Artistic Expression of the Image of Women in Ancient and Medieval

Art in Central Asia

Zilolakhon Askarova

, Asalkhon Rakhmatullaeva

, Khurshida Khaitbabaeva

and Feruza Kabilova

The National Institute of Fine Arts and Design named after Kamoliddin Bekhzod, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Keywords: Museum, Exhibits, Ceramics, Statues, Works of Jewellery, Fine Arts, Exhibition, Tourism, Archaeology,

Statistics.

Abstract: In this article, we talked about the history of the statues and exhibits in the museums of Uzbekistan. The

appearance of the first terracotta sculptures in the territory of Uzbekistan is connected with the formation of

settlements the formation of a unique culture and the development of art as a result of the cohabitation of

nomadic peoples in the steppes and deserts during the Bronze Age.

1 INTRODUCTION

Art originated and developed in ancient times in the

process of human labour. In the process of labour,

people began to feel the sense of form and to master

the concepts of rhythm, and symmetry. They began to

subdue the forces of nature in the process of labour.

They realized that the shape of the items used could

make their work easier or harder. The proliferation of

convenient tools of labour has aroused in them

feelings of affection for their own weapons. They

began to try to express their affection by decorating

their weapons. The emergence of the notions of

convenience and usefulness in people began to

develop the ability to feel the beauty and ugliness of

reality, of life. Human culture has entered the world

of development. The emergence of art has led to the

deepening of man's knowledge of objective reality, to

the enjoyment of the experiences of his generation.

It is known from history that the first forms of art

appeared in Uzbekistan in the Palaeolithic period (13-

5 thousand years BC). The rock carvings found in the

Zarautsoy gorge in southern Uzbekistan show that

primitive man saw the natural world alive and

described it through simple realism.

https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9662-8938

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5446-8977

https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5532-3267

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8428-6442

Primitive people began to enhance their beauty by

drawing various symbols and lines on their labour and

hunting weapons, and items used in everyday life,

trying to create ornaments for themselves. Bone

carvings found in the Early Stone Age in Obisher

(Ferghana), Machoy Cave (Boysun), various

jewellery and necklaces, as well as female statues are

evidence of the elegance of the people of this period.

In many places, sedentary life began, a seed

community was formed, and a double family was

formed. The era of maternal matriarchy has begun.

This confirms that women have had their place in

society since those times. The issue of women's rights

has been formed for thousands of years and has been

the constant focus of political, legal, moral, religious,

and philosophical thinking.

It is expedient to study the periods of historical

and legal formation of women's rights in the

following stages:

i. The ancient period is the period from the

appearance of the first views on women's

rights to the 7th century AD.

ii. The Middle Ages - VII-XVIII centuries.

iii. The classical period is the first half of the

XIX-XX centuries.

iv. The modern period from the first half of the

twentieth century to the present.

1428

Askarova, Z., Rakhmatullaeva, A., Khaitbabaeva, K. and Kabilova, F.

Artistic Expression of the Image of Women in Ancient and Medieval Art in Central Asia.

DOI: 10.5220/0012974200003882

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd Pamir Transboundary Conference for Sustainable Societies (PAMIR-2 2023), pages 1428-1435

ISBN: 978-989-758-723-8

2 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

In ancient times, the first views on women’s rights

were formed in ancient Greece and Rome,

Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, India, and Central Asia.

In these regions, specific international legal

institutions of women's rights have been established.

For example, before the establishment of Islam in

Central Asia, the ancestral lineage was privileged

among the ancient Turkic peoples. Their rights are

protected by all legal measures. The protection of

women's rights in social and legal life is reflected in

Turkish customary law and Sogdian documents. In

the Turkish khanate, according to the custom of the

ancient Turks, a woman-mother was valued. Women

were entitled to full inheritance, and the law strictly

protected women. At the same time, they have

become a major topic in the field of art, as well as in

all other fields. In the New Stone Age, small plastic

was also widespread, and the image of women, in the

art of this period, is very common. But these

sculptures have a somewhat schematic and

conditional solution. Sometimes the image of women

is reduced to the level of conditional characters,

feminine characters are exaggerated. This

development is also reflected in architecture, fine and

applied arts.

