Symbolic Evaluation of Animal motifs in Nishapur pottery (3th - 4th century AH)

With the advent of Islam during the first half of the 7th century CE, pottery manufacture gradually started to change all over the Islamic world. At the beginning Iranian potters continued their pre-Islamic traditions, therefore; Nishapur potteries and their motifs can be seen as a link between two most flourishing eras in history of Persian art (pre and post Islamic period). The Samanids were probably one of the most important Persian dynasties in the eastern part of the Islamic world during the early Islamic period. Their realm included large centres like Samarkand (Afrasiab), Bukhara, Marv, Nishapur and Kerman. In ancient accounts of Nishapur was mentioned, it was one of the most important cities of Iran from ninth century to the thirteenth. There were some reasons for growing pottery duration of 3th - 4th century AH, one of them was patronage of Samani’s governors from art and artists. All calligraphic design, geometric and animate motifs in Nishapur pottery, have valuable background in history of Persian art, And Nishapur pottery show one of the most beautiful of human creativity: decoration with animal figures. These motifs have been matured in form, structure, aesthetics and theology basis, and they display people beliefs and faiths in that times. Since most of animal motifs in Nishapur pottery contain birds and their ornaments, in this paper we divided them in two categories: birds and non birds. There are some reasons for more attention to the representation of birds in Nishapur pottery: Diversity of species of birds in their environment, many birds such as Peacock, Phoenix, pigeons, parrots, and the Nightingale had symbolic meaning in pre and post Islamic period. The non bird motifs can be divided into four groups: _domestic animals that have a role in people's live; The animals was useful for people in those days and their existence was necessary; included horse, cattle, dog, goat, camel and fish. _some Animals are symbols of beauty and elegance such as horse, deer, goat. _Animals are symbols of ferocity and power like as leopard, cheetah and lion. And figures of fantastic animals have only a mytical role. Some signs of the mythical beasts like; tails with Palm leaf forms and plant forms, that are seen in birds, as well as non birds. In addition to structural analysis of every motifs, I described the symbolic meaning and direct impressibility from motifs of pre-Islamic period. Though past symbolism have been some what replaced by ornaments and rhetoric of Samani's style, but not only can we see repeat of symbols from pre-Islamic art, like as Sasani art, but also existence various symbolic meaning in animal motifs in the Nishapur pottery. The sources of the designs and decorations used in Nishapur, are from different religious symbols. Existence of anecdotes and moral-theology messages beside animals motifs were points that helped researcher to decode symbols of some motifs.