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Definition
Shahnameh
The Shahnameh (“Book of Kings”, composed 977-1010 CE) is a medieval epic written by the poet Abolqasem Ferdowsi (l. c. 940-1020 CE) in order to preserve the myths, legends, history, language, and culture of ancient Persia. It is the longest...
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Shahnameh
"Rustam Discoursing with Isfandiyar", Folio from a Shahnameh (Persian Book of Kings)
Author: Ferdowsi
Calligrapher: al-Mausili
Made in Iran, Shiraz, c. 1303–57 CE
Definition
Ferdowsi
Abolqasem Ferdowsi (l. c. 940-1020 CE, also given as Abul-Qasem Ferdowsi Tusi, Firdawsi, Firdausi) is the author of the Shahnameh (The Persian Book of Kings), one of the greatest works of world literature and the national epic of Iran. He...
Definition
Persian Literature
Persian literature differs from the common definition of “literature” in that it is not confined to lyrical compositions, to poetry or imaginative prose, because the central elements of these appear, to greater or lesser degrees, in all the...
Definition
Ancient Persian Mythology
The mythology of ancient Persia originally developed in the region known as Greater Iran (the Caucasus, Central Asia, South Asia, and West Asia). The Persians were initially part of a migratory people who referred to themselves as Aryan...
Article
Ten Great Persian Poets
Persian literature derives from a long oral tradition of poetic storytelling. The first recorded example of this tradition is the Behistun Inscription of Darius I (the Great, r. 522-486 BCE), carved on a cliff-face c. 522 BCE during the period...
Article
Persian Miniature Painting
Persian miniature painting is a courtly and aristocratic art, with exquisite colors, balanced compositions, and meticulous attention to detail. Although its origins can be difficult to trace, many consider the Arzhang, the illustrated book...
Video
Shahnameh of Ferdowsi - In Our Time (BBC)
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the epic poem the Shahnameh of Ferdowsi, the 'Book of Kings', which has been at the heart of Persian culture for the past thousand years. The poem recounts a legendary history of Iran from the dawn of time...
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Persian Hero Garshasp
Garshasp kills the dragon.
Shahnameh, Sultanate of Delhi, c. 1450 CE
Rietberg Museum
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Persian Hero Rustum
Scene from Shahnameh: Rustam (or Rustum) shoots Isfandiyar in the eyes with a double-pointed arrow, from manuscript Ms. or. fol. 4251, Berlin State Library