A Comparative Study of the Structure and Typology of Alam Statues of the Safavid, Qajar and Contemporary Eras

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Handicraft Group, Faculty of Applied Arts, Art University

2 department of Handicrafts Industry, faculty of art and architecture, Semnan University, Iran

10.22070/negareh.2022.16297.3050

Abstract

Apart from the fundamental and philosophical concepts of the Alam symbol, the subject of the evolution of its structure, from the number of blades and statues to the traditional arts used in it, has been less discussed. The creation of a special type of handiwork with the support of faith, which mostly consists of statues, is exceptional in a country. The aim is to determine the evolution of Alam in Iran, to examine the type and shape of statues and their symbolic concepts in the Safavid, Qajar and contemporary eras. The questions that the present research tries to answer are: 1- What do the structure of Alam, the type of statues and their symbolic concepts include during the Safavid, Qajar and contemporary eras? 2- What is the basis of the typology of statues in the mentioned periods based on and what details should be included? The current metal symbols that are called Alam which are used in the annual days of mourning of Imam Hossein, peace be upon him, are actually wide and elongated examples of the single-bladed Alams of the Safavid period. Before that, it was used in battle. In fact, we have seen the transformation of the form and concept from war symbols to religious symbols. This period and later the Qajar era and finally the contemporary era (the last four decades) are significant and referable periods in the construction of Alam in Iran. Among its main components are metal sculptures with animal symbols, which are embedded in a larger structure called Alam, which is rare and exceptional in the world. The research method is descriptive-analytical and the method of collecting library and field information, which was completed by examining more than 200 Alams and statues related to them. Of these, 30, 60, and 110 samples belong to the Safavid, Qajar, and contemporary periods, respectively. The results prove that the structure of Alam in the Safavid period has a single blade and an almond-shaped body, and brass metal has also been used a lot in making Alams of this period. The art of meshing and calligraphy is used a lot, and its only statue is the dragon's head, which has its roots in eastern cultures. Dragon is a symbol of protection and punishment of evildoers.

 In the Qajar era, Alam becomes 3 and 5 blades, the statues of peacock, dove, Morghe-Rokh and lion are added to it. Part of the beauty of the peacock statue as a bird of paradise is due to its always raised tail. In the Alam, the peacock is attributed to the Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him), the twelfth Imam of the Shiite Muslims. The tail of the pigeon statue is sometimes decorated with religious writings and mesh work. The pigeon is a symbol of the message. Morghe-Rokh, which is a legendary animal, was added to Alam during the Qajar era. This symbol is a metal statue with the body of a bird, the face and the head of a human, often with a crown, which is a legendary symbol and a belief that is related to the ascension of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Its body has few arrays in the Qajar period. Birds often have raised tails and the art of gilding on steel has been used a lot. Due to the technical possibilities of manufacturing, primary lions have a small size, which is called "cat-lion". In the Alams, the lion is attributed to Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and is a symbol of bravery.

 In the contemporary period and especially in the last four decades, the structure of the Alam has become wider and the statue of four-legged grazing animals has been used in its construction. The number of blades is 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and more. This era is one of the significant periods of Alam-making, the reasons for which can be found in the following cases: 1- The increasing expansion of mourning processions and the increase in favor of the symbol of Alam 2- The emergence of  masterpieces of the steel and Alam making art, especially in Isfahan city and next in Tehran. 3- Revival of past styles, including Safavid style with an almond-shaped body. 4-Applying various fields of traditional arts in handicraft and artistic Alam as much as possible. In this period, we saw the expansion of the industrialization of statues. From the point of view of quantity, deer statues, then camels, rams, and sometimes horses are seen on the Alams. Deer is a sign of the soul and is the most Iranian symbol of Alam. The body of the camel is not very diverse. The typology of statues is based on the traditional arts and techniques used in them, and often includes the art of netting, gilding on steel, hammering, casting and acid work.

Keywords

References

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Negareh Journal
Volume 19, Issue 70
June 2024
Pages 41-55

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History

  • Receive Date: 20 June 2022
  • Revise Date: 13 November 2022
  • Accept Date: 21 November 2022

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