The iconography and symbology of the dragon in Armenian manuscript paintings

Abstract

Miniature paintings depicting the dragon (vishap) in its various symbolic and iconographic expressions as serpent-fish are shown in depictions of the ‘Baptism’, ‘Harrowing of Hell’, ‘Salvation of the Souls’, ‘The Last Judgment’, ‘Abraham’s Lap’, ‘Calming of the Storm’, ‘Enoch’s Vision’, ‘Jonah Being Swallowed by a Whale’, and more. In church art, the defeated and neutralised dragon and the disgraced serpent of paradise display a dual symbolic nature. As a symbol of wisdom, they appear on the staffs of the Catholicos, Bishops, and Archimandrites. The fish symbol is apparent in the symbolism of Catholicos’ crown. This fact suggests that dragon-serpent-fish have ancient and close ties to one another. Such symbolic incompatibilities confirm that the dragon-snake-fish symbolic unit did not arise in the milieu of Christian philosophy. With their ancient roots, together they represent a closely interconnected and continuous ideology-symbology, which is rooted in ancient pagan mythological understandings. In different situations, this unit expresses and symbolises the same important ancient deity or his various expressions. These expressions were neutralised by the new religion, in demonstrating or confirming Christ’s complete victory over this ancient deity. Subsequently, these ancient mythological, interrelated, and symbolic elements were transferred into the system of monotheism, where they adapted to the philosophical and symbolic needs of the new religion.