Bunyān-i hunar; justārhā-yi mūzah/dārī, marimmat, bāstānshināsī va tārīkh-i hunar (Foundation of Art; Studies of Museums, Conservation, Archeology and Art History)

Revisiting the Meaning and Concept of the Bird-Woman Hybrid and Its Pretexts in Seljuk Art

https://doi.org/10.22034/ciom.2025.2024754.1010
Volume 3, Issue 2 - Serial Number 8
Autumn 2025
Pages 7-24
Bunyān-i hunar; justārhā-yi mūzah/dārī, marimmat, bāstānshināsī va tārīkh-i hunar (Foundation of Art; Studies of Museums, Conservation, Archeology and Art History)

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Ali Malziri

Shahed universityدانشجوی دکتری پژوهش هنر دانشگاه شاهد.

Abstract
Abstract
The motif of the bird-woman hybrid is among the most recurrent symbolic elements in Seljuk art. The pretexts of this composite creature, embodying both feminine and masculine aspects, can be traced back to the figures of Ba in Egypt, Burney in Mesopotamia, and the Harpies and Sirens in Greek culture. In Iran, traces of human–bird imagery appear on various historical and cultural artefacts; however, during the Seljuk era, these symbols underwent a significant transformation, with a pronounced emphasis on femininity. This study argues that the semantic transfer and inversion of such symbols, as well as the Eurocentric interpretive frameworks introduced through Western archaeological translations, have led to misreading and generalizations regarding the mythical nature of this hybrid being.
       The central question of this research is: within what cultural and intertextual contexts did the bird–woman hybrid emerge in Seljuk art? What are its formal and iconographic features, and why is its identity predominantly feminine?
       The study adopts a qualitative, intertextual methodology. Data collection was carried out through library research and visual analysis of selected artefacts, using purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. Findings suggest that the triadic socio-cultural dynamics of migration, trade, and warfare across the vast Seljuk realm particularly the cultural exchanges between central Iran and Mesopotamia facilitated the emergence and reinterpretation of this hybrid figure as a principal intertextual form. The visual form of the motif originated from western regions, while its meaning was reconstructed through Seljuk cultural and symbolic frameworks. Appearing most notably in ceramics and metalwork, the motif embodies an elevated status of the feminine within Seljuk visual culture. Influenced by dualistic and shamanic cosmologies, the motif’s semantics are closely associated with fertility, prosperity, abundance, luminosity, and divine blessing—concepts that had pre-Islamic roots and were integrated into the symbolic language of Seljuk art.
 
 
Introduction
The interaction and mutual influence of artistic traditions often emerge from the triadic dynamics of war, trade, and migration. As carriers of both form and meaning, artworks undergo processes of transformation as they move from one cultural context to another, resulting in morphological and semantic shifts. Within the framework of textually, art can be regarded as a text, continuously engaging with pretexts through processes of reinterpretation and reconfiguration. Among these, shared motifs across civilizations act as semiotic bridges that mediate intertextual cultural relationships. These motifs, transferred from one culture to another, retain fragments of their original form and meaning yet inevitably undergo contextual modifications or even semantic inversions, often more profoundly in meaning than in form.
       When entering a new socio-cultural environment, these symbols are reinterpreted under the influence of prevailing discourses and differing cultural logics. Hybrid and mythological figures such as the human–bird composite, the lotus motif, or the Faravahar emblem illustrate these dynamic transformations. The bird–woman hybrid, commonly referred to as the harpy in Iranian studies, serves as a pivotal case for examining such intertextual processes during the Seljuk period.
This motif, particularly within Seljuk art, reflects a network of cross-cultural exchanges with earlier civilizations while simultaneously engaging with local cosmologies and gendered symbolism. Although the formal characteristics of these motifs often underwent stylistic alterations, their archetypal essence remained recognizable.
       The necessity of this research lies in the genealogical study of the motif and a critical reassessment of Eurocentric interpretive paradigms that have historically shaped Iranian art historiography. The purpose, therefore, is to trace the intertextual relationships that informed the transformation of mythological symbols and to challenge the reductive generalizations and misconceptions prevalent in prior studies. Accordingly, this research seeks to address the following questions:1. In what intellectual, social, and intercultural context did the bird–woman hybrid emerge in Seljuk art?2. How did its form and meaning evolve historically and geographically?3. What are its iconographic and stylistic typologies, and how are they connected to the Seljuk worldview?
 
