Document Type : Research Article

Author

• Negar Zeilabi

Assistance professor of Theology and Religious Studies, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The Nabatean illustrations showcase a rich trove of the time-honored leitmotifs of its neighbors and the autochthonous mentalities. The tradition was grown, expanded, and echoed down the ages, with some motifs appropriated, mutatis mutandis, in neighboring regions, especially in its southern neighbor – Central Arabia. The main questions this study attempts to answer are: What are the myriad mentalities of the Nabataean illustrations, not least their sociocultural signification? And how and to what extent these mentalities informed the pictorial mentalities of Arabs residing in Central Arabia? Adopting a sociocultural and anthropological approach and examining the various pieces of evidence (notably the material finds reported by anthropologists), the social signification and function of images in the daily lives of the people, such as the all-pervasive influence of images and the temporary interdiction against the depiction of humans on tombstones, are investigated. The Nabatean mentalities are shown to have permeated Arabian society via a variety of cultural conduits like commercial exchanges and, more conspicuously, through the importing of figurines of goddesses like ʿUzza/Isis, which culminated in major cultural resemblances between the Nabatean and Arabian cultures.

Keywords

• Nabatean arts
• Nabatean illustrations
• Central Arabian illustrations
• Early Islamic art

Main Subjects

• socialhistory and art

Extended Abstract

The Socio-cultural Significance of Nabatean Visual Arts and its Possible Influence on Central Arabian Visual Mentalities

The Nabatean culture is often described as an intermediary or blend of various cultural influences. This is particularly evident in their visual arts tradition, which can be seen in the different types of portraits, statues, and rock reliefs found throughout their territory. The Nabateans integrated elements from Greek, Roman, Parthian, and other surrounding cultures, resulting in a unique and influential cultural mix that left traces in neighboring regions for many centuries.

The Nabatean illustrations showcase a rich trove of the time-honored leitmotifs of its neighbors and the autochthonous mentalities. The tradition was grown, expanded, and echoed down the ages, and some motifs are assumed to have been appropriated, mutatis mutandis, in neighboring regions, especially in its southern neighbor – Central Arabia. The main questions this study attempts to answer are: What are the myriad mentalities of the Nabataean illustrations, not least their sociocultural signification? And how and to what extent these mentalities informed the pictorial mentalities of Arabs residing in the Central Arab Peninsula? Adopting a sociocultural and anthropological approach and examining the various pieces of evidence (notably the material finds reported by anthropologists), the social signification and function of images in the daily lives of the people, such as the all-pervasive influence of images and the temporary interdiction against the depiction of humans on tombstones, are investigated. The study shows that there is a possibility that Nabatean mentalities permeated Arabian society via a variety of cultural conduits like commercial exchanges and, more conspicuously, through the importing of figurines of goddesses like ʿUzza/Isis, which culminated in major cultural resemblances between the Nabatean and Arabian cultures. Although the study showcases cultural similarities in this aspect, the lack of material evidence about Central Arabia renders the verification of the hypothesis difficult to gauge.

Nabatean art primarily consisted of visual arts traditions that were both linked to their belief systems and used in practical ways in daily life. For example, they used images for herbal medicine, to repel pests, and in the architecture and visual design of buildings. These practices were considered part of their belief system. Some of these practices were also believed to have magical power, influencing abstract matters like fate, death, life, and chance, as well as more practical aspects of daily life such as healing special maladies, pest control, and making the soil fertile. The Nabatean mentalities surrounding images and figurines were not merely decorative or symbolic but served practical purposes. It is through these beliefs and social coexistence that it became possible for the residents of the neighboring regions to live peacefully for centuries to come. Tracing the socio-cultural signification of these images, one may see tinges of influence on the belief systems and conventional life practiced in Central Arabia.

Keywords: Nabatean arts, Nabatean illustrations, Central Arabian illustrations, Early Islamic art