The Evolution of Religious Imagery in Ancient Cultures and Civilizations and Divine Religions: A Comparative Study

in the name of allah

The Evolution of Religious Imagery in Ancient Cultures and Civilizations and Divine Religions: A Comparative Study

Mohammad Iranmanesh *

Naser Bahonar **

Mohammad Reza Sharifzadeh ***

Abstract:

This article examines the evolution of religious imagery in various historical civilizations. It begins with cave paintings as the first human attempts to depict supernatural and magical forces and overcome the surrounding world, and then examines art in the ancient world. Next, the emergence of Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Islamic divine religions and their impact on the art of religious imagery are examined. The data were collected through library methods (research, articles, and documents) and a comparative analytical method was used to analyze them. The article compares and contrasts different approaches in this field. Iranian art, both before and after Islam, has a special place in this study, and Iranian painting and drawing are analyzed as outstanding examples of religious art. Finally, the article emphasizes the special place of image and art in Islam and the spiritual perspectives of Islamic art, and tries to provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of art in expressing and transmitting religious concepts throughout history.

Keywords: Religious imagery, ancient arts, divine religions