The first examples of applied art in Uzbekistan

were made at the time of the emergence of sedentary

farming. These are terracotta, ceramic, and majestic

patterns. Terracotta statues of the Neolithic period

consisted mainly of statues of women associated with

the gods of agriculture.

The Bronze Age in Uzbekistan (2,000 BC) had a

highly developed culture of arts and crafts. By the end

of the 2nd millennium BC - the middle of the 1st

millennium BC (the first Iron Age), three historical

and cultural regions were formed in modern

Uzbekistan: in the middle and upper reaches of the

Amu Darya between Bactria, Kashkadarya, and

Zarafshan rivers in the Sogdian and in the lower

reaches of the Amu Darya in Khorezm.

The appearance of the first terracotta statues in the

territory of Uzbekistan is associated with the

formation of settlements as a result of the sharing of

nomadic peoples in the steppes and deserts in the

Bronze Age, and the formation of a unique culture

and the development of arts and crafts. The

production of small statues depended primarily on the

cult of the gods, who sought to achieve greater

productivity in agriculture, such as livestock, and

were used to propagate and assimilate religious ideas.

Early terracotta statues embody the image of the

Great Mother, the goddess of fertility. In East Asia

and Asia Minor, clay and stone statues of women

belonging to agricultural culture are common. The

appearance of statues of female goddesses in

Khorezm in the same form is associated not only with

the emergence of new economic relations but also

cultural ties. The female statue found in Makhandarya

(Zarafshan) of this period is a very simple, traditional

sculpture.

In Central Asian art, the image of the Great

Mother Goddess is more common than the image of

other goddesses. Because this deity consists of

several types of deities, but they differ from each

other in terms of function. One of them was a statue

of him standing with his right hand on his waist and

his left hand on his chest. In the same terracotta, the

Great Mother Goddess is embodied in two different

forms - half-naked and some half-naked or dressed.

By the 6th century BC, Bactria and Sogdia were

part of the Achaemenid state. In the art of this period,

new artistic methods were developed. Alexander the

Great's conquests, which led to the collapse of the

Achaemenid state, marked the beginning of a new era

in the history of Central Asian culture and art - the

Hellenistic era. Hellenistic traditions are clearly

reflected in the art of Bactria (Dalvarzintepa,

Kholchayon, Kampirtepa, Old Termez) and are less

reflected in the artistic culture of Sogd and Khorezm.

During the time of the ancient world, architecture

became the most common and characteristic type of

figurative painting on the walls.

In the corpuscles of antiquity, images of the local

Mother Goddess, the oud-playing woman, are very

common. The image of the mother-goddess, which

has long been believed, is depicted as a single woman

carrying a child. Undressed Mother-God statues were

common in Central Asia in ancient times.

Researchers associate the undressed female statues

found in Bactria with the great female goddess

believed by Bactrians. (Kholchayon, Dalvarzintepa,

Zartepa, Barottepa, Balkh, Shahribonu). Similar

religious beliefs are widespread among the Khorezm

and Central Sogdian peoples. More perfect copies of

the image of the goddess were found in Saroytepa in

the Shurabsoy oasis (1st century BC - 1st century AD)

and in the Book of Undressed Statues of a Woman

Carrying a Child.

A statue found in Saraytepa depicts a naked

woman standing upright. This statue resembles the

best examples of Hellenic and Indian sculptures. The

statue found in Saraytepa is similar to the image of

the god Margian. It is reminiscent of the image of

Aphrodite. In Greece, this statue was erected on the

altar inside the house as a patron saint of women.

Terracotta, paintings, and sculptures depicting a

Artistic Expression of the Image of Women in Ancient and Medieval Art in Central Asia

1429

woman carrying a child, similar to those in Sogdia,

were also found in East Turkestan and India.