Methodology
This study is fundamental in purpose and employs a qualitative research design informed by an intertextual analytical approach. Data collection was conducted through both library-based research consulting authoritative Latin and Persian sources and direct visual observation of relevant artefacts. The principal tools of data gathering included note-taking, iconographic analysis, and comparative visual documentation.
The research population consists of artworks featuring representations of bird–woman hybrids, while the sample size comprising sixteen selected images—was determined through purposive sampling until theoretical saturation was achieved. This sampling strategy ensured that a diverse and information-rich corpus of visual materials relevant to the motif was included, thereby allowing a comprehensive exploration of its formal, cultural, and semantic dimensions.
       Data analysis followed a genealogical framework, tracing the developmental trajectory of the motif across multiple cultural spheres namely Egyptian, Greek, Mesopotamian, and Iranian civilizations. Through comparative analysis of both visual and conceptual components, the study identifies convergences and divergences in form and meaning within an intercultural and intertextual context.
       By integrating art-historical comparison with semiotic interpretation, the methodology enables a critical understanding of how mythological signs such as the bird-woman hybrid were reconfigured across temporal and geographical boundaries, reflecting the Seljuk engagement with inherited artistic and symbolic traditions.
 
Conclusion
The bird–woman hybrid motif in Seljuk art draws upon a range of intercultural and intertextual pretexts, each shaping both its formal structure and its symbolic meaning. The motif’s visual configuration was primarily influenced by western traditions originating in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Syria while its semantic dimension evolved within the cultural and spiritual frameworks of the Iranian–Seljuk world.
       Unlike the Harpies of Greek mythology, the Seljuk bird–woman hybrid embodies a distinctly positive and benevolent character, deeply rooted in Iranian symbolic thought. It synthesizes pre-Islamic notions of fertility, abundance, prosperity, and divine illumination with Islamic concepts of blessing al Baraka (البرکه) and well-being al- yumn(الیمن). These semantic continuities demonstrate how the motif became a visual metaphor for prosperity, renewal, and feminine vitality.
The study reveals that Seljuk artists reinterpreted inherited visual archetypes through a dual cultural lens: adopting formal templates transmitted through artistic exchange from the Near East, and infusing them with local cosmological meanings derived from Persian–Islamic thought. Consequently, the motif’s form and meaning represent a fusion of two cultural legacies—the iconographic syntax of western pretexts and the semantic field of Iranian symbolism.
      Furthermore, the context of artistic production during the Seljuk period—marked by intense cultural mobility and the flourishing of craft industries such as metalwork and ceramics provided fertile ground for the motif’s adaptation and popularization. Its recurrent appearance on objects of daily use, including mirrors, candlesticks, and ceramic bowls, signifies not only aesthetic preference but also ritual and talismanic functions, reflecting beliefs in protective and auspicious forces.
In conclusion, the Seljuk bird–woman hybrid represents more than a mythological inheritance it is a visual discourse of synthesis, where gendered symbolism, intercultural dialogue, and metaphysical aspiration converge. This study thus contributes to a broader understanding of intertextual processes in Islamic visual culture, illustrating how meaning is continually negotiated across geographies, languages, and epochs.

