Dr. Telman Ibrahimov Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences
DRAGON SECRET ON THE BATTLE BANNER OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT from the “dragon” carpets Caucasus to the dragon motifs of medieval Europe... According to a number of ancient sources, among the military banners of Alexander the Great was a flag with the image of the “Dragon”. The image of such a battle banner with a dragon is available in the preserved Byzantine manuscript book of the late 14th century. The book was written by an unknown author in Greek and provided with miniatures illustrating the life and deeds of Alexander the Great (“Alexander Romance” in S. Giorgio dei Greci in Venice1). According to absolutely all experts who worked with this manuscript book, the illustrations are made in the Byzantine style and reflect the artistic traditions of illustrating the book during the reign of the Paleologists (approximately, the reign of John VII Paleolog. 1377-1408). On the margins of the pages with illustrations there are late inscriptions written in handwritten in Arabic script in Turkish. These texts describe the content of the illustrations. There is no doubt that inscriptions in Arabic graphics were made after the book entered the library of the nobleman Muslim, after the Ottomans conquered Constantinople in 1453. The manuscript is kept in the library of the “Greek Institute for Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Studies” in Venice. According to the vast majority of scholars of the book, its illustrations also reflect the Byzantine style. The image of the dragon on the battle banner of Alexander the Great is in the illustration “Alexander with the troops enters Thessaly. The local tyrant shows humility. Valuable gifts are presented to Alexander ”. The illustration attracts attention not by the fact of the image of the dragon, but by the iconography of the dragon motif on Alexander’s battle banner, which is unusual for ancient Greek depiction. There is no doubt that the Byzantine artist portrayed the dragon according to the Byzantine iconographic traditions of his time. This factor allows you to delve into the issue of the emergence and subsequent transformations of the symbolism and motive of the dragon in the Christian tradition of medieval Europe. The earliest information about the worldview and mythological representations of Europeans is available in ancient Greek myths. The “searches” of the dragon in these myths revealed that the ancient Greeks did not know the generally accepted notion of “dragon”, and did not have the motif characteristic of the dragon iconography. Ancient Greek myths mention the giant snake (Lernean Hydra), the giant sea monster (monster Ketos) and the deadly Medusa Gorgon. In myths there is no winged and flying serpentine dragon with legs, horns and a body covered with fish scales. 1
Such a dragon is not found in the visual arts of ancient Greece (wall painting, mosaics, vase painting). The image of the giant snake (including the many-headed) is found on numerous vases of the "archaic" and "classical" periods of the ancient Greek culture. After the famous “Eastern Campaign” by Alexander the Great, Oriental motifs and symbols invade the culture and art of the ancient Greeks. The Hellenized East, in turn, itself influenced Greek culture. Thus came the late Greek antique culture, designated as "Eastern Hellenism." Along with many symbols and motifs, the iconography of the "eastern" (Mesopotamian) dragon penetrates at that time into the culture and art of ancient Greece. Along with the ancient Greek "giant serpent", a new motif of the "giant flying and floating snake" is affirmed here. From the Greeks, this new symbol migrates to the culture of the ancient Etruscans, and from them to the Romans and Byzantines. Thus, the ancient Eastern, Mesopotamian type of dragon motif, together with the traditional, local "giant snake", "live" to the era of the emergence of Christian civilization. In the first centuries of Christianity, in its religious symbolism and canonical motifs, the motive of the old, traditional ancient Greek "snake" is used. But with the advent of Islam, the situation is changing. The fact is that Islam spread to the regions of the Ancient East (the Near East, Mesopotamia and Asia Minor) and the carriers of Islam “automatically” became carriers of the traditions of the ancient East and its motifs dragon. In later texts and the symbolism of Christian doctrine, the “giant serpent” is replaced by the “giant dragon”. The familiar iconography of the ancient eastern dragon takes on a negative meaning in the context of the Christian motive about “The Miracle of St. George with the snake. " Wonderful victory of St. George over the giant snake (gradually acquires new symbolism and iconography). According to the hidden symbolism of the plot, the tsar’s daughter symbolizes the CHRISTIAN CHURCH. And the dragon, replacing the snake expanding its meanings from DEVIL - to Paganism, the Non-Christian world, the Muslim East. Christian ethos affirms the symbolism of the St. George and the serpent - as a struggle between Good and Evil. The attitude of Muslim society to the symbolism