#shadawar

[a-book-of-creatures]

Hi, I asked a previous question about the Wonders of Creation and am wondering what animal the "shāh-dawār" is supposed to be? (Sadly I don't have the Persian characters for it). I have an English textbook translation of the London Qazvīnī and it says that the painting of that creature is missing from that edition, but that it is present in others. It doesn't describe what it is supposed to be either.

I already covered it in detail here! If you mean “what real-world animal is it based on”, it’s most likely an oryx. Its older name is āras, which is likely derived from oryx.

Of course, you wouldn’t be able to tell from some illustrations, like the BSB’s version.

Musical animals were very popular back then, I can think of at least three offhand.

It has 42 to 72 branches on its horn, although some artists like the one below, cheated, making it just a multiperforated horn.

Incidentally, the shadawār’s description as a carnivore is libel. That happened when the carnivorous sirānis got confused with it.

Of course the shadawār is a mythical creature and doesn’t have to be based on anything. Look at what nice music it makes!

References

Ettinghausen, R. (1950) The Unicorn. Studies in Muslim Iconography, Freer Gallery of Art Occasional Papers Vol. 1, No. 3, Washington.

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