In the first centuries AD, statues depicting women

playing the oud were widespread in East

Kashkadarya. The statues found at Saraytepa are an

example of their earliest variants. The resemblance of

one of the characters in the Ayritom mural to the

statues of musicians found in Northern Bactria shows

that legends dedicated to music patrons were also

created in East Kashkadarya.

The finds of art objects of this period are small,

which allows us to talk about the artistic direction of

the Central Asian regions. During antiquity,

architecture, sculpture, and mural painting became

the most common and traditional forms of art. A new

concept of human personality is noted in art. Portraits

of Italians and coins reveal the inner world of man. In

ancient times, plastic art in Central Asia was

particularly developed in monumental and small

forms. Its development was undoubtedly driven by

Hellenism. The first appearances of painting,

sculpture, and architecture began to take shape.

Hellenic traditions in the territory of Uzbekistan

were reflected in ancient and medieval times. In this

period, the mythological theme dominates in the fine

arts. Numerous findings in Dalvarzintepa indicate a

gradual increase in the dynastic theme, the deification

of emblems. In the realistic interpretation of the

female sculptures, the individuality of the emblem is

observed, and gradually its transition to abstraction,

to the figurative image, intensifies. It was this

character that later became a defining factor for

Kushan art.

While the plot bases of the fine arts of ancient

Uzbekistan are unique, the images of women are

interpreted differently in different regions.

Khorezmian art is unique, there are no Buddhist

themes with unique compositional plans. This

indicates that the ancient Khorezmian art culture

developed independently of the Hellenistic Kushan

art culture. In general, the art of the Kushan period

reflects the final stage of development of the ancient

artistic culture of Uzbekistan.

The Jonbos-kala statues of the Kushan period are

noteworthy. It can be seen from them that these

statues date back to the period of the castle’s creation

(4-3 centuries BC). It is immediately obvious that the

image is far from the views of the mythological

image. Apparently, the image of the naked goddess

entered Central Asia as early as the Achaemenid

period, and her iconography also emerged because

the local female goddess was here.

Images of women are very common within the

young Sogdian corpuscle. Afrosiyob's small

terracotta figurines are distinguished by their deep

and full scattering expression. With the face slightly

to the left and up, this posture is a style that stops that

movement, showing the favorite opposite turn of

Hellenic sculpture. The face is rounded, almost broad,

with a fuller chin, and a slightly swollen mouth, the

forehead is not high, as smooth as a girl, and the lines

of the eyebrows are sharply broken. His eyes are large

and his pupil-like gaze is directed upwards, giving the

impression of working out of pain. His mouth is as

small and graceful as that of a young child. The

figures around the face are hung on the top and chin,

and sometimes on the shoulders. At the bottom of the

neck, the garment consists of transverse embossed

folds drawn by rapid movement. The sculpture is very

soft in terms of structure and is very rich in light,

light, and shadow games. This female figure dates

back to the famous aretus nymph, created by Kimon

in Syracuse in the 3rd century AD. On the basis of

this nymph were created many images of women,

iconographies, which were very popular in the

Hellenistic period. An example of this is the fessal

larynx.

Among the female figures of the 1st century BC

and 1st century AD were found in Tokharistan

(Shortepa city, Termez district), the folk goddess is

intended for printing in large numbers. This largely

crafted mother mold cut is eye-catching. The large

figurine (the lower part of which is not preserved)

conveys the look of a wealthy woman in a light shirt

pulled down under the breasts. He threw a large

folded blanket over his shoulder, his right hand

pressed to his abdomen. The image of the goddess

with a beautiful neck, an elongated face, a high

forehead, her hair written in a straight line, and her

face wrapped in wavy curls and twisted at her temples

is a large, calm, lyrical softness.

This type of sculpture is close to the image of the

Khorezm terracotta, found in the castle Koykilgan

(7th century BC). The goddess is depicted in the form

of a noblewoman. It is depicted in a straight-sewn

position, with a folded collar, a tight-fitting bottom of

the chest, a dress that goes down to the heel, and a

veil over the shoulders. In his hand, he holds a small

amphora and a cup (these attributes represent water

and wine). The cultural basis of the small terracotta

statues, which convey the iconography of the great

goddesses of Asia, was formed by female figures.

