Intangible Spirits and Graven Images: The Iconography of Deities in the Pre-Islamic Iranian World

Erscheinungsjahr 2018
ISBN: 978-90-04-36234-5
Verlag: Brill

Buch, Englisch, Band 4, 392 Seiten, Format (B × H): 208 mm x 272 mm, Gewicht: 1006 g

Reihe: Magical and Religious Literature of Late Antiquity

Winner of the the Ghirshman Prize by the French Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres! This prize was established in 1973 by the donation made by Roman Ghirshman, one of the prominent French archaeologists of Pre-Islamic Iran. It is awarded annually for a publication in the field of Pre-Islamic Iranian Studies.

In Intangible Spirits and Graven Images, Michael Shenkar investigates the perception of ancient Iranian deities and their representation in the Iranian cults. This ground-breaking study traces the evolution of the images of these deities, analyses the origin of their iconography, and evaluates their significance. Shenkar also explores the perception of anthropomorphism and aniconism in ancient Iranian religious imagery, with reference to the material evidence and the written sources, and reassesses the value of the Avestan and Middle Persian texts that are traditionally employed to illuminate Iranian religious imagery. In doing so, this book provides important new insights into the religion and culture of ancient Iran prior to the Islamic conquest.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Shenkar, Michael

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Kunst Kunstgeschichte Kunstgeschichte: Vorderasien
• Geisteswissenschaften Religionswissenschaft Religionswissenschaft Allgemein Religionsgeschichte Religionen des Alten Orients
• Geisteswissenschaften Religionswissenschaft Religionswissenschaft Allgemein Religion & Kultur
• Geisteswissenschaften Religionswissenschaft Religionswissenschaft Allgemein Heilige & Traditionelle Texte, Mythologie, Vergleichende Mythologie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

List of Figures
List of Color Plates
List of Abbreviations
Acknowledgements
Preface
1. Introduction
2. Written Sources
3. Iconographic Pantheon
4. Intangible Spirits: Iranian Aniconism
5. Graven images: Iranian Antropomorphism
6.Conclusions
Appendix. Iranian Dynasties
Bibliography

Über Autor(innen)

Michael Shenkar, Ph.D. (2013), in Archaeology, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, is Research and Teaching Associate in History and Cultures of Pre-Islamic Central Asia, Collège de France. His research interests include the Archaeology, Art, Religions, and Iconography of the pre-Islamic Iranian world and the History of Jews in the pre-Islamic Iran and Central Asia.