The History of Flowers and Plants in Ancient Iran
Beautiful flowers and plants each speak in their own silent language, revealing their inner secrets to those who behold them. The morning breeze blows gently, gliding softly across meadows, poppy fields, and other flowers, carrying their delightful fragrance to the senses. The fresh green leaves of newly sprouted plants and newly blossomed flowers seem to smile, heralding the arrival of a new season and filling people with a special sense of joy and vitality, captivating them with their natural charm. Smiling flowers and lush, verdant fields are symbols of happiness and flourishing life. Indeed, humanity has maintained an enduring connection with plants, one of nature's precious gifts, since the dawn of creation. This longstanding relationship has led flowers and plants to appear at an early stage in the stories, legends, and poetry of different nations, particularly in the classical literature of the Iranian people. The mysterious emergence and life of plants and flowers inspired deep reflection among early humans. Eventually, they came to believe that every tree was a deity, concealing a supernatural presence beneath its rough and sturdy bark. For this reason, people continually regarded this divine phenomenon with reverence. Respect for trees and the tradition of tree worship, rooted in these ancient beliefs, are frequently reflected in the legends of various ancient civilizations and in botanical folklore. Many legends tell of miraculous trees believed to bestow eternal life, longevity, and good health upon others. The ancient Iranians, particularly the people of Sistan, held the tamarisk tree in especially high regard and sometimes cherished trees almost to the point of worship. According to the accounts in the Shahnameh, the legendary hero Rostam was healed after eating the fruit of a tamarisk tree.
Ancient Persian legends frequently tell of people who, during times of hardship and famine, consumed life-giving plants and consequently enjoyed the blessings of eternal youth and immortality. Among these trees, the cypress and pine also held a special place in Persian culture and were believed to possess extraordinary virtues. The cultural significance of the cypress can still be appreciated through ancient Persian paintings and other artistic works, including carpets, painted panels, miniatures, and numerous forms of decorative art. Many paintings depict gracefully curved cypress trees bending beneath the force of the wind. The largest and most famous cypress tree in Iran is the Cypress of Kashmar, traditionally believed to have been planted by Zoroaster, the ancient Iranian prophet. This tree occupies a prominent place in Persian literature. In addition to the Cypress of Kashmar, ancient Sistan was also home to several cypress trees attributed to the reign of Anushirvan and the Sassanian era. Among them were two magnificent cypress trees believed to have originated from the famous Cypress of Kashmar.
At this point, it is worth briefly discussing Christmas trees. A Christmas tree is traditionally decorated with ornaments, candles, or lights on the eve of the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. This tradition is considered one of the principles of Christian theology or Christology and may date back to the time of Zoroaster, the ancient Iranian prophet, or to the beliefs of the Aryan peoples, which at that time divided the Christian world into two groups. This tradition brings the refreshing spirit of Christianity, along with the freshness and vitality of the forests, into Christian homes. Decorating trees and illuminating them with lights is an ancient custom that bears considerable resemblance to the Iranian tradition of tying votive offerings to trees and is influenced by the principles of Zoroastrianism.
Iran has long been a land of flowers and flower cultivation, with a rich horticultural heritage extending back through many centuries. Persian poetry is truly filled with floral imagery and fragrance, reflecting the deep love that the people of Iran have cherished for flowers since ancient times and their dedication to cultivating them. The diverse flowers that Western countries have inherited from Iran are a testament to this longstanding tradition. Flowers have therefore always been an integral part of home, garden, and architectural decoration in Iran. The culture of purchasing and ordering flowers throughout the year has also held considerable importance among Iranians.
Flowers generally come in a variety of colors and possess pleasant fragrances. Many flowers, such as roses, chrysanthemums, and daffodils, have a distinctive beauty and are therefore cultivated and kept for ornamental purposes. In Iranian culture, the cultivation and care of different types of flowers and plants, particularly indoor plants, as well as the tradition of keeping flowers in the home, have a long history. The people of ancient Persia consistently sought to bring color, beauty, and vitality into their homes and buildings. This appreciation of flowers is evident not only in architectural design and carpet weaving but also in literary works, scientific writings, and religious texts. Among all flowers, the red rose, also known as the Persian rose, has traditionally attracted the greatest admiration among Iranians. Even today, wild rose bushes can be found growing abundantly in various rural areas. Rosewater has been known in Iran since ancient times and has been used in religious ceremonies and traditional medicine. As Khaqani Shirvani writes in his famous ode, "The Palace of Ctesiphon":
Because of the owl's lament, we too are overwhelmed with sorrow Let rosewater flow from your eyes and ease our pain
Even today, rosewater and flowers are passed around during wedding celebrations, parties, birthday gatherings, mourning ceremonies, and funeral services.
The compound Persian word "golab" (rosewater) indicates that the word "gol," when used without qualification, traditionally refers to the red rose, also known as the Persian rose. In classical Persian poetry and literature, the word "gol" most commonly denotes the rose. However, the term carries a much broader and more nuanced poetic meaning in Persian literature and has been used in various figurative expressions. Among these meanings are the rosy, radiant complexion of a beloved and, more generally, anything possessing beauty and freshness. Ferdowsi uses the word in a metaphorical sense in the following verse:
My years had reached fifty-one When musk turned to camphor and the rose disappeared
The value and prestige of flowers have been so highly regarded that Kasai Marvazi, a Persian poet of the late fourth century AH (10th century CE), expressed their significance in the following verses:
The flower is a blessing, a gift sent down from Paradise Among the delights of flowers, even the noblest heart grows more generous
O flower seller, why would you sell flowers for silver? On the day of the flower, what could be more precious than a flower to purchase with silver?
