28 March 2024

Thursday, 17:23

A MYSTERIOUS FIERY BUTA

What is it - an abstraction? a figment of ancient artists' imagination? or perhaps, a coded message from the past that came to us through the centuries?

Author:

15.05.2012

"Shah", "Oriental palmette", "Oriental bean',' Persian cypress", "Turkish cucumber", "Indian cucumber", "Kashmir pattern", "Paisley", "a tear of Allah" … - that is the number of the titles of this very element of the eastern ornament which is so common in the world. In Azerbaijan, this sign is called Buta.

Many probably know what this sign looks like, and for those who do not know ... Imagine a drop of dew dangling in the air, or one of the halves of the "yin-yang". Well, to make it absolutely clear - this sign is quite reminiscent of the elegantly curved outlines of the ciliate from the botany textbook. However, this is what it looks like today, having transformed in many thousands of years and acquiring such an intricate decorative shape. On very ancient Azerbaijani carpets, the buta looks a little different, but we will come onto that a little later.

This element of the decor has existed in Azerbaijan since time immemorial, and though it can rightly be called a symbol of the East, it also can be called a symbol of Azerbaijan with the same accuracy. The buta is found in drawings of Oriental carpets and fabrics, in pieces of decorative art and jewellery. It is also found in the architectural decorations of the East. The buta is also present on the arms of Baku in the form of three flames.

With its seeming simplicity, the buta is a fairly complex element of the ornament. It is seamlessly woven into a variety of artistic compositions, but may be a completely independent figure. After becoming something familiar and even ordinary in our everyday life in Azerbaijan, the element of the decor raises no questions. And yet what does this picture mean? What is it - an abstraction? A figment of ancient artists' imagination? Or perhaps a coded message from the past that came to us through the centuries? By the way, through how many centuries? Maybe ... - millennia? Where did this picture come from? It is a picture of what? Is it really and truly a picture of cucumbers?

Buta. By the way, it is also the name of a small steppe shrub - a thorn whose large flowers resemble this symbol. And if you set the plant on fire, each of its little twigs will start to burn like a candle with a flame reminiscent of the buta. And the embers of this plant will stay warm for a long time. The flowers of this plant have a special flavour and light narcotic properties. Perhaps, it is because of these properties that they were once burnt in homes, temples and houses of worshippers of ancient religions.

So, by all indications, this sign, which is perceived as a kind of symbol of the East today, is nothing other than one of the symbols in the complex cult symbolism of antiquity. It is a symbol of the divine fire, which has been worshipped in Azerbaijan since ancient times. This sign was used to mark ancient fire temples and household items at the time. It can be seen in many ancient buildings today. Fire was worshipped in all parts of the small ancient world. It is no accident that the image of the buta can be found in India, in the decor of metal products, in drawings of Iranian fabrics, in the carpet patterns of Azerbaijan, and in pieces of decorative-applied art and jewellery of the Middle East and Central Asia, mainly, in the art of the countries that were once part of the vast Persian Empire where Zoroastrianism was the dominant religion for a long time.

In Iran, a gift with a picture of the buta is still considered a kind of wish of happiness and prosperity to the house. The word "buta" also means "fire" in Sanskrit (bute - puta - buta). But in contrast to Zoroastrian beliefs about the buta, in ancient Indian mythology, the buta symbolized all evil spirits. This is not surprising, because all the Avesta characters worshipped by the Zoroastrians as gods are first gods in the Indian Vedas, but over time, they are attributed to the demons. Apparently, in those days, the confrontation between the two religions and maybe not only religions was very strong. But despite all that, in the ancient Indian healing traditions the buta is presented as something that regulates vital processes in the human body - "the buta of water, buta of blood, buta of bodily flesh and the buta of nerve currents".

Times changed, but even with the arrival of other religions and beliefs on Azerbaijani soil (Christianity, Buddhism, Hellenism and, finally, Islam, which is firmly entrenched here), the reverent attitude to the principal symbol of Zoroastrianism - the buta - did not change. It remained in the life and culture of the former fire worshippers as a kind of mysterious totem. For a long time, it remained on the arms of ancient states in Azerbaijan, and it still remains on the arms of Baku. The buta was exhibited on the seals and official mail of the time.

