"Hare", Folio from the Mantiq al-wahsh (Speech of the Wild Animal) of Ka'b al-Ahbar 11th - 12th century

This is a folio with a drawing of a hare from the Mantiq al-wahsh, or Speech of the Wild Animal, attributed to Ka'b al-Ahbar. Although undated, this work reflects a tradition of animal representation in early Islamic art. The image, rendered in simple lines, animates the hare. The animal almost seems to be mid-leap, its long ears alert. The hare is of interest due to its symbolic role within the culture in which the artwork was made. These symbols were also discussed in the texts that accompanied the images. The "Speech of the Wild Animal" is of interest to scholars wanting to better understand the cultural world in which the Islamic faith grew and developed. Resources such as historical texts, archaeological findings, and comparative studies, allow us to appreciate the meanings of such images, and the social and institutional contexts that gave rise to them.