Peris, in Persian mythology, are descendants of fallen angels who have been denied paradise until they have done penance. In earlier times, they were described as agents of evil; later, thye became known as benevolent. They are winged, fairy-like creatures ranking between angels and evil spirits. They occasionally visit the mortal realm. Peris were the target of a lower-level of evil beings called divs, who captured them in iron cages. Their persecution was because, as the divs thought, the Peris lacked self-esteem to join the rebellion against good.
In Paul Dukas's 1912 French ballet entitled La Peri, a Magi named Iskender travels through Iran in search of the flower of immortality. Iskender finds a Peri carrying both the flower and a lute. Iskender steals the flower, but it is transformed by Ormuzd into Iskender's earthly desires. Peri does a dance, drawing closer and closer to Iskender until she is able to take back the flower, then disappears. Iskender realizes that he has been stranded and left to die.
Cold Cast is a modern method of casting sculptures using a mixture of resin and powdered polymer materials. The finished sculpture has a surface which looks very similar to traditionally cast material, but tends to be much lighter.
