THE PHOENIX MOTIF DURING THE DECLINE OF THE SASSANID EMPIRE (600-700AD) MARYAM BORZOUYAN DASTJERDI Malaya of CULTURAL CENTRE UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA KUALA LUMPUR University2017 THE PHOENIX MOTIF DURING THE DECLINE OF THE SASSANID EMPIRE (600-700AD) MARYAM BORZOUYAN DASTJERDI Malaya THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIALof FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS CULTURAL CENTRE UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA KUALA LUMPUR 2017 University UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA ORIGINAL LITERARY WORK DECLARATION Name of Candidate: Maryam Borzouyan Dastjerdi Matric No: RGB130001 Name of Degree: Master of Arts Title of Project Research Thesis (“this Work”): The Phoenix Motif during the Decline of the Sassanid Empire (600-700ad) Field of Study: Visual Arts I do solemnly and sincerely declare that: (1) I am the sole author/writer of this Work; (2) This Work is original; (3) Any use of any work in which copyright exists was done by way of fair dealing and for permitted purposes and any excerpt Malayaor extract from, or reference to or reproduction of any copyright work has been disclosed expressly and sufficiently and the title of the Work and its authorship have been acknowledged in this Work; (4) I do not have any actual knowledgeof nor do I ought reasonably to know that the making of this work constitutes an infringement of any copyright work; (5) I hereby assign all and every rights in the copyright to this Work to the University of Malaya (“UM”), who henceforth shall be owner of the copyright in this Work and that any reproduction or use in any form or by any means whatsoever is prohibited without the written consent of UM having been first had and obtained; (6) I am fully aware that if in the course of making this Work I have infringed any copyright whether intentionally or otherwise, I may be subject to legal action or any other action as may be determined by UM. Candidate’s Signature Date: Feb 13, 2017 UniversitySubscribed and solemnly declared before, Witness’s Signature Date: Name: Designation: ii ABSTRACT The current research investigates the Sassanid phoenix that had been created during ancient time in Persia (Iran). Sassanid dynasty is the last Persian Empire before the emergence of Islam in the country. This research examines the Sassanid phoenix which is an imaginative hybrid creature that looks like a winged mammal. Historians and Iranian studies scholars suggest that the body parts of this creature comprise of the dog, lion, eagle and peacock. These animals are part of the Sassanid phoenix and were considered sacred and some had cultural value during the ancient times. So, the current research examines the iconic value of each part of this creature according to Erwin Panofsky’s theory about iconography and iconology in three steps, which include, formal art analysis, studying the subject matter, investigating cultural and religious values related to the subject matter. Then, the researcher selected five samplesMalaya of Sassanid phoenix motifs. Firstly a formal analysis of each composite part of the phoenix (head, wings, claws, and tail) is carried out. Then the significance ofof each composite part is examined within the historical context of the Sassanid Empire and its neighboring countries, by referencing historical books, sacred texts and literature. University iii ABSTRAK Penyelidikan ini mengkaji phoenix yang telah dicipta semasa kejatuhan empayar Sassanid, pada zaman purba di Parsi (Iran). Dinasti Sassanid adalah Empayar Parsi terakhir sebelum muncul Islam di negara tersebut. Kajian ini menjelaskan bahawa phoenix yang menjadi perlambangan empayar Sassanid adalah makhluk hibrid imaginatif yang kelihatan seperti mamalia bersayap. Dalam kalangan ahli sejarah dan pengkaji Iran sepakat menyatakan bahawa bahagian-bahagian badan makhluk ini terdiri daripada anjing, singa, helang dan burung merak. Haiwan-haiwan ini dianggap suci dan mempunyai nilai budaya pada zaman purba. Oleh itu, penyelidikan ini mengkaji nilai ikonik bagi setiap bahagian makhluk ini mengikut teori Erwin Panofsky mengenai ikonografi dan ikonologi yang merangkumi tiga langkah,Malaya termasuk analisis seni secara formal, mengkaji perkara pokok yang berkaitan dan menyelidik bahan analisis berdasarkan kefahaman nilai budaya dan agama.of Di sini, pengkaji telah memilih lima sampel motif phoenix Sassanid. Pertama, analisis formal bagi setiap bahagian komposit phoenix (kepala, sayap, kuku, dan ekor). Kemudian kepentingan setiap bahagian komposit telah diteliti di dalam konteks sejarah empayar Parsi dan negara-negara jirannya, dengan rujukan buku-buku sejarah, kitab-kitab suci dan penulisan sastera. University iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to my dear supervisor Madam Elezaa Binti Zainuddin for her kind help on the way to write this work. I also give my special thanks to Dr. Emelia Ong Ian Li, Dr. Gamache Genevieve and Dr. Amin Amirdabbaghian for their valuable insights on my dissertation. Malaya of University v TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ............................................................................................................................ iii Abstrak ............................................................................................................................. iv Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................... v Table of Contents ............................................................................................................. vi List of Figures ................................................................................................................... x CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................. 1 1.1 Overview.................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem......................................................................................... 1 1.3 Aim of the Study ...................................................................................................... 2 1.4 Significance of the Study ................................................................Malaya......................... 2 1.5 Research Objective .................................................................................................. 2 1.6 Limitation of the Research.......................................................................................of 2 1.7 Research Questions .................................................................................................. 2 1.8 Scope of the Research .............................................................................................. 2 1.9 Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................ 4 CHAPTER 2: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE REVIEW ... 6 2.1 Overview.................................................................................................................. 6 2.2 The Art of Persia before the beginning of Islam ..................................................... 6 University2.3 The Art of the Sassanid Dynasty ............................................................................. 7 2.4 Simorgh (Phoenix) ................................................................................................. 12 2.5 Simorgh Role in the Persian Literatures ................................................................ 13 2.6 Simorgh Motif during the Sassanid Dynasty ......................................................... 14 2.7 The Places Where Simorgh Motifs are Situated .................................................... 15 vi 2.8 Simorgh Body Parts During the Sassanid Era ....................................................... 15 2.8.1 Head: Dog ................................................................................................. 15 2.8.1.1 Significance of Dog in Ancient Iran.......................................... 16 2.8.1.2 Significance of Dog during the Sassanid Era ............................ 16 2.8.1.3 Suggestions of Dog Head of Simorgh ....................................... 17 2.8.2 Paws: Lion ................................................................................................ 18 2.8.2.1 Significance of Lion in Ancient Persia ..................................... 18 2.8.2.2 Significance of Lion during the Sassanid Era ........................... 19 2.8.2.3 Suggestions of Lion Paw of Simorgh ........................................ 19 2.8.3 Tail: Peacock ............................................................................................ 20 2.8.3.1 Significance of Peacock in Ancient Persia ................................ 20 2.8.3.2 Significance of Peacock duringMalaya the Sassanid Era ..................... 21 2.8.3.3 Suggestions of Peacock Tail for Sassanid Phoenix ................... 22 2.8.4 Wings: Eagle ................................................................of ............................ 22 2.8.4.1 Significance of Eagle in Ancient Persia .................................... 22 2.8.4.2 Significance of Eagle during the Sassanid Dynasty .................. 23 2.8.4.3 Suggestions of Eagle Wings of Sassanid Simorgh .................... 23 2.9 Vegetal Motifs during Ancient Persia and Sassanid Era ....................................... 24 2.9.1 Herb Leaves and Trees in the Ancient Sacred Persian Book ................... 25 2.9.1.1 Tree of Life in Ancient Persian Culture ...................................