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cryptoclassic — Malak Taus at Ashura

Published: 2007-10-20 04:29:38 +0000 UTC; Views: 13616; Favourites: 25; Downloads: 2725
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Description The Peacock is Melek Taus, the Peacock angel of the Yazidi religion in Iraq. The Yazidis consider Melek Taus to be a benevolent angel who has redeemed himself from his fall, and has become a demiurge who created the cosmos from the Cosmic Egg. After he repented, he cried for 7,000 years, his tears filling seven jars, which then quenched the fires of hell.

Melek Taus is sometimes transliterated Malak Ta'us,Malak Tawus, or Malik Taws. In Semitic languages, malik/melech variably means "king" or "angel". Taus is uncontroversially translated "peacock"; however, it is important to note that peacocks are not, at least currently, native to the lands where Melek Taus is worshipped. This has led some to speculate that the worship of Melek Taus was imported from India, though it is more likely the peacock iconography is a development from earlier representations depicting the god as a native fowl, such as a bustard. The Yazidi believe that the founder of their religion, Sheikh Adi Ibn Mustafa, was an avatar of Melek Taus. In art and sculpture Melek Taus is depicted as peacock.

Or

it's an allusion to The Peacock Throne, called Takht-e-Tavous (Persian: تخت طاووس in Persian, is the name originally of a Mughal throne, later used to describe the thrones of the Persian emperors from Nader Shah Afshari to Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi.

The name comes from the shape of a throne, having the figures of two peacocks standing behind it, their tails being expanded and the whole so inlaid with sapphires, rubies, emeralds, pearls and other precious stones of appropriate colors as to represent life, created for the Mughal Badshah Shah Jahan in the 17th century, which was in his imperial capital Delhi's Public audience hall, the Diwan-i-Am. Shah Jahan had the famous Koh-i-noor diamond placed in this throne.

The French jeweller Tavernier, who saw Delhi in 1665, described the throne as of the shape of a bed (a "takhta" i.e. platform), 6 ft. by 4 ft., supported by four golden feet, 20 to 25 in. high, from the bars above which rose twelve columns to support the canopy; the bars were decorated with crosses of rubies and emeralds, and also with diamonds and pearls. In all there were 108 large rubies on the throne, and 116 emeralds, but many of the latter had flaws. The twelve columns supporting the canopy were decorated with rows of splendid pearls, and Tavernier considered these to be the most valuable part of the throne. Estimates of its value varied: Rs. 4 crore (Bernier) and Rs. 10 crore (Tavernier). According to The History Channel, the throne would be worth $1 billion today.

and lest you think me a sadist, I should point out that parents lovingly cut their baby's heads on the festival of Ashura. as seen here: [link] and [link]
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Comments: 16

IsmaelSarepta [2012-10-11 07:34:51 +0000 UTC]

Fabulous!

Reads like a kind of metaphor for sectarianism in the Middle-East.

I am just curious, why the choice of Ashura (a Shi'i rite) and portraying it with the Yazidis?

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ashardamani [2011-03-07 11:39:41 +0000 UTC]

thanc alot for sharing...i was in search of melek taus. Keep posting if u know anything more abt it

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spearcarrier [2008-08-04 11:19:36 +0000 UTC]

I ABSOLUTELY adore this piece!

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Jijava [2008-03-16 08:08:25 +0000 UTC]

awesome

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cryptoclassic In reply to Jijava [2008-03-17 15:26:12 +0000 UTC]

why thank you!

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Jijava In reply to cryptoclassic [2008-03-20 10:32:54 +0000 UTC]

you're quite welcome.

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Sadriaval [2008-02-06 23:07:22 +0000 UTC]

amazing..... such good detail... looks like a modern day codex!!!

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cryptoclassic In reply to Sadriaval [2008-02-08 06:26:10 +0000 UTC]

thanks! what is codex?

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Sadriaval In reply to cryptoclassic [2008-02-08 16:38:19 +0000 UTC]

hmm... like the the colorful scrolls that the mayans and other ancient peoples kept see:

[link]

Basicly its pictures that tell story.

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cryptoclassic In reply to Sadriaval [2008-02-08 18:39:34 +0000 UTC]

oh yeah, totally! I didn't know what they were called. Thanks!

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FreshSocks [2007-10-26 18:43:43 +0000 UTC]

Whoa! very detailed.

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cryptoclassic In reply to FreshSocks [2007-10-26 19:10:49 +0000 UTC]

I spent a lot of time with a tiny brush

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FreshSocks In reply to cryptoclassic [2007-11-15 22:09:04 +0000 UTC]

Very very good. The colors and everything!

High five!

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cryptoclassic In reply to FreshSocks [2007-11-16 20:05:52 +0000 UTC]

thanks!

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CanonRiddle [2007-10-20 05:01:17 +0000 UTC]

Just Amazing. WOW.

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cryptoclassic In reply to CanonRiddle [2007-10-20 05:03:52 +0000 UTC]

Gaze in terror and be amazed! Bwhahahaha! (<------- fake evil laugh)

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