Slow Looking at Object

The image of Zahhak and Kaveh is seen in this late 16th century manuscript of the Shahnameh. The folio has a 4 row and 25 column layout with a calligraphy script. The image is medium in size and sits in the middle of the page. There is a gold band at the top of the page, which is presumably the title of the scene. There are not many signs of damage other than a small patch of discoloration to the paper and a slight loss of detail to the character’s faces. Still, the image maintains its vibrancy and the script is completely legible.

The Shahnameh tells the history of Persia by combining historical events and myths. The epic is considered to be a lesson on kingship, which is why the commissioning of these manuscripts turned into a tradition for Persian kings. This particular manuscript was made in Iran in 1597 under the patronage of Mirza Abu 'l-Qasim Beg. It is written in Persian and comprises a total of 273 folios. During this time, Iran was under the rule of Shah Abbas, a king who brought prosperity to Iran. It was under his rule that the royal painting atelier was reinstated when he ordered this copy of the text (Sardar, 2003).

The image on the manuscript of Shah Abbas shows that Zahhak does not particularly look like a monster. Both snakes are considerably small and look non-threatening. In the actual story, it is not the snakes that harm the people, but the king himself. This supports the idea that Zahhak is a monster, even when his more visibly monstrous features are not the only reason he is considered one.

The Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp, Shah Abbas’s predecessor, is considered to be the most elaborate and beautiful version of the text. This work was crafted between two generations of artisans in the early 16th century and was completed around 1537. One of its 258 illustrations is that of Zahhak’s death. In this case, the image takes up the whole page, but there are also a few small blocks of script. This version of the text establishes the painting style of the 16th-century Safavid court (Canby, 2022). In this image, Zahhak is depicted hanging from chains inside Mount Damavand. After Fereydun, the story’s hero, captures Zahhak, he imprisons him there instead of killing him so that he can atone for his deeds forever. At this point in the story, the people finally acknowledge Zahhak’s monstrosity and decide to follow Fereydun instead. On this basis, Fereydun capturing Zahhak draws a parallel with other heroes who also kill a dragon to rid the world of evil monsters.

The character of Zahhak is so relevant that his representation can be seen outside of manuscripts. In this case, the Snake King is depicted in a pottery bowl from the 12th or 13th century, at least four centuries before the Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp was created. This earthenware piece was made by slipping and carving the image under a transparent, brown, and green glaze. As with the former two objects, Zahhak’s snakes are quite small in comparison to his body size. However, one can see more clearly his monstrous features since the snakes in this piece have a higher resemblance to dragons.