According to common external signs, these

figurines can be divided into two groups. In the first

case, the face of the goddess has a faint passionate

look, a soft, leather-like head on her head, pendants

on her ears, and a half-neck on her neck. The narrow

dress, sewn from a long, light, thin fabric, defines the

PAMIR-2 2023 - The Second Pamir Transboundary Conference for Sustainable Societies- | PAMIR

1430

appearance of the figure, with a veil fastened to the

chest and falling down to the heels. In one lake a small

fruit is depicted, and in another a spike. Despite the

proportions of the body, the cohesiveness of the

shapes, the delicate workmanship of the facial

structure, and the style of dress and tailoring that are

part of Asia, grief still calls for Hellenic values. The

mother mold found in Afrosiab fully represents this

type of figurine with all its details. Some of the heads

in this group resemble the head of the "Vazamar

spouse" wife from Tuprakkala.

Another option is to develop the previous type of

clothing in the direction of complete "orientation" of

the head and face. The face is broad, with somewhat

crushed, tempered almond-shaped eyes, instead of a

small nose, a large, high-pitched mouth, and an

aggravated chin, hair surrounds the forehead and

cheeks with fine corrugations. They are covered with

a coin-trimmed conical top that resembles a married

Turkmen woman, or an intricate, salsifat wrap

wrapped around the top. Hanging on the ears, a wide

half-neck on the neck. The jacket is down to the long

heels, decorated with embossed teeth and circles,

further embellishing the dress with half-length, wide,

numerous folds. The half-covered canopy is often

decorated with wide circles and slides.

The second group, presented with similar faces,

standing, and attributes, is distinguished by local

roots of body proportions and a distinctive dress

culture (a hat with a soft top, a knee-length hat, a dress

with twisted soft short boots).

It is difficult to say what was the basis for the

Samarkand corpus, copies of Sogdian figurines, or

more coins from the Mediterranean world in

international trade in the Middle East, depicting

women in a very vivid way. The image of Aretus was

eventually included in the group of Medusa

gargoyles. Seen as a mask in the medieval Greek

world, surrounded by snakes, Gargona's appearance

is described differently in Hellenic art, which is

revenge for psychologically sharp images. From the

lovely soft look known since the time of Alexander,

to the beautiful appearance of a girl tormented by fear

and pain, with snakes sniffing at the cocoons around

her pleasant passion. This style also permeates

Central Asia. The reddish fragment of the Hermitage

from Samarkand shows the face of a girl who is

restless in high relief, that is, a snake-like figure and

her eyes wide open from the pain of silence. In the

other fragment, the face is given in a tragic direction,

with a left-facing gaze, frowning eyebrows, and a

forehead adorned with frowns. A similar plot is

shown in the gem of Samarkand, which is a gem of

the Samarkand Museum. Thus, as in the Hellenistic

world, Samarkand corpses are surrounded by the

theme of deep spiritual experiences. They presented

this topic to us, focusing on the deep study of the inner

world of man, using the talents they have.

There are stone images (Sharafa) on the roof of

the house, girls on the roofs covered with species,

girls playing musical instruments, and boys playing

drums. Fragments of a brick Buddha statue were

found inside the building. The example of the

Ayritom statue shows the development of the cultures

of India, Greece, and Central Asia, and between them,

trade relations.

A monument to Kholchayon was found in the

Denov district of Surkhandarya. As it turns out, A.D.

In the middle of the 1st millennium, a large city was

formed and developed during the Kushan period. A

first-century palace was found inside the monument.

The walls of the palace are decorated with paintings.

The statues found in the palace were 2 meters large,

the Dalvarzin monument was found in Termez and it

was a city surrounded by a common defensive wall.

It was even the first capital of the Kushan state.

