Thread by @PersiaAntigua

24 #Iranian motifs & designs used for centuries from China to Rome: Part 3

۲۴ طرح و نقش ایرانی که از چین تا روم برای چند صد سال استفاده میشده.

No. 19) Mythological Creatures: Winged horse

⤵️🧵

I don't agree with Dr. Canepa. Oldest reps of winged horse are from Iran. At least they're from same time as those in Greece. Not to say later depictions didn't have some contact with Greek forms too, but winged horse/Pegasus has been an important Iranian mythological creature

... for millennia. See for example:

1: Sialk, 10-9 C BCE
2: from ancient Luristan, @MuseeLouvre
4: 8-7 C BCE, @metmuseum

⤵️

I'll just provide a few examples here. There are numerous seals, other depictions from Parthian, Sasanian eras!

4: @hermitage_eng

See other examples:

https://twitter.com/On_Persia/status/1506064516970332162?s=20&t=VdkefzZycd7qd7kyXa9G7A

⤵️

We then see the same design on textile

Here one more Sasanian plate

2: from Egypt, 6-7 C, @ Lyon
3-4: from Egypt, @ Louvre

Also note Sasanian scarf/ribbons on horse, crescent in roundels, winged horses in roundels, all Iranian designs

https://twitter.com/On_Persia/status/1568394884415111168?s=20&t=kRh2gJKB-uZp_tSyEcPW_Q

⤵️

See this one specifically from Iranian lands, @ al Sabah collection

Silk samite, eastern Iran, 5-6 C, reportedly from Samangan Province, northern Afghanistan

Note Mariachiara Gasparini does not consider this private collection in her analysis. As I said, I disagree with

⤵️

analysis & hypothesis. She completely ignores today's Iran and calls these designs and textiles "Central Asian". That is wrong in several respects, including clearly Iranian motifs,

From Egypt: 1-2 @ Lyon, 3 @ Germany

⤵️

Zoroastrian funerary practices etc. Idea of supposed "Evidence" should not prejudice one group of people because they did not bury their dead with textiles on them...

Even so, she does not consider salt mummies I discussed before, nor the al Sabah Collection.

⤵️

Winged horses on textiles

1: 7-8 C, some "Central Asian" and Sogdian

⤵️

More winged horses

1: 4-6 C, Egypt or Mediterranean based on #Sasanian design
3: @GWTextileMuseum
4: private collection

also see part one of these motif threads:

https://twitter.com/On_Persia/status/1567685818826821634?s=20&t=kRh2gJKB-uZp_tSyEcPW_Q

⤵️

And winged horse designs from China

2-4: @cnsilkmuseum

⤵️

20) Mythological Creatures: #Simurgh

I will not argue about identity of this creature too much here. I have shown Compareti has made some very questionable arguments to say these are not Simurgh, & they are allegedly Parthian or "Central Asian"!

EARLIEST confirmed rep is
⤵️

@ Taqe Bostan, on Khosrow II's equestrian relief (before 628 C). We know this is a Sasanian king by inclusion of royal Sasanian sign, insignia on the horse

Afrasiab murals in Sogdia are from 648-651 CE, AND they show Simurgh only on clothing of ambassadors, likely Sasanian

⤵️

We have repeat of Simurgh at Taqe Bostan, again on clothing of Khosrow II, whose images I showed previously even match those on some of his coins, etc.!

⤵️

In another horrible argument, Compareti argues Taqe Bostan is allegedly called "Taqe Bastam" in local, Kurdish or other language! Note no modern name for a site can be used in this way to argue history! There are other locations around Iran called Bastam

see e.g., Bastam Citadel

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastam_Ci…

in Northwestern Iran, and town of Bastam in north eastern Iran, Semnan province!

We cannot just take these modern names to imply some connection with Vistahm, maternal uncle of Khosrow II!

2 Sasanian examples of Simurgh depictions, see other threads

for numerous other examples. Compareti also ignores evidence from Bundahishn, other MP sources! A string of the worst hypotheses I have seen in my life by this author & those who follow him

We then see Simurgh on clothing as well, from Byzantium to China!

