interlaced dragons in the light of its astrological
focusing on the dragon as pre-eminent symbol
significance 88 Moreover, two more recent exhibi-
and paradigm of change and transformation, thus
tions on celestial imagery in Islamic art in New
addressing a key aspect of its phenomenology
york and Paris also included the astrological asso-
The most important study of the iconography of
ciation of the dragon 89
the dragon in the cult of the saints and mystics is
Chapter 9 surveys a theme that has previously
provided by Abbas Daneshvari,92 whose research
attracted little attention: the survival within medi-
moreover offers a significant contribution to the
eval Islamic tradition of the ouroboros, the ico-
iconological interpretation of the multivalent
nography of a serpent devouring its own tail
symbolism of the dragon by underlining its ben-
Similarly, the motif of the drinking dragon on
eficial and apotropaic aspect 93 In medieval Ṣūfīsm
medieval Islamic and Christian two- and three-
(taṣawwuf), the mystical dimension of Islam, the
dimensional art represents the visual remnants
symbolism of the dragon illustrates the theme of
that survived the mutations of an ancient belief
moral transformation on the spiritual path, often
Likewise the knotted dragon motif in the Islamic
mediated by the figure of a mystic
period, related to the ancient magical practice
The first part of the Epilogue shows how in
of knot tying for apotropaic ends, discussed in
the wake of the Mongol invasion dragon imag-
chapter 10, has barely been addressed other than
ery appears in different stylistic guises The first
in connection with alchemy 90
half of the Ilkhanid period presents a transitional
The dragon figure also plays a role in the vari-
period in which a new “Chinese,” “Mongol” or,
ous branches of knowledge that comprise the sci-
more broadly, “Central Asian” style appears
ence of alchemy as well as the more esoteric or
which in the second half of their reign gradu-
occult sciences which include talismanic astrol-
ally overtakes and amalgamates with the conven-
ogy Chapter 11 introduces aspects of the dragon
tional “Saljuq-style” dragon This emergence in
as prophylaxis and cure in the province of magic
the Mongol period of a hitherto unknown style,
and divination It discusses the dragon’s associa-
termed “Islamic chinoiserie,” from the rela-
tion with the theriaca as illustrated in the famed
tionship between Chinese and Iranian art, has
Kitāb al-diryāq. It also looks at serpents, their
been investigated by yuka Kadoi 94 The second
venoms and other characteristics as well as the
part demonstrates the eminent role played by
corresponding antidotes, chiefly theriaca and
the dragon, itself the ideal image of incarnate
bezoar-type stones The dragon’s role in esoteric
liminality, in frontier societies in Transoxania,
or magical sciences, in particular sympathetic and
Khurasan and Anatolia characterised by ghāzī s
talismanic astrological magic, as well as in the
fighting for the defence and victory of Islam This
preparation of talismans is examined in chapter
is evident in the epic-chivalrous frontier narra-
12 The supernatural power of the serpent-staff
tives describing jihād against dragons, as for
is the subject of the second section of the chap-
instance in the early Turkish Anatolian epic, the
ter, which has been explored in terms of Jewish
Baṭ ṭāl-nāma (“Book of Baṭṭāl”), which was more
influences on Islamic magic by Alexander Fodor
recently translated by yorgos Dedes,95 or the epic
in the context of a thirteenth-century treatise in
romance of the Türkmen Dānishmend ruler, the
which the motif of Moses’ serpent-rod is dis-
Dānishmend-nāma (“Book of Dānishmend”),
cussed as a magical device 91 In chapter 13 the
also based on orally transmitted traditions and
association of the dragon with the sound-world
composed in the twelfth or early thirteenth cen-
is considered One of these aspects is the speaking
tury, translated by Irène Mélikoff,96 who in the
dragon; another more rare occurrence is its link
romance is identified with Sayyid Baṭṭāl 97 This
with sounds transformed into music
phenomenon was complemented by the cross-
Chapter 14 then concludes the discussion,
cultural convergence of saintly cults prominently
88 Azarpay, 1978
can and Oriental Studies in London on the iconography of
89 Fol owing the Stars, 1997; L’Apparence des cieux,
the dragon in Persian art His publication on the subject
1998
is eagerly awaited
90
93
Rogers, 1969; Moulierac, 1987; Savage-Smith, 1997,
Daneshvari, 1993
94
pp 324–33
Kadoi, 2009
91
95
Fodor, 1978
Dedes, 1996
92
96
In December 2004 Abbas Daneshvari gave a series of
Mélikoff, 1960
97
four lectures (the yarshater Lectures) at the School of Afri-
Eadem, 1960, vol 1, p 103