Some Notes Relating to a Modern Misnaming of a Medieval Islamic Design

Yıl 2019, Sayı: 1, 72 - 119, 31.12.2019

T.m.p. Duggan

Öz

The aim of this article is to show the recent naming of the so-called “8 pointed star and cross design,” as representing “The Breath of the Compassionate,” has no support in the historical sources, and to draw attention to some of the problems in understanding, consequent upon the ongoing re-naming/misnaming of designs and design types, for a proper understanding of the content conveyed by works of Islamic art at the time they were made and displayed. Attention is drawn to the use of this type of design in Seljuk art, and it suggests that the use of this design in its vertical form is often to be associated with the ruler, as the Second Sulaymān, that is to indicate through the use of this design that the ruler was to be understood as being The Just Ruler of the Time. It also indicates the importance of the set of designs, of which this forms but one example, that were termed in the 13^th c. mushabak-shabaka - meaning a lattice, net, or a grid design, thereby, from the etymological root of the term, conveying a rather different meaning from the modern term “geometric design;” and finds the recent repeated association of this mushabak-shabaka design type with, “the infinite pattern,” “infinity,” or the “illusion of infinity” to be without foundation from the historical sources and context. Some reasons for the importance of this group of mushabak-shabaka designs in works of Islamic art and culture in both two and three dimensions from the 3^rd/9^th c. A.D. down to the present day are suggested; together with both etymological and religious reasons for the increased prominence and use of “knotting-inter-lace” designs in the 5^th-8^th/11^th to 14^th centuries - that can perhaps more accurately be termed, “al-i’tiqād” designs

Anahtar Kelimeler

mushabak, shabaka, lattice design, Breath of the Compassionate, Seal of Suleyman, the infinite pattern, knotting interlace -‘aqīdah

Ortaçağ İslam Dünyasına Ait Bir Motifin Modern Dönemde Yanlış Adlandırılmasına İlişkin Notlar

Öz

Birtakım notlar aracılığıyla, bu makale, yapıldıkları ve sergilendikleri dönemde İslam sanat çalışmaları tarafından iletilen içeriklerin doğru bir şekilde anlaşılabilmesi için, tasarım ve tasarım türlerinin devam eden bir şekilde yeniden adlandırılması / yanlış bir şekilde adlandırılmasından kaynaklı ortaya çıkan bazı anlayış sorunlarına dikkat çekmektir. Özellikle de, son zamanlarda sözde “8-uçlu yıldız ve haç tasarımının”, “Merhametlinin Nefesini” temsil ettiği şeklinde aksettirilmesi için tarihi kaynaklarda herhangi bir destek olmadığını göstermek adına, Selçuklu sanatında bu tür tasarımların nasıl kullanıldığına dikkat çekilmektedir ve bu tasarımın dikey formunda kullanılmasının çoğu zaman hükümdar (İkinci Süleyman) ile ilgili olduğu öne sürülmektedir. Başka bir deyişle, bu motifin kullanılma nedeni, zamanın hükümdarının, Zamanın Adil Hükümdarı olarak anlaşılması gerektiğine işaret etmek içindir. Ayrıca, bunun sadece bir örneği olduğu ve 13. Yüzyılda mushabak-shabaka (kafes, file ya da ağ motifi) olarak adlandırılan motif grubunun önemine işaret etmekte, ve böylece, bu ifadenin etimolojik kökeninden yola çıkılarak, modern “geometrik motif” teriminden oldukça farklı bir takım çağrışımlar aksettirmektedir. Son zamanlarda bu mushabak-shabaka motif türünün, “sonsuz şekil”, “sonsuzluk” ya da “sonsuzluk illüzyonu” ile tekrar tekrar ilişkilendirilmesinin çağdaş tarihi ve dini kaynaklar ve bağlamalarda herhangi bir dayanağı bulunmamaktadır. 3./9. Yüzyıldan bugüne hem iki hem de üç boyutlu olarak bu mushabak-shabaka grubu tasarımların İslam sanat çalışmaları ve kültüründeki öneminin bazı sebepleri olarak, etimolojik ve dini sebeplerle birlikte, 5.-8. / 11.-14. Yüzyıllar arasında, belki de daha doğru bir şekilde al-i’tiqad” motifleri olarak tanımlanabilecek “düğümleme – birbirine geçirme”

Anahtar Kelimeler

mushabak, shabaka, kafes motifi, Merhametlinin Nefesi, Süleyman’ın Mührü, sonsuz şekil, düğümleme – birbirine geçirme -‘aqīdah

Kaynakça

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