Peri

The Winged Female Spirit

Embroidery of a woman with butterfly wings, wearing colorful garments, gold jewelry, and a headband with an orange feather, holding a stick near her lips.

This embroidery focuses on the peri, a mythological figure associated with beauty and enchantment in Persian mythology. Depicted as a winged female spirit, the peri held an important role in pre-Islamic Zoroastrian beliefs. The figure in this piece blends Persian and Indian aesthetics, and holds a karna (karnay)—a long metal-alloy trumpet.

Collection: The Musician Goddesses Series


Technique: Embroidered on alpaca fabric using Turkish embroidery, Chinese embroidery (silk shading), stem stitch, backstitch, French knot, couching, fishbone stitch, and chain stitch techniques.


Inspiration: Inspired by a peri illustration from the Kalighat painting catalog, Persian miniatures, carpet motifs in the Tehran Museum, and a bronze karna exhibited in the Persepolis Museum.

Karna / Kerrenay

Large metal-alloy trumpets have been used in ceremonial contexts by Persian, Turkic, Hindu, and Tajik cultures. The instrument in our collection was made in 2021 by F. Obul upon my special request.
Photo by M. Bülent Mortaş

A long, green, curved trumpet with a gold accent, displayed upright on a clear stand against a dark background.
Fossilized dinosaur femur bone on display in a museum case

Karna – Persepolis Museum

Ancient stone carving of three human figures holding hands.

Female musicians playing the karna for the ruler – Taq-e Bostan / Iran (4th century CE)

A decorative area rug with intricate floral patterns and gold, red, black, and green colors on a beige background in a museum setting.

Iranian Carpet – Tehran Museum