Excavations at Dalvarzin in 1972 revealed a treasure

trove of gold weighing more than 30 kg. A total of

115 bracelets and women's gold dresses were found

in the treasury. In addition, a tomb was found in

Dalvarzin and it was discovered that there were 3

types of burials and that they were specific to the

Zoroastrian world. In the process of scientific

research of the findings of Kholchayon (7th century

BC) such hills as Khanakhtepa, Karabogtepa, and

Maslahattepa were discovered and studied. It was

discovered from the room that the foundation of the

palace was made of stone and the wall was made of

thick raw brick. Kholchayon Palace is very important

in terms of architecture. The three walls of the main

hall are plastered with white plaster at a height of 3

m, above which are placed monumental statues. On

the dark red background of the fourth wall, there is a

pattern of leaves, flowers, and a head of grapes made

of white plaster. There is also a picture of women in

the patterns on the porch leading out of the main hall

of the palace. One of the women looks like a Bactrian

and the other like a Mongol. The statue of the woman

found is remarkable, with a broad face and a white

helmet with clearly visible hair ruffled in stone. A

piece found on the body of the statue contained a robe

or veil over the statue, with a white ribbon tied above

the waist over a dark red shirt at the bottom of the

robe. This statue must have been a statue of the

goddess Athena, rather than her body, posture, the

position of her arms, her helmet, and her robe.

If we look at the development of religious

concepts in Central Asia and the service of art to it,

Artistic Expression of the Image of Women in Ancient and Medieval Art in Central Asia

1431

the history of religious beliefs and concepts takes us

back to the distant past. Here in ancient times,

religious concepts such as magic, totemism, and

anemism were imagined. Religious notions, the

notions of the spirit of the dead, are clearly reflected

in the material evidence. Taking religious concepts in

a broad-minded, philosophical tone, polytheism and

polytheism gradually turned into the worship of a

single deity. New religions were emerging. One such

major religion was Zoroastrianism. If we look at the

sacred book of Zoroastrianism, the Avesto, we see

that "in the Avesta, the issues of family freedom, the

role of women in society, the role of the mother in the

home and community are highlighted in different

places, in different relationships."

One of them is the image of the divine mother,

Anaxita, the symbol of fertility. “In ancient times,

Samoni was considered the Father and Erni the

Mother-Goddess, and in all nations, there was a

female goddess, including Artemis, Cybele (Phrygia),

Ma (Cappadocia), Anaitis (Pontus), Kupapa or Hebat

(Libya and Hittite territory). can be added. Mil. av.

The goddess Anaxita, which was widespread in the

VI-IV centuries and had a great position before Islam,

was also revived in the mythological imaginations of

our ancestors as the Mother Goddess. H. Karomatov

writes about it: “Iloha Anaxita” is compared to the

Greek “Aphrodite” in terms of patronage, which was

originally the goddess of the moon, stars, and rain. As

the rain fertilized the land and made the plants grow,

the task of the goddess of fertility was passed.

Scholars have dubbed the image of the goddess

"Aphrodite of Kushan" in an ornament found in the

tomb of Tillatepa in Bactria.

According to the image of the winged Erot with a

bow in his hand on the top of his left shoulder, it is

concluded that this statue - a local variant of the

goddess of love Aphrodite - "Aphrodite of Kushan".

It is noteworthy that, unlike the original, which was

common in Greece-Rome, the goddess was given a

distinctive appearance by local women. A jewel

found in another tomb of the same monument depicts

"Aphrodite of Bactria" and is also known as the

"Bactrian Anaxita".

Various factors have influenced the origin of the

image of the female goddess. This scene becomes

even more vivid, especially when it comes to the first

religious ideas of our ancestors - the main divine

symbols of fire worship. The goddess Anaxita, who

became a symbol of prosperity, fertility, and

prosperity in Zoroastrianism, also penetrated deeply

into the art of antiquity. It is also pronounced in some

sources in the modern language as the Mother

Goddess. The ancient peasants considered rain and

blessing to be a direct miracle of Anaxita.

