The Yezidis: The History of a Community, Culture and Religion - Brossura

Aikyildiz, Birgl

Brossura

ISBN 10: 1784532169 ISBN 13: 9781784532161

Casa editrice: I B Tauris & Co Ltd, 2014

Riassunto

Yezidism is a fascinating part of the rich cultural mosaic of the Middle East. The Yezidi faith emerged for the first time in the twelfth century in the Kurdish mountains of northern Iraq. The religion, which has become notorious for its associations with 'devil worship', is in fact an intricate syncretic system of belief, incorporating elements from proto-Indo-European religions, early Iranian faiths like Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism, Sufism and regional paganism like Mithraism. Birgul Acikyildiz here offers a comprehensive appraisal of Yezidi religion, society and culture. Written without presupposing any prior knowledge about Yezidism, and in an accessible and readable style, her book examines Yezidis not only from a religious point of view but as a historical and social phenomenon. She throws light on the origins of Yezidism, and charts its development and changing fortunes - from its beginnings to the present- as part of the general history of the Kurds. Her book is the first to place Yezidism in its complete geographical setting in Northern Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Transcaucasia.
The author describes the Yezidi belief system (which considers Tawusi Melek - the 'Peacock Angel' - to be ruler of the earth) and its religious practices and observances, analysing the most important facets of Yezidi religious art and architecture (including funerary monuments and zoomorphic tombstones) and their relationship to their neighbours throughout the Middle East. Acikyildiz also explores the often misunderstood connections between Yezidism and the Satan/Sheitan of Christian and Muslim tradition. Richly illustrated, with accompanying maps, photographs and illustrations, this pioneering book will have strong appeal to all those with an interest in the culture of the Kurds, as well as the wider region.

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Recensione:

'Birgul Acikyildiz's amazing book... shows how rich and varied is the culture-compost of the area between Iraq and Syria now being forcibly homogenised and ethnically cleansed by Isis.'
William Dalrymple, Guardian

'A fascinating narrative and photographic journey through Yezidi religion, society and material culture.'
Nelida Fuccaro, SOAS, University of London

'Will probably long remain the definitive work.'
--Martin van Bruinessen, Utrecht University

"Will probably long remain the definitive work." --- Martin van Bruinessen, Utrecht University

L'autore:

A specialist in medieval Islamic and Ottoman art and architecture, and an expert on Yezidi religion and culture, Birgul Acikyildiz is Professor of the History of Art at Mardin Artuklu University. Before taking this post she was Research Fellow in the Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Oxford, and taught in the Department of Islamic Art and Archaeology of the University of Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne.

Su questa edizione

• Editore: I B Tauris & Co Ltd
• Data di pubblicazione: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1784532169
• ISBN 13: 9781784532161
• Rilegatura: Copertina flessibile
• Numero di pagine: 283