Help needed with strange print, snake cult? Indian, Turkish?

This strange print came with a job lot of books which I think was a dealer's group of problem pieces in need of identification or repair, so maybe the previous owner didn't know what it was either. It is full of symbolism, mainly snakes but also iions, scorpions, a crescent and stars, a small pavilion . . . There is some writing which looks Arabic. It is printed in colour on thin but decent paper. I expected to find some clues with a google search but have found nothing like it. I thought that it was probably something sold at some kind of festival, and probably quite common, but it seems not common, or maybe not worth putting online! Can anybody help me, or even just suggest search terms for it? I don't imagine it has any real value but would like to identify it before moving it on. Size about 23ins x 16ins.

 

P.S. I love the calm, rather human-faced lions, which remind me of the lion in the Wizard of Oz!

 

The green flag could be the Kingdom of Egypt.
The scene looks scholarly.
I'd say it's a tribute to medical uses of snake and scorpion venoms.

James.

 

I think that sounds very plausible! I've just looked up Egyptian flags, and the green flag was in use from 1923 to 1958, which gives a reasonable date for the print. The connection of venom between the scorpions and snakes is also logical, although it doesn't explain the lions! It just goes to show that there is information out there, if one uses the right research terms - I was searching for "snake cult", India and Turkey, all wrong! I still have questions about the print, like who printed it and who it was intended for, so I will continue my search, greatly aided by your help. Thank you very much!

 

I would assume the lions are symbolism for the power of the venom.

 

Could well be, perhaps not just power but a benevolent use of the power, they look surprisingly tame. So much symbolism, it's a bit like a medieval painting! Do you have any ideas who the print might be intended for? Maybe doctors practising treatment with venom had it on their surgery walls, to reassure their less literate patients with the message that snake venom is not to be feared?

 

Strictly conjecture: might be a pro-monarchist thing... an empty throne and everything overrun by snakes (that can be seen as creatures of the underworld). Farouk abidicated in '52 and his infant son Faud II was deposed in '53.

Could that banner on the left be seen as an Arabic rendering of Faud?

 

Well, I guess the scholarly thing to do is to learn Arabic , rather than indulging an overactive imagination.

 

Sometimes imagination is all we've got to go on.

 

Each of the 3 men in the scene seems to have a different relationship with the snakes: one is actively cultivating them; one is uninvolved & unbothered; one appears under assault. In the East snakes are associated with wisdom.

It is probably significant that the man feeding the snake has a fancier robe than the other two.

 

I do think that the Arabic text may give clues to the meaning of the print, but I know myself well enough to discount the idea of me actually being able to learn Arabic at this point in my life! A more feasible course would be to find an Arabic speaker, although it isn't a quesstion one wants to accost strangers with! I hope one might find this forum and help me out! The print now seems to me to have medical, political and maybe mystical meanings, maybe needing an Egyptian cultural background to fully understand.

 

Yes, the three figures do have different roles. The main figure lower left seems to be milking the snakes for their venom, perhaps to put in that large metal vessel nearby. The seated man seems to add a spiritual element. The one in the background is either handling the snakes or is perhaps being attacked, he does look a bit startled! This print is a lot more complicated than I first imagined, and I think I will learn a lot while researching it, with the help from the lovely Antiquers here.

 

I should have been clear in that my response was for moreotherstuff and the political view offered. I can see that as a very real option.

 

I know this is way old, but in case anyone is still interested, the Arabic text on the flags says "Allah" (on the right) and "Muhammad" (on the left). The text on the pedestal is talking about Ahmed ar-Rifa'i who founded a Sufi order where some of the followers were into snake charming and such (lit. "This is the place of Sr Ahmed al-Rifai, may Allah be pleased with him").

Edited to add: I said 'place', it's literally "maqam" which is a shrine or could be a tomb.

 

Kate, thank you for that. It's never too late to learn something interesting. I see scorpions too. Was the sect into consorting with poisonous creatures more generally, not just venomous snakes?

 

Right, primarily I've heard of them with snakes but a cursory search mentions handling scorpions, falling on swords, walking on hot coals.. dangerous things that in their state of meditation is supposed to allow them to do with no ill effect.. isn't there a Christian group that does something similar?

 

There is a group that tests their faith through snake handling, but that's all I know about them. An Indian sadhu might also engage in this.

 

Very interesting, thanks for educating, Kate.
Actually, in parts of Bulgaria and Greece there is a Christian custom of walking on hot coals. Although it might have originated earlier, in the pagan times:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anastenaria

 

Thank you all for your renewed interest, and particularly Kate Q for her translations of the Arabic. I've looked up Ahmed ar-Rifa'i on Wikipedia, and found he lived about 800 years ago, and he sounds like an extremely charitable person and great teacher. There must still be followers of his teachings in modern Egypt. I haven't found the venom connection yet, but will keep looking! The help from all of you has been tremendous!