"Nišānscheibe": Nishān (personal/clan device) discs in #Sasanian art
1: Well known one from Ctesiphon
These are, when more complex, usually referred to as monograms
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2: also Ctesiphon
Also with the famous wings motif from Sasanian era
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3: possibly another one
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4: From Kish, Iraq. Not sure if someone has read this as a monogram yet
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I previously talked about how some scholars have attempted to tentatively read some monograms
Some examples here similar to the last one on our list
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5: Tepe Hissar
Not sure if someone has read/ deciphered this one either. But it shouldn't be too hard given many similar ones have been published in the past couple of decades.
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Achaemenid Royal Audience Scene, inside shield of Persian soldier on so-called 'Alexander Sarcophagus'
4th C BCE, from Sidon, @ Istanbul Archaeology Museums, Photos: Fluorescent UV & Reconstruction
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An older drawing without some of the details (1);
There are parallels, precedents to #Achaemenid royal scenes in Assyrian, Elamite, other Near Eastern art. Drawing in photo 2 for example is likely of an older, Elamite seal which continued to be used in Achaemenid court
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We see examples of this royal audience scene @ Persepolis, here reconstructed from the fuller image @ Apadana, and another modern recreation @ Zinat al-Molk House
Treatment of dogs was very different in ancient Iran. They were considered beneficial, helpful animals and were to be treated well.
Photo: Persian hound or Saluki, 16th C CE
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I started this research to show Simurgh should not be called the "dog-bird". Along the way, I found ancient & modern breeds across the Near East and Central Asia regions, with a lot of continuity
For example see these Assyrian (1-3) & old Babylonian examples (@britishmuseum)
likely hounds and the last one in the last tweet being an older type of mastiff
Some references from Parthian era: we can certainly assume the colours did not change in Sasanian era, and like many other ways, the same colours were used later on as well
Ref 1: Parthian era textile with colours like purple