Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Assistant Professor of Tabriz Islamic Art University
2 M.A. in the Art studies, Tabriz Islamic Art University
Abstract
Archaeologically, the hybrid and mythological motif of People-scorpion, as presented in both forms of Man-scorpion and Woman-scorpion, in the horizon of Bronze Age cultures in the plateau of Iran, merely, is reported from the archaeological sites of Jiroft in the Halil Rood basin, southwest Iran. In Mesopotamia, the people-scorpion is presented as the guardian monster for the gates of dead people’s world, under the earth. Such a ritual concept and religious function had been adapted by the mythology of ancient Egypt as well. According to the results of recent archaeological excavations in Jiroft, however, the southwest of Iran is speculated as the geographical homeland of this motif. So, whether Iranian plateau or Mesopotamia, where is the cultural origin of such motif? In spite of the scorpion’s motif in the chalcolithic Age of Iran, The basic hypothesis proposed by the authors explains that the idea on the progression of a naturalist scorpion’s motif unto a hybrid- mythological people- scorpion one in the art of Bronze Age has not yet been provided enough archaeological evidences. By this essay, the authors have an art historical method oriented by archaeology. This method just studies motifs of both scorpion and people-scorpion in artifacts recovered from archaeological contexts in both prehistoric Iran and Mesopotamia. These artifacts are grouped into these regions. The essay concludes that people-scorpion’s motif in southeast Iran was originated in the native Bronze Age believes and culture of the Halil Rood basin in the dawn of urbanization. So, in addition to no causative relations between such motif and arid climates in Iran, there is no causation concerning the Chalcolithic Age motif of scorpion and the Bronze Age people-scorpion.
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