Well-known scientist L.I. Rempel describes it:

"Anaxita, as a well-dressed beautiful woman, is a

person who embodies human elegance, beauty, and

gives strength and success to heroes." Regarding the

image of this image, we read again: "Anaxita can

always be seen as a beautiful, energetic girl with a

high belt, gold ornaments, and a multi-folded

muzzle." Apparently, the image of Anaxita is

described as a living person. So, the symbol of this

has been created over the centuries and the different

h of our country within the monuments of art found

in their territories.

The fifth-age goddess of water and fertility,

Ardvi, is always mentioned as a "surah" (exactly

"mighty") and along with the name Anaxita (exactly

"pure without dust"). He is Aksho, the god of the

Amudarya. Another name for this age is "Obon

Yasht", which means "Song of Waters". The poem

consists of three structures that define the genre of the

work, which is typical of the ancient poems of the

Indo-European peoples. In the first (appeal) part, the

goddess herself is addressed. In the more extensive

second (narrative) part, the ancient gods and heroes

are told about the sacrifices and prayers brought to

Ardvisura Anaxita and the blessings bestowed on

them in return for these sacrifices and prayers. The

third introductory (interrogative) section is for the

needy who pray to Ardvisura, who find the entrance

with a statement of sacrifice.

Feudal castles were built, reflecting the early

medieval architecture. In particular, in the Nakhshab

oasis, the Zakhokimaron fortress, and the ruins of

Shahri Vayron and Khorezm in Bukhara, are made of

cotton and raw brick. Afrosiyab also depicts a solemn

procession. On the white elephant was found the

image of a princess, and behind the elephant were

three women riding a black elephant, one of which

had the word "princess's yang" in Sogdian.

The women are being escorted by a man on a

camel, with a picture of a man riding a horse and a

teenager riding four swans, with the mouth of the

ulran covered with a white cloth. The west wall of the

room was depicted by people carrying expensive gifts

in royal attire. There are 16 lines of Sogdian

inscriptions, which say "I came to Samarkand on

behalf of Chaganiyon ambassador Buhorzod ruler

Turontosh" to pay tribute to the king. When thinking

about the monumental decorative painting of Central

Asia in the early feudal era, it is impossible not to

remember the murals of the Round Hill, found near

Termez, and the Childhood Hill near it. These

PAMIR-2 2023 - The Second Pamir Transboundary Conference for Sustainable Societies- | PAMIR

1432

photographs depict noble women and men standing

side by side.

When it comes to a mural found on a childhood

hill (7th century BC), there is a picture of a woman in

a fancy, quiet dress in front and two girls behind her.

These women, holding a handkerchief in one hand

and a glass in the other, with a broken forehead, are a

sign that they are the ladies of a noble family. In the

formation of the character of these paintings, there is

a style typical of monumental-decorative painting of

this period, which together once again demonstrates

the high level of this art in the early feudal age of

Central Asia, the existence of different styles and

trends in this art.

The collapse of the ancient empires in the IV - V

centuries is explained by the formation of the

Hephthalite state as a result of the invasion of nomads

from the north to Central Asia. This state

disintegrated under the invasion of the Turks in 563-

567 AD. The patterns on the walls during this period

are characterized by the complexity of the image, the

richness of the composition, and the variety of colors.

(Bolaliktepa Fortress, Varakhsha Palace) In Sogdia,

the art of corpuscle and carving is well developed.

Several types of sculptures have been developed,

some of which are associated with religion and some

with epic images.

In the VII and early VIII centuries AD, Islam

began to spread in the territory of Uzbekistan, which

had an impact on the development of fine and applied

arts. In Central Asia, attitudes toward ancient and

early medieval heritage have changed in this regard.

During this period, a new aesthetics was formed,

based on the principles of the Muslim religion and at

the same time embodying the artistic traditions of

various peoples that were part of the Arab Caliphate.

By the middle of the 11th century, the pattern-

based basis was predominant in art. Painters used

more patterns to enhance the expression of emotions.

The similarity between the divine and the feminine

beauty has arisen not only in the fine arts, but also in

poetry. By the time of the Timurids, the rise of palace

culture, which as a result of the solemnity and

grandeur, was the expression of a life full of

entertainment in manuscripts, miniatures, and murals,

without losing its hidden and traditional

interpretation.

