The Peacock Wheel: Cultural Fluctuations in the Use of a Decorative Motif in Byzantium and Beyond

Since ancient times, peacock feathers have been considered a symbol of regeneration. Then, in the iconography of early Christian and Byzantine art they acquired further ideological meanings. Though they have been used both as a decorative pattern for abstract backgrounds and as a naturalistic device for archangels’ wings, this motif affected also the profane sphere and turned quickly into an insignia of power. Concerning the latter, one of the most important examples is the imperial headgear known as toupha. In the early Byzantine period, it was a precious helmet, like the one represented on the lost gold medallion of Justinian I once in Paris. Later, as textual and visual sources such as the silk tapestry known as “Gunthertuch” now in Bamberg attest, it became a ceremonial crown enriched with a crest of peacock feathers. Outside the Byzantine Empire and even in modern times, this model preserved its dual function. In the religious contexts, peacock feathers appear in the liturgical and ceremonial practise, as suggested by the decoration of the papal tiara and flabella in specific cases; moreover, less elaborate fans were used in some Catholic rites until the half of the 20th century. In profane settings, similar banners and other insignias acquired a political value in the rituals of power of Eastern monarchies of the recent past. On the other hand, a popular connotation emerged too, as the use of peacock feathers in many Eastern European peasant wedding costumes demonstrates. A parallel approach survives in the present-day Germany, where they appear both in some religious processions and Carnival parades. This wide-ranging set of case studies shows the long-lasting life of a motif, the genesis of which is deeply rooted in the ancient tradition, but its flourishing relates to the Medieval and Byzantine period. The use of such an image both in the sacred and in the profane spheres coincides with its dual nature, ideally represented by the fluctuating movement of the peacock wheel. The superimposition of the iconographic pattern and the performative act in the modern era restates the value of a symbol of eternity in both fine arts and ceremonial practices.