In Harmony with Shahnameh in Revival of Iranian Art and Identity

Shahnameh, the great book of Abolqasem Ferdowsi (940-1025 AD), is not only a proof of revival of Iranian national identity, but also the most important element for durability and expansion of the rich culture and art of this land. Ferdowsi described writing of this unique manuscript as resurrection of Iranian people. The present paper is an attempt to find answers to these questions: whether the great Ferdowsi has endeavoured to revitalise the traditions of this land alone, or other groups such as Iranian artists and craftsmen have assisted his endurance in revival of pre-Islamic traditions and culture?
This paper also tries to determine the level of contribution of Iranian artists and craftsmen based on the available archaeological evidences, in line with the Tous scholar in order to renew artistic life and revive customs and traditions in place during Sasanian era. To this end, samples of ceramic decorations, tiles, and plasterworks dating back to mid-Islamic centuries have all been studied. The results of this study revealed that despite emphasis of the Arab rulers on prohibiting dedication of mythical figures of Iran before Islam, majority of Iranian people were seeking every avenue to reflect their culture and traditions on their artefacts and monuments.