Images of the buta once served as a kind of signs of distinction in the military. "Ciqqa-buta" and "man-buta" adorned the crowns of shahs and the hats of top military chiefs. Most likely, this diversity in the images of the buta originally had a magical sense. "Ciqqa-buta" (buta-crown) symbolized courage, bravery, honour and valour. Images of ciqqa decorated the crowns of shahs, hats of military chiefs and crowns of brides. A figure of ciqqa in the form of a little sultan was attached to the plough on the first day of ploughing.

"Man-buta" embodied honour, dignity and beauty. Interestingly, in the Georgian language, the word "man" means buta. "Lalak-buta" (feather buta), which looks much more simple, symbolized bravery and was a sign of the middle rank. Incidentally, all three words - "ciqqa", "man" and "lalak" - are words from the forgotten Avestan language.

The buta also served as a form of writing - "yazili-buta" (buta with inscriptions). Letters, poems, spells, or wishes were written inside the buta so that the buta could "help" bring all this to fruition. Heroic and love drawings were also made inside the buta, or then such a buta was called "yazili man-buta". In Karabakh, there is a tradition to the present day (had it not been for the war) -they make sweet cakes in the shape of the buta, which are called "fatir-buta", for Novruz.

In the arts and crafts of Azerbaijan, there are many types of the buta: saya-buta (simple buta), ayri-buta (curved buta), dilikli buta (serrated buta) qivrim-buta (curly buta), qarmaqli-buta (hook-shaped buta), sabalid-buta (chestnut buta), badami-buta (almond-shaped buta), zarhara-buta (tissue buta), qadim-buta (old buta), dik-buta (pointed buta), qosa-buta (double buta), qotazli buta (buta with a brush), cicakli-buta (buta with a flower), yanar-buta (burning buta) and so on and so forth.

Coming from the ancient times as an expression of the essence of ancient religions and becoming an element of the decor later, the buta had its fiery effect on all eastern cultures. It became a kind of model for creating unique "buta-shaped" Oriental forms in architecture and decorative art - the domes of oriental buildings reminiscent of the buta, Oriental items - dishes and jugs of water for pink water (gulabdan buta), headgear - turban, shoes - carix, and many other things.

The buta was depicted in different ways in Baku and its environs. Giving rise to such art forms as Mugan-buta, Baki-buta, Hila-buta, Sirvan-buta, etc.

And because of this, art critics are now able to pinpoint the region where a carpet was woven and a thing was made.

Since ancient times, all that is beautiful has been associated with the concept of "Buta" in the East. There are such popular expressions: "There is a beautiful buta on it", "It is decorated with a gold or almond-shaped buta". The mention of the buta in a veiled form tells us about how the spiritual, chaste and beautiful are those decorated with it. Eastern poetry also paid attention to the fiery buta. Describing the buta embroidered on the nimtan (a short embroidered waistcoat trimmed with fur and lined with velvet and braid) in one of his poems, the great Azerbaijani poet of the 18th century, Molla Panah Vaqif, compares it with the beautiful face of his lover or with a sparkling flame.

Among other things, the properties of a talisman protecting from evil spirits and the evil eye were also attributed to the buta. And that's why Azerbaijani homes were decorated with carpets and all sorts of household items with images of the buta. But the presence of the buta on the wedding dresses of brides and grooms was simply mandatory (against the evil eye!). For a long time, the buta remained in the minds of former followers of the forgotten religions and an element of magical symbolism. After all, magic lies at the heart of ancient religions. And the images of "bala-buta", "hamli-buta", "balali-buta", "evli-buta", "qosaarvadli-buta", "arvadusaqli-buta" and "baba buta", which looked funny in our modern view, were initially no more than a magical effect.

And later, when all knowledge about all the symbolism and rituals of Zoroastrianism was erased from the memory of generations, all these images, having lost their original meaning, simply became elements of the decor.

