Boteh Jegheh (Paisley): A media from national cultural discourse to international one

Semiotics of culture

Abstract

Today, Boteh Jegheh is a symbol found in Iran’s and some other countries’ artistic discourse. There are controversies about the origin of this symbol. It has been said that it is derived from cedar, pine, fire, Simurgh, etc. Boteh Jegheh has gone to culture, and it has produced discourse and expressed identity in culture. Today, this symbol has penetrated the borders and has been drawn from the national cultural discourse to the international one. Boteh Jegheh belongs to cultural and mythological experiences; in other words, when it is studied from the narration point of view, it is clear that Boteh Jegheh has a mythological origin and creates narration. By producing a narrative, it can create a discourse. The problem is that how Boteh Jegheh has gained its discourse legitimacy, which has caused its development within the narration that make it possible to transfer to other cultures in addition to preserving its identity during the time passage. Based on the research problem, the questions are: How has Boteh Jegheh preserved its narration position within the discourses? How has it developed its discourse role and function? How has it been able to reach from the national discourse to the international one throughout history? In order to answer the questions, the semiotic approach of discourse was chosen to show the value position of Boteh Jegheh, as well as analyzing the conditions of its narration development within multiple discourses. The results indicated that in artistic social systems, Boteh Jegheh preserves its value by movement and rebirth. Boteh Jegheh achieves its identity and permanence not by stability but by change. Through imaginary system, Boteh Jegheh makes a dialogue between nature and culture, in this way it links its value with myth and imagination. As a result, it breaks the boundaries and gradually moves from a national position to an international one.