Central Asia and Anatolia · Cosmos, sky and cycles
Hayat ağacı (tree of life)
The tree that links earth to sky; the path by which the kam (shaman) rises to the sky.
What does it mean?
In the shamanist worldview the universe is divided into three layers: sky, earth and underworld. The branches drawn on Uzbek kam drums symbolise the world tree; the frame of the kam drum is also made of birch or cedar wood [1]. In Turkish culture the tree represents existence, vitality and abundance [2]. The tree of life, sacred in pre-Islamic Turkish belief, later became an ornamental motif in art; in the Ottoman period it became prominent in the style of Kara Memi [3].
Related plants
- Juniper: Sacred tree burned before ceremonies in Central Asian shamanism: arça.
- Bay laurel: Apollo’s sacred tree.
- Ginkgo: Sacred tree planted in temple gardens in China.
Same theme
Sources
Drawing: Bitki Tabanı, interpreted from the traditional motif.