Science, art, and culture flourished in the Middle

East. During this period, magnificent palaces,

mosques, and madrasas, tiled mausoleums were built.

Great scholars introduced the fame of this state to the

world. Scientists, poets, and miniature artists such as

Ulugbek the Great, Alisher Navoi, Abdurahon Jami,

and Kamoliddin Behzod lived and worked during this

period.

Despite the study of the meaningful worldview

and formal description of Oriental miniature art, and

the research of local schools and leading masters from

different countries, it remains an area that opens up

new frontiers of knowledge of artistic creation. Being

a unique, complex system of knowing the world,

Eastern miniature art embodies the philosophy of

objective existence and rituals, secrecy and realism,

and the role of man in society and the world, about

life reality. In his treatise on calligraphy and artists,

Qazi Ahmad states that the “amazing ideas and

surprising ideas” that exist in the art of miniature

deserve the attention of those with a high level of

knowledge.

The peculiar world of medieval miniature consists

of a formative system of pictorial elements, i.e.

images and plots, the construction of composition,

and the harmony of colors, symbols, and signs.

Although subject to certain rules that have been

polished for hundreds of years, it is impossible not to

mention the professional excellence and poetic

freedom within the framework of legitimate artistic

thinking, which is characteristic of the famous

masters Kamoliddin Behzod, Sultan Muhammad,

Riza-yi Abbasi, and others.

The art of Oriental miniature reflects the

imagination and spiritual pursuits of its time. The

image of women is also reflected in her wonderful

examples. They can be conditionally divided into two

worldview layers: sacred (traditional) and real. In the

sacred layer, poets and artists tried to show the

harmony and beauty of the whole universe through

the image of beautiful women. In Sufism, it is the

image of women that has become a symbol of the

manifestation of divinity in real life. Ibn al-'Arabi

states in his work, The Limits of Wisdom, that it is

not necessary to strive to see Allah in any intangible

form. "It is most perfect to see Allah in a woman,"

said the great sheikh. It is a combination of the

concept of beauty with the understanding of love that

emerges as an attribute of God. In the concept of

Sufism, the world created by Allah is highly

magnificent and harmonious. God is beautiful and

loves beauty. He who loves beauty loves Allah. The

highest level of beauty in the world is women. This is

how women are portrayed in the poetry of Firdavsi,

Nizami Ganjavi, and Alisher Navoi.

They also sang the outward beauty of women like

Rudaki, Vagif, and other poets. The interpretation of

the image of women is multifaceted and

comprehensive, from divinity to secularismEveryone

who looked at the miniature could find something in

Artistic Expression of the Image of Women in Ancient and Medieval Art in Central Asia

1433

the image of women. Those who devoted themselves

to it felt the meaning of Sufism in the image of

women, and those who did not felt the images and

events of real life in miniature.

Kamoliddin Bekhzod's "Portrait of the Princess"

is one of the rare works. The question arises as to

whether this portrait is close to nature. It can be said

that this month the charming eyes of the beautiful face

under the curling eyebrows are glowing. His mouth is

perfectly crafted. The dresses are floral, patterned,

and festive. Beautiful hat with a crown on the head,

she was holding delicate flowers in her hands. In

general, the princess is embodied in a poetic image.

She is like a beauty sung thousands of times in

oriental poetry. Sultan Husayn described this beauty

in his poem:

If I tell you to shut up, he won't say a word,

When I say 'crunching', to some it may seem like

allot, but it's not.

How can I compare the moon to a new song,

between beauty,

Like a cypress, it has no stature and no flower-like

permission.

Another example of Behzod's work "Girl among

the blossoming branches" is the combination of

figurative and decorative beginnings. It was as if the

body of a moon-faced girl in a black dress was flying

on a golden-yellow background. The ornaments in the

image of a broad-leaved rod on his shirt look

meaningful. The body blends in with the decoration

and evokes the imagination as if singing eternal

beauty.