The importance and value of flowers have been recognized by people since ancient times. Girls, women, and female attendants adorned their hair with flowers to enhance their beauty. Ferdowsi, renowned for his ability to portray nature's wonders and the finest expressions of human emotion through elegant language and vivid imagery, demonstrates this delicacy and eloquence in the love story of Rudaba and Zal. He describes how Rudaba's attendants went to the riverbank, where Zal's army was encamped, to gather flowers and attract attention:
They adorned themselves in fine Roman silk And embellished their tresses with flowers
All five went down to the riverbank Fresh and radiant as spring, each with her own fragrance and color
It was the month of Farvardin, the beginning of the New Year And Zal's army had made its camp beside the river
On the opposite bank stood those maidens Engaging in lively conversation and playful tales
They gathered many flowers along the riverbank Their cheeks like a garden of roses, flowers resting in their hands
They wandered here and there, picking flowers Until they came face to face with the royal encampment
Dastan looked upon them, blessed by his good fortune And asked, "Who are these flower-loving maidens?"
The word "gol" (flower) in the poetry of Persian-speaking poets is a symbol of delicacy, refinement, and beauty. Poets have frequently compared the beautiful, rosy, and delicate face of a beloved to a flower. Abdolvaase Jebeli, for example, compares the delicacy of his beloved's and patron's features to a flower, writing:
His lips, like a tulip, have filled my mind with intoxicating longing His cheeks, like roses, have filled my eyes with tears of rosewater
Similarly, Qatran Tabrizi, in an ode praising the vizier Sayyed al-Vozara Amid al-Molk Abu Nasr, writes:
Though his dark, musk-scented hyacinths form a canopy over the rose And though his crimson jewel conceals the beauty of his face
We should also consider the celebrated Persian poet Saadi Shirazi, who gave his renowned masterpiece of Persian prose the title "Golestan" (The Rose Garden). In its introduction, he uses the rose tree as a symbol through which to reflect upon the divine presence. He writes:
I had intended that when I reached the rose tree, I would fill my robe with flowers and present them as gifts to my companions. But when I arrived, the fragrance of the roses intoxicated me so completely that I lost hold of my robe.
O morning bird, learn love from the moth For that burning soul gave its life, yet uttered not a sound
These claimants who seek Him remain unaware For those who have truly found Him return with no news
As mentioned earlier, the flower is a symbol of beauty and grace. It also represents divine recognition and the oneness of God. Hafez, the celebrated poet known as the "Tongue of the Unseen," expresses this idea in one of his mystical ghazals:
Last night, the nightingale sang from the cypress branch in the Pahlavi tongue Reciting a lesson on the stations of spiritual knowledge
It meant: Come, for the flower has revealed the fire of Moses So that you may hear the message of divine unity from the tree
The second hemistich of the second couplet alludes to the divine voice that spoke from the tree to Moses, saying, "Indeed, I am Allah, Lord of the Worlds." This is the meaning that supports the first hemistich of the same couplet. The flower and the nightingale are inseparable companions, each deriving its meaning and existence from the other. In the poetry of Persian-speaking poets, particularly in their odes, the words "gol" (flower) and "sarv" (cypress) often symbolize freshness, vitality, and verdant beauty. Sayyed Hasan Ghaznavi writes:
May you remain fresh, flourishing, and radiant, like the cypress and the flower May you be spared every misfortune and remain protected from all harm
Poets have also compared human life to a flower because of its brevity and fleeting nature. Saadi Shirazi writes in the introduction to "Golestan":
What use is a tray of flowers to you? Take a page from my Rose Garden instead
A flower's beauty lasts but five or six days But this Rose Garden shall remain forever delightful
The same metaphor also appears in classical Persian prose. In "Kalila wa Dimna," one of the most celebrated works of classical Persian literature, the following passage appears in the story of the Lion and the Ox:
Whoever attains a lofty position, even if their life is as short as that of a flower, shall be regarded by the wise as having lived a long life because of the excellence of their deeds and the goodness of their reputation. But one who is content to remain obscure, even if they endure as long as a cypress leaf, holds little worth in the eyes of those possessing knowledge and noble character.
As mentioned earlier, the redness and radiance of a beloved's face and cheeks have often been compared to flowers. Such metaphors are abundant in Persian poetry. The word "gol" (flower) has also been combined with the word "azhar" (cheek or face) to form the compound expression "gol-azhar," a metaphor describing the beautiful face of a beloved. The renowned mystic poet Baba Taher Oryan expresses this in one of his passionate quatrains:
At last, you left me broken and forlorn And separated me from my rose-cheeked beloved
You seated me before the backgammon board And dealt me the six and five, sealing my fate
It is fitting to conclude this discussion with the following two couplets:
The flower is the symbol of our world's majesty and beauty Without the flower's face, spring is as sorrowful as autumn
The world's passion springs from the enchanting beauty of the flower Wherever a flower blooms, a nightingale sings its heart-wrenching song
References:
1- Flowers and Plants in Classical Persian Poetry, Dr. Gholamhossein Rangchi.
2- Ambiguity and Wordplay in Persian Poetry, Seyyed Mohammad Rastgoo.