of the dragon is found exclusively in unorthodox religious and fiction, esoteric and mystical teachings of religious sects of Islam (Sufism). In these teachings, the symbolism of the dragon is ambivalent. The dragon simultaneously symbolizes fire and water, day and night, cosmogonyc chaos and cosmos, death and life, transcendence and materiality. In the mystical teachings of Islam, the iconography of the dragon symbolizes the unity of all four basic natural principles that make up the basis of life: Dragon's wings symbolize AIR; Dragon's scaly body symbolizes WATER; Flames from the mouth of a dragon - symbolizes FIRE; Dragon's legs symbolize the EARTH. The mystical image of the dragon is animate primitive chaos, which has absorbed all these natural principles. The mythical character, which has absorbed all these principles, undoubtedly carries the attributes of immortality and eternity. The presence of the dragon motif on the walls of mosques, tombs of saints, the city gates, the Shah’s throne, clothes, carpets and military banners speaks of the frankly talismanic function of this symbol and its motive. By its mere presence, the dragon motif 2
mystically maintains a balance between life and death. That is why, in the Caucasian dragon carpets, we see exclusively paired (heraldic) images of dragons. As the geography of Islam expands and approaches the borders of the Christian world, the symbol of the giant snake (dragon) takes on an increasingly negative connotation. Separate attempts by Christian theologians to interpret the symbolism of the dragon from the story of St. George - as posing a threat to Christianity - "pagan Islam." It is known that the early Christian legends (apocrypha), in which the plot about the miracle of St. George is presented in another version. According to this version, St. George did not kill the giant serpent with a spear, but with a Christian prayer, and only subsequently chopped off his head with a sword. The rescued daughter of the king leads St. George to the city, where residents who learn about the miracle accept the Christian faith. Thus, St. George killed not a dragon but a snake. Active replacement of the motive of the serpent by the eastern (Asian-Mesopotamian) dragon occurs after the Ottomans captured Constantinople in 1453. The hidden symbolism of this replacement postulated a new “reading” of the image of the dragon, meaning “DEVIL”, “EVIL”, “EAST”, “NONCHRISTIAN (Muslim) WORLD”. After this historical event, in the Orthodox icons (Balkan countries, Russia) and paintings of the European Renaissance, the final approval of the dragon iconography in the story of St. George and the snake. The Greco-Roman, and later the Byzantine-European cultural heritage testifies to the fact that long before becoming acquainted with the “Chinese dragon”, European symbolism had in its arsenal the motif of the “East” (Asian-Mesopotamian) dragon. The iconography of the dragon motif on the battle banner of Alexander the Great repeats the Mesopotamian iconography and testifies to the ancient cultural contacts of the ancient East and West. These contacts and the cultural tolerance of civilizations were sacrificed by the rival teachings of Christianity and Islam. The dragon’s motif, depicted by the Byzantine artist on the battle banner of Alexander the Great, speaks of a once-existing single symbolism and common motifs, understandable and close to both East and West. Despite Europe’s proximity to Western Asia and the Middle East, Europeans are stubbornly trying to convince themselves (and others!) that the symbolism and iconography of the dragon motif came to them from faraway Southeastern Asia (China) during the Mongol expansion to the West. What is the reason for the completely obvious disregard for historical realities? Why Europeans do not want to acknowledge the fact of close cultural and economic contacts with Middle Eastern and Western Asia civilizations in the ancient period? Why are cultural migrations of symbols and motives between Eastern and Western civilization shyly denied? There is no doubt that Europeans are still experiencing a “guilty complex” and an “inferiority complex” from the loss of Christian Constantinople and its subsequent Islamization. The sense of false shame and false pride does not allow Europeans to recognize the obvious truth that the iconography and motive of the dragon came to Europe from the Muslim countries of the Middle East, Western Asia and the Caucasus. Perhaps this false sense of shame will be overcome if Europeans carefully look at the motive of their (fixed in Christian iconography) dragon and the canonical motive of the Chinese dragon. As for the European version of the migration of Chinese dragons to the Caucasian carpets, we have to admit that the difference between the Caucasian and Chinese dragons is also absolutely obvious. Not a single Caucasian carpet has yet been discovered a dragon depicted in the Chinese style. The dragons of these regions have fundamental 3
differences in both symbolism and iconography of the motive. Dragons on Caucasian carpets reflect the Mesopotamian, West Asian, Anatolian and local, Caucasian traditions of iconography of the dragon motif.