Although Oriental miniature art is closed to

others, but fully lived and reflected in a high-end art

form such as miniature, medieval Muslim culture’s

perceptions of their lifestyle and spiritual values, its

duties and rights, its status in society, and its rich

inner world were observed. What about the image of

women in Oriental miniature?

First, what stands out is the beauty that women are

subjected to in accordance with the laws. In medieval

miniatures, masters depicted women's skin as bright,

and their faces as round oval, almond-shaped, straight

noses, and small mouths. Such was the image of the

ideal woman in Eastern culture, which was in close

harmony with the concept of beauty. As an elite art,

the miniature has focused on these concepts. Farid

Alekperli, one of the seekers of Islamic culture,

wrote: "Beauty, beauty and beauty again!" - was the

motto of ancient and medieval Eastern culture.

External beauty and inner beauty were intertwined.

The image of women in miniatures attracts not only

with its charm but also with its inner softness, unique

elegance, and devotion.

Second, it is impossible not to mention the inner

spiritually rich world of women in Islam. In the works

of love lyrics in miniature illustrations, the image of

women is manifested by a multifaceted, inner

meaning.

The status of women in Islam has a special place.

In addition, the treatment of women was an indicator

of the degree to which Muslim society was committed

to the principles of equality and compassion,

humanism. The role of women in Islam was great.

The authors say: “A woman is a mother, a sister, a

daughter, a spouse. The attitude of men towards this

group of women is strictly controlled by God”.

3 CONCLUSIONS

The image of women in oriental miniature art is the

main image with a meaningful worldview of this rare

art form. The image of women in Oriental miniature

art is a small model of medieval Islamic culture in its

own right, reflecting the religious, philosophical,

aesthetic, and other broad views of medieval poets

and painters. The interpretation of the image of

women has evolved from a divine concept to an

everyday, worldly, real concept. Oriental miniature

reflected two worlds: hidden and existing. This is

reflected in the interpretation of women.

In folk art, the image of a woman is a symbol of

fertility and childbearing. This ancient tradition was

formed at the beginning of human civilization and is

still preserved despite various external influences.

It is worth noting that the Central Asian region is

not ancient and hereditary in folk art. In embodying

the image of the woman, commonality was preferred

to individuality, and tradition and sanctity were

preferred to disrespect. All this gives us reason to say

that the notion of publicity has always been put higher

than the notion of individuality within the local

culture. In the art of this region, the image of a

woman’s naked body is a unique symbol of the

universe. The first woman who gave birth to

humanity - the mother - is not a material image, but

rather a figurative image of fertility. This was the case

in early antiquity, during the Arab caliphate, and

finally in the Middle Ages. It is surprising that during

the Islamic period, and later during the Timurid

revival, the theme of sensuality and pleasure was

noticed by women among the members of a certain

group in palace art.

PAMIR-2 2023 - The Second Pamir Transboundary Conference for Sustainable Societies- | PAMIR

1434

REFERENCES

Safoeva, S. (2002). The issue of women. Dis. Autoref, T.

Shatskiy, G. (1973). Ancient paintings on rocks. T.

Khakimov, A. (2018). History of Arts of Uzbekistan. T.

Pugachenkova, G. (1974). On the cults of Bactria in the

light of archeology.

"Cultural collections of Uzbekistan Samarkand

collections". (2019). East Star Media, Zamon Press

Info, T.

Pugachenkova, G., & Rempel, L. (1984). History of art of

Uzbekistan. Tashkent.

"Important periods in the history of art." (2017). Art

Journal, Number 1.

Pugachenkova, G. (2000). Portrait genre in Behzod and the

Middle East miniature. Art Magazine, Issue 2.

Khakimov, A. (2000). Behzod - West-East dialogue. Art

Magazine, Issue 4.

Akilova, K. (2011). The image of women in miniature. Art,

2011.

Bolaliktepa. (1960). On the history of material culture and

the art of Tokharistan. Album. T.

Lelekov, L. (1978). Arts of Ancient Russi and the East. M.

Artistic Expression of the Image of Women in Ancient and Medieval Art in Central Asia

1435