The Big Head Shahnameh
Zavara Comes to the Hunting Ground of Siyavush
Folio detached from the Big Head Shahnameh
Iran, Lahijan, Gilan, 1494
Opaque watercolour, gold, and ink on paper
AKM91
The death of a loved one can trigger immense emotional pain, shading our view of the world around us. These kinds of tragedies play a prominent role in the Shahnameh. In this renowned illustration from the Big Head Shahnameh, the warrior Zavara (right), brother of the hero Rustam, has been mistakenly led to a thicket where his friend, the prince Siyavush, was murdered. As Zavara’s companion punishes their guide for bringing them to the accursed place, the grief-stricken Zavara releases a hawk in honour of his lost friend. The tangled landscape, in a palette of dusky grey and deep greens, appears to be haunted by the memory of Siyavush’s violent demise, echoing Zavara’s inner anguish. Using 3D technology, we can visualize the setting with greater clarity.