1-2: Afrasiab murals

Note Afrasiab murals were not founded by Afrasiab! lol, nor was Takhte Jamsheed (Persepolis) by Jamshid! smh

1-3 @V_and_A

⤵️

1: Belgium
2: Belgium, 2-7 C
3: Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence, 11th C

⤵️

1: @GWTextileMuseum : note Simurghs are standing here
2: Private Collection
3: 9-10 C
4: Central Asia or Sasanian, Carlo Cristi

⤵️

Some examples of Simurgh depiction from Alanic people

3: girl's hat

⤵️

Another example of standing Simurgh from China,

8-9 C, reconstructed in part

⤵️

And Simurgh motif copied in Byzantium from Sasanian empire

Note some of the previous textiles were also from Byzantium, now across Europe. Motif was used all the way to Spain and elsewhere in Europe for centuries after fall of Sasanian empire

⤵️

21) Tree of Life

Also used by others in Near East, and for millennia in Iran.

1: Marlik

⤵️

1-3: From ancient Jiroft civilization
4: from ancient Luristan

⤵️

2: Scythian
3: ancient Luristan
4: I believe Achaemenid

⤵️

1-3: Tree of Life: #Achaemenid era

4: private collection, possible fake

⤵️

Tree of Life: Sasanian era

⤵️

Tree of Life: Sasanian era

⤵️

Tree of life motif on textile

1: 7-8 C
2: Sogdian
3: Central Asia-665-770, Abegg-Stiftung
4: #Sogdian, 7-8C, Sotheby's

⤵️

22) #Paisley = Boteh Jegheh , Tear drop motif

1: Achaemenid
2: Sasanian or post-Sasanian, @mfaboston
3-4: Sasanian or post-Sasanian, 4 from Egypt

⤵️

2: 7th C, @metmuseum
3: 700s, @ClevelandArt

⤵️

more paisley design examples

1: from Egypt, 6 C, @ V&A
2: from Egypt, 7-10 C, @ V&A
3: @ Lyon

⤵️

23) Other Flower & Plant designs

Not that these are exclusively Iranian in origin, but it's interesting to see these design alongside other ones I have mentioned so far

Achaemenid period, 4: Achaemenid Lycia

⤵️

Parthian period, 1 & 4: Hatra
2-3: Palmyra

⤵️

1-2: Sasanian period, @metmuseum
3: Parthian period, from Dura Europos

⤵️

1: Sarikhani Collection, part of Sasanian era textile
Sasanian design of flower in other media

⤵️

Possible Iranian designs

1: from Astana, now @ India
2: Aachen Cathedral treasure, Germany

Note also roundel design

⤵️

There are numerous other plant & flower designs in Sasanian architecture, metal objects etc. that I'm excluding here for a shorter thread. But see these beautiful designs as examples

⤵️

1: 8th C
2: 8th C, @LACMA
3: 9-11 C, @ClevelandArt

⤵️

1-3: From Egypt, now @MuseeLouvre

⤵️

1-3: Sogdian
4: Alanic

⤵️

24) Geometric designs!

As promised, 24 designs & motifs! This one was popular throughout Iranian history

Achaemenid era

⤵️

More Achaemenid era geometric designs (some more abstract form of flowers, plants etc.), or plant designs I have mistakenly put under geometric (like the ones here)

⤵️

Among Scythians, see designs on clothing!

⤵️

Some examples from Parthian era

1: coin of Vologases II
3: @metmuseum
4: @ Louvre

⤵️

Sasanian era geometric designs on clothing, sometimes combined with other designs

⤵️

More Sasanian examples

1-2: Bandian

⤵️

More Sasanian examples

Note for now I'm ignoring whether 1-2 are genuine or not

⤵️

1: likely post-Sasanian, al Sabah collection
2-3: from salt men @ Iran

⤵️

Geometric designs from textile in Egypt

1: @ V&A
2-4: from Egypt, @ Louvre

⤵️

Geometric designs from textile in Egypt

1-2: @ Louvre. Note what looks like fire altar in photo 1! Not clear if this is from Iranian background or Roman one
3-4: @ Amsterdam now

⤵️

Geometric designs in Central Asia:

1: Sogdian
2: Hephthalites, @ Kucha
3-4: Mount Mugh, Sogdian

⤵️

1: 8th C, @ MET
2: 200-800 C, from Astana, @V_and_A
3: recreated pattern, from Egypt, @MuseeLouvre
4: also from Egypt, swastikas, @ Louvre, there are a number of textiles with swastikas on them from Egypt (at least 3 I've seen)

⤵️

And geometric patterns on clothing among Alanic people :)

A lot of textile was imported, but some was locally produced as well, especially likely is the double-axe symbol (very stylized, abstract boars) I talked about before which is unique to Alanic people.