Readout of the Linguistic Function of Sacred Plants in the Painting of Shahnamehs from the 9th to 11th Century A.H

 
Today, there is no doubt that many artists throughout human history have been able to frequently conceal special concepts in their works.  The following paper has addressed this issue adopting a comparative approach as well as quantitative and qualitative data mediation. This study aims at  distinguishing the existing secrets and symbols in the schools of art. Symbols can take on a new structure due to the valuable role of plants, including links to biological affairs.
From this perspective, the discoveries of this work in an attempt to answer the question entitled "What is the role of sacred plants in the Shahnameh illustrations of the schools of Herat, Tabriz II and Qazvin?" shows that some of the visual features of the illustrations such as the plants’ counts, have transformed the function of their green and occasionally dry appearance. An action that is expected to take on the role of a new character to reach a wondrous anecdote.
An event that seems to have been initially formed by the reduction of naturalistic notions, and subsequently made the mission of their decorative and non-decorative devices dependent on the understanding of the concealed message of the illustrations; for a call to occur and tell a different form of an ancient story with the idealism and imagination of the artists of the 9^th to 11^th centuries AH. Finally, by combining the existing narrative and imitating the common formats, becoming the unrivaled ruler of the audience.
An emerging phenomenon that may not be found in the oldest examples of existing Shahnamehs. The meritorious choice, arising from the combination of sacred plant species, the distinct sciences, such as quantity (numbers) and statistics, the division of space, the placement of elements and other existing features that have been the basis for the evaluation of the modern narratives of each school.
The duality that arose from the ancient representation of the patterns and epic literature of Iran; in line with its semantic order and linguistic units play a decisive role. Relations of companionships and successions who have spared no effort to convey a new identity.
A social movement changed the artistic discourse of illustrating Shahnameh and created a stable tradition of beauty in minds during different eras. Images, according to Russian formalist experts, are expressed with the indicators of the author's mind, language, and thought and with an unconventional purpose. A format that the authors of this literature believe the current data similarities and differences in the charts and graphical tables, present the discussed plant format with the modern frameworks of the time and align it with Propp’s imitative theory of indicators and character building.
The hypothesis is based on Harold Bloom's theory. The apprehension of impressionability (imitation) and then, influencing the traditions and justifying the artist's ideas play a significant role in it. Moreover, based on the substitution index and the sequence of Propp’s special roles, it requires similarities, structural alignment, and a specific number of fixed plant elements in monographs, so that it evaluates plants as having a new identity and a different narrative from the original story.
An event that has placed the tradition and modernity of the time in proximity to each other; and we imagine the following reasons for it:

Insignificant decrease in the number of paintings until the end of the 11th century AH.
The number of illustrations with plant portrayals was counted as odd until the end of the 10th century and counting it as even after the aforementioned century.
The similarity of the L-shaped linear proportions in the data obtained from curve number 2, according to the plant trilogy proportions of all the plants of the illustrations from the schools of Herat, Tabriz II, and Qazvin (deciduous, evergreen and fruits).
The often identical structure of the linear form of X in curve number 3, is created in the direction of the main ratios (deciduousness and being evergreen) of sacred plants.
Concealing sacred plants in the vicinity of other plants based on the relationship in diagrams numbers 2 and 3.
The coordination of artists in the separation of dry plants in curve number 3, is in agreement with the mythical opportunities obtained from our ancestors.
Adjusting the W-shaped data, located in curve number 4, shows the special symmetry of the locations of the plants placed in each illustrated book.
Mutual structure in the balance of the visual frame and the position of the plants of most of the investigated periods based on symmetric, asymmetric, and radial balances.
Evaluation of the ratio of 4 to 1 in the average ratio of deciduousness and being evergreen for all plants and 1 to 1.5 ratio in sacred plants.
Counting the equivalent of 34 independent plant characters with dissimilar human characteristics in table number 1 in monographs.

Thus, we believe that all the existing occurrences (similarities and differences) and the alignment formed in them were not unintentional and Propp's theory has strengthened in an Iranianized narrative. An interpretation that we believe has played a significant role in revealing the hidden culture of Pars and creating more identity for it. Moreover, assuming the acceptance of the scientific beliefs of the predecessors and Propp’s theory, we will witness the perversity or decent behavior of the new characters of Shahnameh.
Nevertheless, the hierarchy of the process in the sacred plants of this literature expresses a different portrait from the incomplete and mere realistic view with principles, beliefs, and attitudes of painting, which can transform any content with the support of artistic movements and its inquisitive mind. A content that, according to the belief of Russian experts, can today take a different form of plant species and older days; At a particular time, its natural aspect is considered, or at older times as a human character observing the actions of the actors in the story, establishes its position. At times the partner of the protagonist, whilst other times turns out to be an unbridled enemy of him.
Therefore, what emerges from this research is the horizon and new rules of an artist who, to transform the previous narratives of the Shahnameh, created a new conundrum scheme with new actors (plants) and considered the audience to be an ideal reader who understands his will to achieve high morals.
With this description, we can admissibly accept that the epic poems of Shahnameh, despite the painter's accurate visual interpretation of the first anecdote, is a different linguistic occurrence that has a special meaning transformation based on the companionship of the existing items, and as various experts have suggested, the poetic translation in any form will be the result of the collector’s (herein the painter) interpretation of the work. Considering that the speculations indicate the instrumentality of flowers and sacred trees to help find content that justifies their function in the transition of thoughts or pursuit the communication between people, with this credit, some of the existing art forms will have the merit of re-interpreting and re-theorizing.
Therefore, the authors of this piece of literary work believe that the inherent role or purpose of sacred plants in the depiction of Shahnamehs of the Timurid and Safavid dynasties is as follows:

The plant arrays of the abovementioned eras, due to the cultural, social, and political geography of the time, have taken a dual role of a) decorative (in appearance) and b) non-decorative (implicit), which has spread onto the art of Pars at times with the motive of beautifying the space or temporal alteration of the narrative in the process of a fictional story and sometimes by novel characterization.
In this regard, it seems that the plants of the present discussion, due to the formation of implicit characters concealed in them, have assumed the role of a silent or remonstrating witness of humankind’s behavioral history.
Or, depending on the time and the recognition of the author and his ideal audience tells a new story in the heart of an old play.
Or, due to the growth process of plants, the painter's religious attitude has been entrusted with the task of moving the linguistic boundaries relying on the endless life and a new narrative.
A structure that is remarkably aligned with the opinions of other researchers, but so far, the ability to decipher it with such features in the solitude of paintings (monographs) did not exist, except by collecting data that has been clarified based on statistics in all paintings.
Hence, it is expected that despite all the veiling of the artist, the plant-derived proportions (statistical events) caused a part of the classic effectiveness of the works (adherence to the preceding values); and the status of flowers and trees had undergone his fundamental and spiritual variations. He has placed his ideal audience before him in search of an unfamiliar truth and has taken a step in hope of a utopia that is yet to be seen.