Shahmaran
Shahmaran (Persian: شاهماران Şahmaran, 'Shah (king) of the Snakes'; Kurdish: Şahmaran/Şamaran, Turkish: "Şahmeran", Tatar: Şahmara or Zilant, Зилант or Aq Yılan, Chuvash: Вĕреçĕлен, 'Fire snake'), is a mythical creature, half woman and half snake, found with different variations in the folklore of Iran, Anatolia, the Armenian Highlands, Iraq, and of the Kurds. The name of Shahmaran comes from Persian words "Shah" (شاه) and "Maran" (ماران). "Shah" is a title used for Persian kings, "mar" means snake, but in plural "mar-an" means snakes. Mythology. Shahmaran is a mythical creature, half snake and half woman, the first human she  encounters is a young man named Camasb (also known as Yada Jamsab, Jamisav, Jamasp in other versions of the story). Camasb gets stuck in a cave after he tries to steal honey with a few friends, his friends leave him alone in the cave. He decides to explore the cave and finds a passage to a chamber that looks like a mystical and beautiful garden with thousands of off-white colored snakes and the Shahmaran living together harmoniously. At this point Shahmaran and Camasb fall in love and live in the cave chamber, and the Shahmaran teaches him about medicines  and medicinal herbs. Camasb misses living above ground and wants to leave, he tells the Shahmaran he will not share the secret of her living there. Many years pass. The king of the town of Tarsus becomes ill and the vizier discovers the treatment of his condition requires the Shahmaran flesh. Camasb tells the towns people where Shahmaran lives, according to the legend Shahmaran says, “blanch me in an earthen dish, give my extract to the vizier, and feed my flesh to the sultan.” They bring her to the town and kill her in a bath called, "Şahmaran Hamam". The  king eats her flesh and lives, the vizier drinks the extract and dies. Camasb drinks the water of Shahmaran and becomes a doctor, by gaining the Shahmaran's wisdom. Since it is an old story, there are many variations of the same story. Popular culture. In Turkey, Shahmaran is believed to live in the Mediterranean town of Tarsus and a similar legend is told in the Mardin region, a town with a large Kurdish and Arab population. In eastern Turkey, the tale of Shahmaran is still popular, where the population of the country is roughly 15% – 20% Kurdish. In these  regions her legend is commonly evoked, with her image depicted in embroidery, fabrics, rugs, and jewelry. The story and imagery of Shahmaran are considered a national treasure in Turkey. Many of the versions of the story of Shahmaran are found in fictional books including the J.C. Mardrus translation of Arabian Night Tales as the story of "Jemlia - the Sultan of Underground" and "The Ring of Shah Maran, A Story from the Mountains of Turkey." The 1944 fairy tale book called "The Ring of Shah Maran, A Story from the Mountains of Kurdistan" by Raphael Emmanuel tells the folk story of  a boy that shares bread with animals and earns the respect of Shahmaran. Dutch singer of Iranian descent, Sevdaliza, included a song titled "Shahmaran" on her debut studio album "ISON". Since c. 2016, LGBTQ supporters in Turkey and locations in the Middle East have been using the image of Shahmaran as symbol of supporting LGBTQ issues. Shahmaran's image has also been used to symbolize the strength of Kurdish women by artist Zehra Doğan. In 2020, the Mardin Metropolitan Municipality in Turkey hosted a public art exhibition, "Shahmaran Mardin," featuring Shahmaran statues artist by Ayla Turan, that were decorated by  local artists and businesses. Historical references. The Shah Maran–Daulatabad basin is an ancient irrigation system from the Iron Age, found in the 1960s and 1970s near Tepe Yahya in southwestern Iran. In Adana in southern Turkey, the Yılankale (Snake Castle) is locally known as the home of Shahmaran. Shahmeran Hamam a historical hamam (Turkish bath) in Tarsus, Turkey, associated with Shahmaran.