Interestingly, in ancient Azerbaijani views expressed in epics, the buta is not only an element of the decor, it is something more. The buta is a gift from heaven, embedded in man from above, and its divine component. Getting a buta in your dream in popular epics means getting a gift of talent, a "divine spark". Together with the buta, you can get the talent of a soothsayer. In epics, the buta is usually given to the most awkward, poorest and good-for-nothing young man with a pure heart. Nobody knows the address of the buta home, but the epic of Asiq Molla Cuma "Sayat Bay and Sayali Xanim" mentions the address of the buta home. And you can get there if you go to sleep near Ar-dag (White Mountain) "at a crossroads, in the shade of nut and fig trees and near a bubbling spring".

But, according to popular beliefs, you cannot sleep at the Buta home, as relatives warn young people who want to get the buta. You cannot sleep at a crossroads, and it is a bad and dangerous place where there can be no sleeping. It is a place where good and evil forces confront each other. In addition, according to ancient legends of Azerbaijanis, the crossroads is a place of transition from one age to another and from one world to another. It is almost a portal to another dimension. In addition, from dusk, and especially at night, you should not be under the canopy of trees, let alone sleep there. A sleeping person can be hit by a genie! After all, every tree has its own spirit, and at night the spirits come out of trees to arrange their own dances under the trees. You should not sleep under a walnut and fig tree... In Azerbaijan, it is still considered that you cannot remain under these trees for long. The walnut tree symbolizes hopelessness, because "he who plants a walnut tree does not eat its fruit". "The fig tree is the log of grandmother Fatma (evil spirit)".

And you cannot sleep near open water, because water is also a place of transition from one world to another. Such is the abode of the mysterious buta. All these beliefs go back to very ancient times.

But who is the giver of the buta? From the lines of this epic work, it is clear that the giver is Ay (Moon). But Ay in the capacity of a grey-haired old man is duplicitous - he gives and then takes his gifts back, and then wants to take away the trusting young man. As a result, the young man gets his own buta in the form of an apple and a cup of magic potion. And, waking up, he acquires the talent of an asiq who praises love. He also meets his love.

Since ancient times, visits to places which are still called "Pir" (fire temple of God) have been common in Azerbaijan. People came there with their requests and wishes in ancient times. And these pirs often remind the place described in this epic work - the mountains, crossroads, trees, and definitely the presence of a water body.

Nevertheless, when did this sign appear and to what religions would it be more correct to attribute it? After reviewing all the symbols of the ancient Sumerians, I did not find the usual image of the buta. But I saw another picture with outlines similar to this symbol, but its lines were not rounded. And this symbol looked about the same as on the most ancient Azerbaijani carpets. See the table from the well-known work of our wonderful painter Latif Karimov. The very first symbol in the table was copied from an old Mugan carpet, as well as the penultimate one. 

 But what is even more interesting is that the Sumerians called it "ut", meaning "fire". Sometimes there are forms like "But" or "Bo". However, what this symbol means is not clear.

In the starry sky in the Northern Hemisphere, you can find one of the most beautiful constellations - Bootes. But, interestingly, its ancient name is "Buta" (Greek ??????, lat. Bo?tes), and even its outlines formed by the brightest of its stars are like that same old picture Buta from the Azerbaijani carpet and Sumerian clay tablets.

It was also called Bootes in ancient Egypt, and the name meant "great" or "one who rules". The Egyptians also called it "Smat", i.e. "one who subjugates and controls". And the most ancient name, which was only known to Egyptian priests, was "Bau", which means "arrival". And the Egyptians associated this constellation with their god Osiris, a god that looked like humans. Today, the Bootes constellation is not used ideologically, but in ancient times, it was worshipped. Bootes is a Stargate Custodian and Keeper of the Gates of Paradise. It was also worshipped in ancient Greece and Rome, and in the territories of Persia, Media and Atropatena. In Greek mythology, Bootes is the image of the first tiller of the Earth - Triptolemus, son of the king of Celeus. But what's interesting is that in ancient times the constellation was also a symbol of the struggle for the crown and power. Jews linked the name of the constellation - Bo-o-tes - to the Hebrew root "Bo", which also means "arrival". And they associated the coming Messiah with that word, as mentioned in Psalm 96:13.

The buta is still the favourite and most used element of decoration for artists and architects of the East. Azerbaijani painters also turn to it for inspiration.

 



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