is one such pattern, recurrently found in metals, ceramics, architectural works, and particularly textiles, whose origins have remained elusive due to insufficient research. The motifs employed in the artistic works of the period, whether in metalwork, architecture, textiles, ceramics, etc., possess a symbolic dimension that extends beyond their decorative function, deeply rooted in the religious beliefs and convictions of the people of that time, and aligned with Islamic principles.
As previously mentioned, the double-headed eagle motif, frequently observed in the visual culture of that era, especially in textiles, appears in a repetitive or widespread manner. Subsequent studies on this symbolic motif revealed that its semantic origins in Al-Buyeh period culture have not yet been explored; thus, this paper aims to conduct a content analysis of the motif to uncover the semantic origins of the double-headed eagle in the visual culture of the Al-Buyeh period, employing Panofsky's iconological approach. This endeavor marks the first attempt to unravel the meaning of this symbolic motif. The necessary data were collected through library research, and the methodology employed was descriptive-analytical. The interplay between art and religion during the Al-Buyeh period is a fundamental aspect of this research, encompassing the exploration of the meaning and symbolic facets of the motifs and the proliferation of Iranian-Islamic concepts.
 
Research Questions:
 What are the religious themes that gave rise to the symbolic meaning of the double-headed eagle in the visual culture of the Al-Buyeh period? Or, what concepts were represented by the use of the double-headed eagle symbol in the visual culture of the Al-Buyeh period?
Research Method:
The methodology used in the present article is based on Panofsky's iconological approach, which involves three stages:

Primary or Natural Subject Matter: This level of meaning arises from the combination of factual and expressional meanings, discerned through the identification of pure forms. The factual meaning is grasped by engaging with the various formal aspects of a work and interpreting their interrelations. The expressional meaning is accessed through reference to the reactions and judgments that have become ingrained in a person due to their experiences within a specific environment about a particular phenomenon or subject. Panofsky himself elucidates this level of meaning using the example of a human figure who greets others by removing his hat. In explaining the genesis of primary meaning in this instance, he states that the figure and its action comprise two facets: firstly, the human figure consisting of line, color, and volume; and secondly, the concept that forms in the mind of an observer familiar with the culture from which the action of hat removal originates. For an observer acquainted with this context, the meaning derived from these two aspects is that the individual is seeking interaction (greeting) with their audience. Panofsky posits that the interaction thus established elicits a response in the observer, who can then make judgments about the person's intentions, the emotions conveyed through the act of removing the hat, and similar considerations, based on their prior knowledge of the individual. He deems this judgment to require empathetic perception, which constitutes the expressional or representational meaning. The synthesis of these two meanings generates a primary or natural meaning in the mind of the observer when confronted with this scene (Panofsky, 1972: 3-4).
Secondary or Conventional Subject Matter: The second level of meaning in Panofsky's framework is entirely subjective and acts as a cultural code that has been conventionally predetermined among a group of people. At this analytical stage, the link between the form of the artistic work and its concealed subject matter is scrutinized, and the secondary subject matter of the artwork is what becomes perceptible through this examination.
Intrinsic Meaning or Content: The third level in Panofsky's theory, necessitates an understanding of the principles and beliefs of the cultural backdrop that gave rise to an artistic work. "At this level of meaning, our minds strive to forge a robust connection between the latent meaning in the observable and tangible characteristics of action, along with the embedded concept within it, and the mental, often invisible, and sometimes concealed conventional meaning. This level of meaning is synthesized and intuitively formed. In this phase, we encounter the ultimate objective of iconology, where, unlike the first and second levels, the artist has subconsciously assembled elements within their work, unaware of the interplay and connections among them" (Ghani and Mehrabi, 2018: 98).

 
 
Research Findings:
An iconological analysis of the double-headed eagle motif within the visual culture of the Al-Buyeh period, guided by Panofsky's approach, has revealed that both the motif itself and its depiction of a human abduction by the bird hold significant importance. The findings indicate that the historical origins of the double-headed eagle motif can be traced back to the Sumerian civilization, where it symbolized fire, summer, the sun, and divine power. This motif is not only present in Eastern art but also found in Western art. The double-headed eagle motif is less a representation of a natural bird and more akin to a supernatural one, similar to the Simurgh or Huma bird, with its roots likely in the Sassanian period. Additionally, the discovery of a textile piece featuring this motif near the hills close to the Shrine of Shahrbano, near the city of Rey, suggests a connection between Shia Iran and Zoroastrian Iran through such iconographies. In Greek culture, the motif's narrative of human abduction by a double-headed eagle stems from the story of Zeus, in the form of a double-headed eagle, capturing Ganymede to serve as a cupbearer in Olympus. In India, the motif relates to the tale of Krishna riding on the back of Garuda, a mythical bird, undergoing historical stages to unveil existential truths. During the Sassanian era, the eagle is depicted carrying a feminine figure to the skies, interpreted as an embodiment of the goddess Anahita, symbolizing a divine-assisted human ascension. However, in Al-Buyeh period culture, this motif represents the synthesis of Shia Iran and Zoroastrian Iran, suggesting a meaning that transcends its symbolic representation and martyrdom. Specifically, it appears to reference Zayd ibn Ali, the religious Imam revered by the Buyeh, whose legacy they endeavored to promote and preserve. This connection is the semantic origin of the double-headed eagle motif in the visual culture of the Al-Buyeh period.
 

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References

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