Keywords

Seljuk art
Harpy
Siren
Ba
Intertextuality
Feminine iconography
Archaeological semiotics
Subjects
References
·         Abrams, M. H. (1993). Glossary of literary terms. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
·         Abdoost, H., & Kazempoor, Z. (2009). The continuation of the life of ancient Sphinxes and Harpies in Islamic art. Negareh, (13), 81–92.
·         Allen, G. (2001). Intertextuality (P. Yazdanjoo, Trans.). Tehran: Markaz.
·         Asadi Mahyar, M., & Hasani, P. (2021). A comparative study of the hybrid female–bird motif in the art of Seljuk Iran and the art of Mesopotamia, Greece, and South–East Asia. Fine Arts Journal – Visual Arts, 26(2), 27–36.
·         Asvad, M. J. (1996). The siren and cargo cults. Classical World, 5, 383–392.
·         Brunner, C. J. (1978). Sasanian stamp seals in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
·         Deimz, O. (2019). Sculpture and iconography in pre-Islamic Iran (A. A. Vahdati, Trans.). Tehran: Nashr-e Mahi.
·         Draycott, C. (2008). Bird-women on the Harpy Monument from Xanthos, Lycia: Sirens or harpies. In D. Kurtz (Ed.), Essays in classical archaeology for Eleni Hatzivassiliou 1977–2007 (pp. 145–153). Oxford: Archaeopress.
·         Elhelw, R. (2020). The human-headed bird figure in painting from the Bronze Age to the early twentieth century. Journal of Arts & Architecture Research Studies, 1(1), 186–200.
·         Fattahi, M. S. (2019). A study of the evolution of the Harpy design in Iranian pottery works (Master’s thesis, Department of Handicrafts). Faculty of Applied Arts, University of Art, Tehran, Iran.
·         Grishman, R. (1992). The history of Iran from the beginning to the pre-Islamic period. Tehran: Soroush Gostar Publications.
·         Hall, J. (2001). A dictionary of subjects and symbols in art (R. Behzadi, Trans.). Tehran: Farhang Moaser.
·         Hassan Zadeh, Y. (2006). A reflection on Manaean art based on three glazed bricks from Qalaychi Bukan. Archaeology and History, 20(1–2), 39–40.
·         Hesiod. (1914). Theogony (M. A. Ed.). Cambridge, London: Harvard University Press / William Heinemann Ltd.
·         Hosseini, H. (2012). Composite creatures in the pottery art of the Islamic period of Iran. Fine Arts Journal, 17(4), 45–54.
·         Janák, J. (2014). Saddle-billed Stork (ba-bird). UCLA Encyclopedia of Egyptology, 1(1).
·         Keshtgar, M. (2013). The image of Harpy and Sphinx in Islamic art with emphasis on metalwork and pottery (5th–8th centuries A.H.) (Master’s thesis, Art Research). Faculty of Art and Architecture, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan, Iran.
·         Mascaralla, O. W. (2019). The great lie: The spread of forged antiquities in Iran and neighboring countries (S. Alion, Trans.). Tehran: Hasanalou Translation Project.
·         Namvar Motlagh, B. (2007). Trans-textuality: A study of the relationships between a text and other texts. Humanities Research Journal, (56), 83–98.
·         Namvar Motlagh, B. (2011). An introduction to intertextuality: Theories and applications. Tehran: Sokhan.
·         Rahmani, N., & Mahmoudi, F. (2016). A study on the evolution of the Harpy in Iranian art (from prehistoric to contemporary periods). Fine Arts Journal – Visual Arts, 22(1), 53–67.
·         Sharifi, G. N. (2019). A study of human and animal motifs in Islamic jewelry of Iran from the 4th–7th centuries A.H. (Master’s thesis, Islamic Art). Faculty of Conservation and Restoration, University of Art, Tehran, Iran.
·         Shafaei, B. (2019). Design and construction of ceramic sculpture inspired by hybrid human–animal motifs of 8th century A.H. Iranian pottery (Master’s thesis, Pottery and Ceramics). Faculty of Islamic Industrial Arts, Islamic Art University of Tabriz, Iran.
·         Smith, C. (1893). Harpies in Greek art. The Journal of Hellenic Studies, 13, 103–114.
·         Soudavar, A. (2004). Divine glory in the ancient Iranian kingship ritual. Houston: Mirak Publications.
·         Tashakkori Sabzevar, M. (2018). A study of zoomorphic reliefs and sculptures on Seljuk metal vessels in Iran (Master’s thesis, Illustration). Faculty of Art, Ferdows Institute of Higher Education, Mashhad, Iran.
·         Virgil. (1997). Aeneid (J. Dryden, Trans.; F. M. Keener, Ed.). London: Penguin Classics.
 
Websites
·         British Museum. (n.d.). Official website. Retrieved from https://www.britishmuseum.org
·         Divid Collection. (n.d.). Online art database. Retrieved from https://www.dividcollection.org
·         Getty Museum. (n.d.). Collections. Retrieved from https://www.gettymuseum.org
·         Iran National Museum. (n.d.). Return of glazed bricks of Qalaychi Bukan. Retrieved from https://irannationalmuseum.ir/fa/بازگشت-آجرهای-لعابدار-قلایچی-بوکان-به/
·         Islamic Art Museum. (n.d.). Online object database. Retrieved from https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;uk;Mus01;14;en
·         Library of Congress. (n.d.). World Digital Library. Retrieved from https://www.loc.gov/resource/gdcwdl.wdl
·         Metropolitan Museum of Art. (n.d.). Object search. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/322675
·         MeisterDrucke. (n.d.). Art reproductions. Retrieved from https://www.meisterdrucke.us
·         Staatl Museum. (n.d.). Official website. Retrieved from https://www.staatlmuseum.com
 
 
 
 
 

Home

Guide for Authors

Submit Manuscript

Contact Us