Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi 1580 - 1632

This is an illustration from Abu'l Qasim Firdausi’s ‘Shahnama,’ or Book of Kings. It’s an epic poem completed around 1010, telling the history of Persia from the creation of the world until the Islamic conquest in the 7th century. The ‘Shahnama’ is more than just a historical record. It embodies Persian cultural identity, weaving together myths, legends, and historical accounts that reflect enduring values of justice, heroism, and the struggle against tyranny. This was composed during a period of cultural and political renaissance in Persia. The poem helped revive and preserve the Persian language at a time when Arabic was favored. Consider what it meant for Firdausi to chronicle Persian history, during a time of cultural shift. How might the figures in this illustration represent something about identity, resistance, and the preservation of cultural memory?