Mazdean Cosmology in Art

These are three out of twelve paintings of a manuscript for the poetry KHAMSA (quintet) by Nizami Ganjavi (1141-1209, Ganja).

They portray inhabited Earth and differentness of hue and overcast.

The work attributed to a Mazdaist artist “who wanted to show the glory of creation.” The first publisher (Mehmet Aga Oglu, Fars province 1389) explained.

These heavenly scenes actually related and assumed to Archangels and angles of celestial Earth of The Mazdaism. No human beings nor even animals are depicted in them, with the exception of the Birds in the first of the ensemble.

A characteristic feature of the Zoroastrian angelology is to give each of its Archangels a flower as an emblem to point out their respective symbol: For Hōrmuzd (Highest Spirit); myrtle. For Bahman (Best Wisdom); white jasmine. For Urdībihišt​ (Best Righteousness); marjoram. For Šahrewar​ (Sovereign Power); the royal plant basil. For Spand (Holy devotion); musk (sweet basil). For Xurdād​ (Wholeness); the lily. For Murdād (Imortality); yellow campak (in Sanskrit, Zanbagh in Persian). After the Amesha Spentas come the feminine Angles: Ardvi Sura has the iris as her emblem, Daena; the rose with a hundred petals. Ashi Vanuhi, her sister; all wild flowers. Arshtat; the white haoma. For Zamyat; saffron.

Basil Gray (b.1904- d.1989) says that: “Persian Painting has never produced anything comparable to these pages. The design exhibits a finesse and sensitivity that emphasize the long artistic history of Persia".