Senmurv 

Senmurv is clearly depicted in Sasanian art from the 6th to 7th century as a composite animal. It is frequently represented with a snarling dog head, two paws with three claws, the wings, and the tail of a peacock. The wing feathers rise from a circular base and curl towards the front. The long, oval-shaped tail depicts a highly stylized foliage pattern.

Both the dog and the peacock are associated with the rainy season. The Senmurv is revered for its ability to bring rain and spread the seeds of all plants from the tree, symbolizing its role as a harbinger of growth, fertility, and prosperity. In Sasanian art, it is considered as a royal symbol, but more generally as a symbol of good fortune. 

Composite animals similar to Senmurv can be found in the Near East, Central Asia, and China, but it is unclear what they were called or if there is any historical connection between them. Some scholars have suggested that earlier creatures, such as the lion-griffin of Mesopotamia or the Hellenistic hippocampus, may have served as models, but it is unlikely that a single source can be identified. The motif of composite animals spread throughout Eurasia with other elements of Sasanian art and continued to be used for many centuries after the fall of the Persian Empire. In early Islamic art, Senmurv's imagery can be found in several regions, including Iran, Syria, Jordan, as well as in Christian contexts in Georgia, Armenia, and Byzantium. 

Simorgh, a bird creature with similarities to Senmurv, appeared in in epic tales, folklore, and mystical literature, after the Sasanian era. In Ferdowsi's Shah-Nama, Simorgh is portrayed as a large bird with long feathers and tail, revered as a savior, tutor, and guardian. Its wings symbolize fortune and grace (farr). 

The Simorgh is a prominent figure in classical and contemporary Persian literature, often serving as a male symbol of God in Sufi mysticism. The most well-known reference to the Simorgh is found in Aṭṭar’s ‘The Conference of the Birds,’ where the Simorgh is portrayed as the king of the birds who resides behind inaccessible mountains.