Title: Development and evolution of bird motifs on Iranian's crockery of the Middle Ages of Islam (5-9 centuries A.H)

Authors: Obeydollah Sorkh Abi; Maryam Mastalizadeh; Samad Parvin

Addresses: Cultural, Heritage, Crafts and Tourism Office of Piranshahr, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Iran ' Faculty of Arts and Architecture, University of Mazandaran, Iran ' University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Iran

Abstract: Decorating earthenware as a manifestation of artistic creativity and aesthetic sense and reflecting the potter's perception of the environment and the system of existence has long been a mysterious form of attention. One of the favourite motifs of Iranian potter for decorating earthenware has been the motif of birds, which was rooted in ancient Iranian culture, myths and rituals. In this paper, using a library method, a descriptive-analytical, and comparative approach, and by looking at the symbolism of the bird's motif, the potter's purpose of selecting bird motifs and their relation to the beliefs of the people of this land are identified. The question is, what are the themes of these motifs and how do they evolve? The evolution of bird motifs shows that it has been developed from a beginner style in a continuous, slow process, and at times we see the collapse of a broad artistic style.

Keywords: Islamic art; symbolism; bird motifs; Iranian's crockery; Middle Ages of Islam.

DOI: 10.1504/IJART.2020.109806

International Journal of Arts and Technology, 2020 Vol.12 No.3, pp.238 - 253

Received: 03 Jan 2020
Accepted: 19 May 2020
Published online: 24 Sep 2020 *

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