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POURJAVADY, N. (Ed.) — the Splendour of Iran (3 Vol- Umes)

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POURJAVADY, N. (Ed.) — the Splendour of Iran (3 Vol- Umes) 793 BOEKBESPREKINGEN — MODERN PERZIË 794 MODERN PERZIË a new look at Iranian art not merely by presenting artifices chiefly from Iran but also by the majority of Iranian schol- POURJAVADY, N. (ed.) — The Splendour of Iran (3 vol- ars. umes). London: Booth-Clibborn Editions, 2001 (vol. i: The first volume treats the art produced in the Iranian Ancient times 544 pp.; vol. ii, Islamic period, 528 pp.; plateau before the advent of Islam. It is divided into seven vol. iii, Islamic period 416 pp.). ISBN 1861540116; £ parts: prehistoric Iran; Elamite heritage; the Aryan legacy; 299.58. Imperial period; Applied and decorative arts during the Sasanian period; Courtly Pastimes and the Silk Road. Thus, These superbly designed volumes, which are gracefully B. Hourcade (one of the few European authors in these vol- bound in hard cover, depict the history of Iran from prehis- umes) opens the first volume with a description of Iran’s geo- toric times up to the present day. The volumes are lavishly graphical make-up, sketching how “Iran’s cultural identity illustrated with photographs, adduced by short chapters giv- was formed in this geographical territory.” This section is ing essential information about various artistic and cultural concluded by several pictures of mountains, gardens and aspects of Persia from the prehistoric times up to the present deserts in different seasons in order to emphasize the rich age. As indicated in the editor’s Introduction, no compre- diversity of Iran’s geographical setting. This chapter is fol- hensive work on this subject has been published since the lowed by a brief overview of Iranian dynasties before the appearance of Arthur Upham Pope’s Survey of Persian Art coming of Islam. Here the Prophet’s migration from Mecca (1938-9). The aim of The Splendour is not to challenge the to Medina is erroneously mentioned as 632 AD, which should contents of Pope’s monumental Survey, rather to produce a be changed into 622 AD. (vol. i, p. 47) book, whose material offers us a “new look at the history of To reconstruct the prehistoric life of Iran, attention is paid Iranian art and culture primarily from within Iran itself” (vol. to archaeological objects, especially several sculpted human i, p. 9). Another main reason to write this book is to let the figures and other objects such as beakers, bowls and seals art-works speak “not only through words, but primarily made of clay and stones. It is for the first time that the pho- through images” (vol. i, p. 9). Therefore, attention is more tographs of several of these rare objects have been made on the presentation of images than on words. available to Western readers. In addition to their artistic mer- There are several essential differences in approach in pre- its, these objects give insight into the social conditions, reli- sentation of illustrated and written materials between Pope’s gious beliefs, trade, magic and many other aspects of life dur- Survey and The Splendour. Whereas the material presented ing the period. This chapter goes on with a presentation of in Survey was from Western museums and libraries, the the famous Lorestan bronzes, and a good sample of bronze majority of materials in The Splendour are taken from muse- objects, from personal ornaments, tools, utensils, cult objects ums, private collections and libraries in different parts of Iran, to arms and armour are displayed. A reference is also shortly which are normally difficult to access. The publication of this made to the technique how these artefacts were produced. book is most desirable since it reveals a hidden treasure, The chapter ends with a survey of the prehistoric sites such rarely displayed in the Western world. The Splendour distin- Tal-e Bakun in Fars, Tappeh Zagheh, Chogha Mish, Haft guishes itself from Pope’s Survey in the presentation of excel- Tappeh, Chogha Zanbil and Susa. lent quality of photographs and plates, all in full colour and The second chapter treats Elamite art and architecture, many of which in large size. Another point of difference elaborating upon its various aspects and different phases. between the two works is that The Splendour has placed arti- Since “Elamite artists preferred symbolic to descriptive art,” fices in their geographical context by adding exquisite pho- attention is chiefly given to the symbolism in Elamite art. tographs of the natural environment of an artifice in question. Among the favourite themes of Elamite art were the presen- In addition, whereas Pope’s Survey offers long chapters of tations of “serpents and fantastic composite monsters”; ser- text, with footnotes and full bibliographical information, the pents were revered in Elamite religion. As far as inscriptions texts presented in The Splendour are succinct; within a lim- are concerned, several splendidly represented clay tablets ited space, each chapter summarizes concisely