Bibliography 1. Alexander Romance ( "Pseudo-Callisthenes" ).Hellenic Institute for Byzantine and PostByzantine Studies in Venice. Gr.5 (14th century). http://www.attalus.org/translate/alexander1c.html 2. Abbas Daneshvari. Of serpents and Dragons in Islamic Art: An iconographical study. Mazda Publishers. Islamic Art & Architecture, No. 13 edition (August 15, 2011) 3. Kuehn Sara . The dragon in Medieval East Christian and Islamic Art. Koninklijke “Brill” NV, Leiden. The Netherlands 2011 4. Telman Ibrahimov Caucasin dragon Carpets. (about the history of the appearance of the motive "Dragon" in Caucasian carpets). https://www.academia.edu/38330257/CAUCASIAN_DRAGON_CARPET_about_the_history_of_the_ appearance_of_the_motive_Dragon_in_Caucasian_carpets_ 5. Telman Ibrahimov. The origin and symbols of the S-shaped sign- amulet. https://www.academia.edu/35929766/The_origin_and_symbols_of_the_S-shaped_sign-amulet._ 6. Telman Ibrahimov. Dragon carpets "Verni" and "Zili are mistakenly hung in the Museums upside down. https://www.academia.edu/34852102/Dragon_carpets_Verni_and_Zili_are_mistakenly_hung_in_t he_Museums_upside_down._ 7. Telman Ibrahimov. The origin and history of the dragon's image in the Azerbaijan art. https://www.academia.edu/34252942/The_origin_and_history_of_the_dragons_image_in_the_Az erbaijan_art._ 8. Telman Ibrahimov. Afshar carpet “Songur” (Songor). https://www.academia.edu/38219506/AFSHARI_CARPET_SONGUR_SONGOR_
ILLUSTRATIONS
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“Alexander Romance�. Hellenic Institute for Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Studies in Venice. Gr.5 (14th century) 5
“Alexander Romance�. Hellenic Institute for Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Studies in Venice. Gr.5 (14th century). Detail 6
Colchian Dragon disgorging Jason. Athenian red-figure kylix C5th BC. Gregorian Etruscan Museum, Vatican Museums
Antique Ceramic vase. Hero Kadmos and Dragon. 5-4th century BC. MusĂŠe du Louvre, Paris. 7
Cadmus kills the dragon. 560-550 BC Musée du Louvre, Paris.
Amphora. Heracles and the Lernaean Hydra. 540-530 BC. Musée du Louvre, Paris. 8
Herakles and the Hydra. Water Jar. (Etruscan, c.525 BC)
Corinthian Vase depicting Perseus, Andromeda and Ketos 9
Krater. THE FLIGHT OF MEDEA. Detail. Date: ca. 400 BC. Cleveland Museum of Art
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SEA MONSTER KETOS. GREEK GOLD COIN. 500-450 BC
GREEK SILVER COINS. V century BC
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Mosaic with an image of Triton and Sea Monster. Cultural heritage of the island of Krk. Croatia. Roman town Fulminum. 1st to the 3rd century AD.
Sea monster Ketos (Cetus) found at Caulonia (Monasterace) in the Casa del Drago. 3rd century BCE. 12
Basilica patriarcale di Santa Maria Assunta in the town of Aquileia. Italy. 1031year Storie di Giona. Giona gettato sulla spiaggia dal mostro marino in sembianze di pistrice
Etruscan Black-Figure Neck Amphora With Ketos. ca. 530 - 520 BC Bertolami Fine Arts Auction 13
The Miracle of St George and the Dragon. End 14th century. British Museum 14
Paolo Uccello. The battle of St. George with the dragon. 1456. London. National Gallery
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Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino. St George and the Dragon. 1503-1505. National Gallery of Art. Washington, D.C.
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MESOPOTAMIAN DRAGONS
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ISLAMIC DRAGON
OBVERSE: A male figure straddling a dragon to left; the figure’s right arm is wrapped around the dragon’s throat and the left arm holds the dragon’s tail with his right leg around its chest; the dragon’s mouth is wide open and its tail is knotted and coiled upwards within the right margin (partly off flan in this specimen)
Dragon on the coin of Atabeg Abu Bakr. Date:1186-1187. Coin Discovered in Turkey. For those who continue to believe that the dragon motive was brought by the Ilkhanids to this region from China, we recall that the Ilkhanids will appear in this region in 71 years. And the dragon is already on local coins.
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"Talisman" gate. Baghdad. 1222 year. Dragon motif in the city gate 36 years before the conquest of the city by the Ilkhanids. The Chinese dragon has not yet reached Baghdad. But here already has its own dragon.
Dragon and Phoenix. Carpet. Anatolia. 15th century. Museum of Islamic Art. Berlin There is a widespread misconception that in this motive the dragon attacks or fights the phoenix. According to the Mesopotamian version (Sumer. “Epic of Gilgamesh�), the dragon protects the phoenix, its nest and cubs. In the Anatolian carpet, it is precisely the protective function and symbolism of the dragon that is reflected. 19
Adam and Eve being cast out from the Garden of Eden. Falnama. Safavid Tabriz. Falnama that was commissioned by Shah Tahmasp in mid.1550s-early-1560s.
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Caucasian Dragon carpets 17th century. Karabakh. Safavid Empire
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