Retrieval the root of the motif of the harpy in Iranian art from ancient to Seljuk period

In the pre-Islamic art of Iran, a hybrid animal figure known as a harpy can be seen. This motif has a human head and a bird's body and has been proposed as an extraterrestrial being, the symbol of death and the liberation of the soul from the body. The beginning of the use of this motif in ancient Iranian art is from the Middle Elam period and in Islamic art from the Samanid Empire. The peak of its presence is in the pottery and metal works of the Seljuk period. The use of this motif compared to other composite motifs shows its importance and emphasizes a higher purpose than mere decoration by the artist, conveying concepts in the field of religion, beliefs and culture. The type of composition of this animal in pre-Islamic and Islamic Iranian art, while similar, has structural differences that have caused changes in its content and meaning over time. In some periods, artists used women's heads and elements such as crowns for targeted structural changes to convey special concepts such as royal glory. In the pre-Islamic period, this motif has special characteristics such as human legs or quadrupeds, plant motifs, fish tails and horns; And in the Islamic period, it has been seen with twisted plant motifs, halo of light around the head and in practical works such as dishes and single figures. Studying the evolution of this motif based on form and content in Iranian art from the ancient period to the Seljuk period and then finding the common and distinct factors in its depiction in the pre-Islamic and Islamic periods are the questions of this research. The results show that pre-Islamic and Islamic religions, the spread of science and especially astronomy, ancient literature; And popular opinions and beliefs have been effective reasons in showing this motif. Angels are one of the most important religious reasons for drawing this motif in both pre-Islamic and Islamic periods. The Sraosha, an angel in the pre-Islamic period and the transfer of his characteristics to the Gabriel, angel in the Islamic period can be considered the same as the motif of the harpy. The influence of religion on literature in the Islamic period caused this angel to appear in a new form as a Simurgh- Rostam's protective bird in the Shahnameh - and from this point of view, the Simorgh in the Shahnameh can be considered a harpy in the images of the Islamic period. Gemini is shown in various astronomical sources with the Harpy symbol, which is related to the spread of science and especially astronomy in the Islamic period. Morghe-Amin, which is a sacred bird in the beliefs of the Iranian people, can be matched with the characteristics of the harpy on artworks. The use of the crown on this animal, in addition to belonging to his special position, has shown people's beliefs about kings. The horn, which was used as a symbol of an extraterrestrial animal in the pre-Islamic period of Iran, is seen as a sacred animal in the motif of this animal in the Mana period. Blue, which is a symbol of wisdom and the sky in Islamic mysticism, is used in some images related to the Islamic period. Harpy in the pre-Islamic period is often seen with a male face and in the Islamic period with a female face. This research has been done by historical-analytical method and by referring to library-documentary sources.