Interpreting the Image on the Konda Plaque

The research featured the authentic composition on a IX–XX century plaque found near the Konda River. The article focuses on some ambiguous details of the image. For instance, the decoration of the female figure’s clothing is made up of several zones. Its motifs include scales and dots, which are kn...

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Main Author: L. N. Ermolenko
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Kemerovo State University 2020-10-01
Series:Вестник Кемеровского государственного университета
Subjects:
Online Access:https://vestnik.kemsu.ru/jour/article/view/4761
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author L. N. Ermolenko
author_facet L. N. Ermolenko
author_sort L. N. Ermolenko
collection DOAJ
description The research featured the authentic composition on a IX–XX century plaque found near the Konda River. The article focuses on some ambiguous details of the image. For instance, the decoration of the female figure’s clothing is made up of several zones. Its motifs include scales and dots, which are known to represent animal hair in metalwork and ceramics. In general, the image revealed a certain parallelism in the ornamentation of human clothing, animal hair, and bird plumage. The author established a clear correlation between the zoning and motifs of the female dress and the stylized plumage of ornithomorphic creatures in Oriental toreutics. Therefore, the clothes the male character is trying to take off the woman may symbolize avian plumage. The author interpreted the plot depicted on the Konda plaque as the motif of stealing the avian gown of the peri, a mythical creature of medieval Asian folklore. According to legends, the hero had to steal peri’s clothes to marry her. Thus, the image of peri, which was popular in verbal folklore, proved to be quite common in visual art as well, in particular, in early Islamic art.
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spelling doaj.art-b0c8e2c828cb4097ab3e01876b0374212023-07-13T12:08:46ZengKemerovo State UniversityВестник Кемеровского государственного университета2078-89752078-89832020-10-0122360761710.21603/2078-8975-2020-22-3-607-6174210Interpreting the Image on the Konda PlaqueL. N. Ermolenko0Kemerovo State UniversityThe research featured the authentic composition on a IX–XX century plaque found near the Konda River. The article focuses on some ambiguous details of the image. For instance, the decoration of the female figure’s clothing is made up of several zones. Its motifs include scales and dots, which are known to represent animal hair in metalwork and ceramics. In general, the image revealed a certain parallelism in the ornamentation of human clothing, animal hair, and bird plumage. The author established a clear correlation between the zoning and motifs of the female dress and the stylized plumage of ornithomorphic creatures in Oriental toreutics. Therefore, the clothes the male character is trying to take off the woman may symbolize avian plumage. The author interpreted the plot depicted on the Konda plaque as the motif of stealing the avian gown of the peri, a mythical creature of medieval Asian folklore. According to legends, the hero had to steal peri’s clothes to marry her. Thus, the image of peri, which was popular in verbal folklore, proved to be quite common in visual art as well, in particular, in early Islamic art.https://vestnik.kemsu.ru/jour/article/view/4761medieval arttoreuticsglazed ceramicsornamental motifsfolkloreperi
spellingShingle L. N. Ermolenko
Interpreting the Image on the Konda Plaque
Вестник Кемеровского государственного университета
medieval art
toreutics
glazed ceramics
ornamental motifs
folklore
peri
title Interpreting the Image on the Konda Plaque
title_full Interpreting the Image on the Konda Plaque
title_fullStr Interpreting the Image on the Konda Plaque
title_full_unstemmed Interpreting the Image on the Konda Plaque
title_short Interpreting the Image on the Konda Plaque
title_sort interpreting the image on the konda plaque
topic medieval art
toreutics
glazed ceramics
ornamental motifs
folklore
peri
url https://vestnik.kemsu.ru/jour/article/view/4761
work_keys_str_mv AT lnermolenko interpretingtheimageonthekondaplaque