Abstract
Textiles are among the valuable cultural materials that provide a broad research field for scholars in the humanities and arts. Technical and scientific studies of ancient textiles, which include examining fiber types, weaving techniques, dyes, and more, are conducted using laboratory methods such as infrared reflectance spectroscopy and electron microscopy. However, at another level, one of the best approaches to studying the beliefs and ideologies of different periods and uncovering hidden meanings in cultural-artistic artifacts—thus revealing their political, religious, and social symbols—is the use of iconology in the multifaceted study of motifs in cultural and artistic works.
       Iconology, which refers to the study of imagery, was introduced and developed by Erwin Panofsky. According to this theory, each artwork is analyzed and critiqued based on the historical and cultural values of its time of creation. Panofsky’s theory suggests that a comprehensive examination of an image requires three stages: iconographic description, iconographic analysis, and iconographic interpretation of the motif.
The use of certain motifs, such as the eagle, on various human-made cultural artifacts has a long history. The presence of this motif in the cultural artifacts of ancient Iranian plateau inhabitants’ dates back at least 5,000 years. The frequent use of the eagle motif throughout prehistoric, historical, and Islamic periods indicates its symbolic significance over time. It appears that the application of the eagle motif in each era was shaped and sustained according to the religious and ideological contexts of that period.
       In the production of various cultural artifacts during the Islamic period, some Sasanian motifs continued to be used. This raises the question of whether the continued use of the eagle motif from the Sasanian to the Islamic era retained its previous symbolic meanings, or whether its presence on Islamic-era cultural artifacts, including textiles, merely shared a visual similarity with past periods while conveying new, hidden meanings shaped by the new socio-cultural context. Additionally, if the symbolic meaning of this motif changed in Islamic culture, is there any connection between this motif and the religious sects of the Buyid period?
 
Introduction
The tradition of selecting certain living creatures or natural elements and depicting them on various cultural artifacts as cultural-religious symbols and signs dates back to the earliest days of human existence. Since the time early humans began contemplating their surroundings, they sought to harness the superior forces of nature by creating various symbols and signs to improve their quality of life. Therefore, by closely studying the symbolic motifs and images found on different cultural materials from various historical periods—alongside examining the social, political, and cultural structures of the time—it is possible to provide a more precise analysis and interpretation of these artistic representations.
Textiles are among the most significant cultural materials preserved from different historical periods. In addition to their technical and artistic characteristics, like other cultural artifacts, they contain valuable information about their surrounding socio-religious environments. With the advent of Islam in Iran, significant transformations occurred in various aspects of life in both urban and rural communities. Although these changes did not take place simultaneously across all regions—some areas, such as northern and northwestern Iran, showed greater resistance to adopting the new religion and culture—by the 3rd and 4th centuries AH, most regions had gradually embraced Islam. This transformation profoundly impacted different aspects of life for the indigenous people of Iran.
       A crucial point in this transition is the way Islam, as a new faith, influenced various dimensions of life in local societies, including Iran. Islam did not entirely eradicate all aspects of pre-Islamic life but rather redefined certain elements, giving them new symbolic meanings aligned with its teachings while promoting its fundamental religious objectives. One of the key reasons for the continuity of artistic techniques and traditions was undoubtedly the involvement of local artisans and the preservation of previous artistic practices in the creation of cultural and artistic works. However, as we know, not all motifs and symbols from the Sasanian period carried over into the Islamic era.
       This raises an important question: what factors influenced the selection and continuity of certain artistic elements and features from the Sasanian period into the Islamic era? It appears that the selective transmission of certain motifs and concepts from the Sasanian period into Islamic culture, as reflected in cultural artifacts, must have a convincing justification aligned with the teachings of the new religion.
       The present study is based on an exploration of the perspectives and influencing factors behind the continued use of the eagle motif on certain textiles from the early Islamic period, specifically focusing on a fabric housed in the Museum of World Art, part of the Dafineh Museum Complex. To achieve the research objectives, it is essential to conduct a precise reading of this motif on Buyid-era textiles within the social, religious, and cultural context of that period.

Theoretical Frame
This study employs the iconology method to analyze the selected subject. Based on Saunders’ research model, the study consists of multiple research layers and is primarily grounded in an interpretivist philosophical paradigm with an inductive approach, categorizing it as qualitative research.
       The required data has been collected through the examination of written sources and historical records. Overall, this study follows a descriptive-analytical approach, utilizing the iconology method to interpret the selected motif within the social, cultural, and religious context of the Buyid period.
       The research data has been gathered from library and written sources, including books and articles, and analyzed using the iconological method.
 
Discussion and Conclusion
In this study, an attempt was made to interpret the meaning of the eagle motif in the Buyid period by examining it through three levels: description before iconography, iconographic analysis, and iconological interpretation. After reviewing the visual characteristics of the artifact, the symbolic interpretation of the motif in the Buyid period was deduced. From the perspective of iconographic analysis, the eagle in Sufism is interpreted as a celestial messenger, symbolizing perfection, servitude, and obedience to God in Islam, which is somewhat reflected in textiles from the Buyid era.
       Several key points can be noted regarding the use of the eagle motif on cultural materials during the Buyid period. First, the eagle motif was primarily used in the cultural artifacts of the ruling and elite classes of Buyid society. Another significant point is the application of the eagle motif on cultural materials related to funerary practices and death, such as the textiles discovered in Ray, which are mostly associated with inscriptions for prayers and requests for forgiveness for the deceased.
       Furthermore, given the religious-political situation of the Buyid period and the religious tolerance of the Buyid rulers towards various Shiite, Sunni, and religious minorities within the society of that time, Ray, as the capital of this dynasty, was no exception. Various sects, including Ismaili, Twelver Shiite, Shafi'i, Hanafi, Hanbali, Mu'tazilite, Jewish, and Zoroastrian communities, freely coexisted.
       Ultimately, the textiles housed in the Museum of World Art, based on their weaving style and other physical features, are likely part of the collection discovered from the royal cemetery of the Naqqarehkhaneh of Ray. Given the design of these textiles and the inscription present on them, they are probably associated with the burial shroud or tomb covering of a prominent government official from Ray named Bu Sa'd al-Mirqani, who was likely a high-ranking official or military leader during the Buyid period.
       The eagle motif, which appeared on various cultural materials from the 4th millennium BCE until the end of the Sasanian period, symbolized concepts such as immortality, divinity, power, victory, and the sun god. In the socio-political context of the Buyid era, the use of the eagle motif continued on some cultural artifacts belonging to the ruling and elite classes. This can be seen both in the context of religious tolerance and as a means of asserting the legitimacy of their rule and demonstrating their power over parts of the Islamic world. However, during the Buyid period, it seems the eagle motif was more closely associated with death, immortality, salvation, and the mysticism related to these concepts.