the state of the have been printed and accommodated with concise informa- art. Pope’s Survey was published to provide the scholars with tion about the writing system and the Elamite language. an academic research about Persia’s artistic past, whereas the The Elamite period is followed by a chapter on “The material in The Splendour is organized to make them acces- Aryan Legacy” and Zoroastrianism, beginning with a sible to general readers, and the editor has been very suc- description of their legends, myths, gods, angelology, and cessful in doing so. concluding with a discussion on Zoroastrian rituals. The force What is most refreshing in reading The Splendour is the of this chapter is the way these materials have been contex- fact that it takes ancient Iranian civilization as a living tradi- tualised in the history of Iran: A. Tafazzoli displays how cer- tion, showing how Iranians kept alive many of their ancient tain ancient concepts and ideas lived forth in later centuries. rituals and traditions. Unlike Pope’s Survey, which included “The clearest ideological survival of the Mazdaean concepts several drawings and plans of palaces, mosques, etc., The has been seen in Hekmat-e Eshraq (Illumination or Enlight- Splendour leaves them out and concentrates mainly on the ened Philosophy) of Sohravardi, who flourished in the thir- essential information. To increase readability and accessibil- teenth century.” (vol. i, p. 64) As far as the survival of ity of the book for general public, The Splendour avoids using ancient rituals in modern Iran is concerned, the author men- any footnotes; only a one-page list of glossary and one page tions, among others, wedding ceremonies and rituals of the of secondary titles are provided at the end of each volume. Nowruz feast in which Zoroastrian symbolisms are strongly A longer bibliographical list would have been most desirable present. for the general public. What immediately strikes the Western The next chapter entitled “Imperial Period” is the longest reader is the nationality of the majority of authors contribut- one, from p. 169 to p. 339; it covers the art and architecture ing to The Splendour: it seems that the editor wanted to give of three dynasties, ruling Persia from the sixth century BC. 795 BIBLIOTHECA ORIENTALIS LX N° 5-6, september-december 2003 796 to the introduction of Islam in the seventh century AD. The a time of this kind. Lend me your ears (…) so I praise the chapter starts off with a brief note on the Medes and the Per- blessings of God.” (vol. i, p. 507) A brief chapter on “The sians and how they united to form the largest state in world Silk Road” concludes the first volume. Here it is shown how history, the Achaemenids (550-330 BC). The main focus in the trade route of 7,000km from China to the eastern Mediter- the first pages is upon Achaemenid architecture and its ranean, crossing different civilizations, has left a lasting influ- multinational characteristics. Ruling a vast area with differ- ence on Persian culture. ent cultures and civilizations, Achaemenids mirror this mul- The volumes two and three cover the Islamic period. Vol- ticultural aspect in their art: “Being thus the flower of five ume two is divided into four chapters, beginning with a dis- millennia of Near Eastern art, Persian art was diverse in cussion on vernacular architecture. The chapter begins with form and technique yet Iranian in plan, direction and exe- a summary of the history of caravanserais, their various cution.” (vol. i, p. 175) Important sites, palaces and sculp- forms, functions and symbolisms. Other architectural items tures are lavishly displayed and concisely commented upon. discussed in this chapter are respectively qanat (‘under- Many of the photographs are presented here for the first time ground water canals’), cisterns (abanbars), bridges and in such a big size and uncommonly high quality. This sec- dams, pigeon towers, Arg-e Bam, a citadel in the middle of tion is followed by some brief notes on the Selucid and the desert. Chapter two on City Planning (vol. ii, pp. 84- Parthian art, displaying also several beautiful sculptures in 180) treats several aspects of an Iranian city including its which the Hellenic influence is visible. The remaining pages physical setting, materials, the role of religion in building of this chapter are entirely devoted to the art and architec- mosques, the administrative aspects, and commerce from the ture of the Sasanian empire (224-651 AD), which exerted early Islamic times to the eighteenth century. Although the its influence both on Islamic and Western art in the coming main focus is on cities’ physical planning, composition and centuries. Since Sasanians were known as ‘city founders,’ classification, moral qualities attributed to several towns also the discussion begins with a compact account of the struc- receive attention. Here we read: “Early Muslim writers also ture of the Sasanian cities and methods they used to build categorised cities in terms of moral quality, virtue and value palaces.
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