Shahmaran Glass Art- pink [Turkey]

Shahmaran is the ancient symbol of female wisdom, fertility and beauty whose engravings have been found in Göbekli Tepe(the oldest known place of human worship in the world). She is popularly believed to bring good luck and blessings to homes. What happy home doesn't need that? This a fabulous handcrafted painting which makes a super cool wall statement.

Half beautiful woman and half snake Shahmaran's name derives from Persian- "Shah" which is a title used for Persian kings, "mar-an" means snakes. Put it all together and you have King of the snakes.  She is considered a 10,000 year old intangible verbal cultural treasure. Especially popular in Turkey where her story and imagery are considered a national treasure. She also makes for great dinner party conversation!

THE DETAILS

-Sourced directly from the master craftsmen of Mardin, in South Eastern Turkey.

-100% handmade

-Rustic hand carved wooden frame

-Reverse glass painting with golden highlights and artists signature

-Richly decorated with protective symbols

-Hangs decoratively on a wall 

-Height 28.5cm (full frame)

-Width 22.2cm (full frame)

THE STORY

KA PAI loves telling the stories behind our craftspeople and products. The first visit to Mardin was accidental but it was true love. The legend of Shahmaran is long, complicated and has MANY versions. Our favourite version can be read here.  

These handcrafted, cultural, gems are made with love and incredible skill in Mardin, Turkey. The ancient city of Mardin is UNESCO protected and sits on a rocky hilltop providing stunning views over the plains of Mesopotamia. It's a cultural melting pot whose population keep the legend of Shahmaran alive. The city hosted a festival and exhibition in 2020 to enrich the cultural, and artistic, life of Turkey and revive the myth of Shahmaran. The exhibition was also intended to challenge gender discrimination, and reveal the true identity and value of women. 

We'd love to hear from you if you have any questions.
*We do our very best to make sure colours are as close to real life as possible. Your computer may not. Silly machines.