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May 14 8 tweets 7 min read Twitter logo Read on Twitter
چنان بد که یک روز بی انجمن
به نخجیر گه رفت با چنگزن
کجا نام آن رومی آزاده بود
که رنگ رخانش به می داده بود
به پشت هیونی چمان بر نشست
ابا سرو آزاده، چنگی به دست...
به پیش اندر آمدش آهو دو جفت
جوانمرد خندان به آزاده گفت... Bahram Gur & Azadeh, from C...
کدام آهو افکنده خواهی به تیر
که ماده جوان است و همتاش پیر
بدو گفت آزاده کی شیرمرد
به آهو نجویند مردان نبرد...

Photos: Story of Bahram Gur & Azadeh, 1: also from Chal Tarkhan, slightly post-Sasanian. 2: @ Hermitage, Sasanian era

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...کمان را به زه کرد بهرام گور
برانگیخت از دشت آرام، شور
دو پیکان، به ترکش یکی تیر داشت
به دشت اندر از بهر نخچیر داشت...

Photos: 1: Hermitage; 2: Private UK Collection; 3: @metmuseum , Sasanian era

⤵️ ImageImageImage
هم آنگه چو آهو شد اندر گریز
سپهبد سروهای آن نره، تیز
به تیر دو پیکان ز سر برگرفت
کنیزک بدو ماند اندر شگفت...

Photos: #Sasanian era seals of Bahram Gur & Azadeh hunting scene ImageImageImage
هم اندر زمان نر چون ماده گشت
سرش زان سروی سیه ساده گشت
همان بر سروگاه ماده دو تیر
بزد همچنان مرد نخچیر گیر
دو پیکان بجای سرو در سرش
بخون اندرون لعل گشته برش...

Photos: Post-Sasanian depictions of the story, 1-3 @metmuseum

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The depictions appear to continue from Sasanian era to modern times in Iran

1: @MuseeLouvre

This is a violent story which in one version ends in the harpist's death. But we can be fairly certain it goes back to Sasanian era

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There doesn't seem to be any moral to the story. It's just a violent legend.

Why such a story became so popular among illustrators is not known to me.

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2 other post-Sasanian depictions:

1: @ Berlin, 12-13 C CE
2: @ Brooklyn Museum, 12-13 C CE. ImageImage

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More from @On_Persia

May 10
"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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Read 6 tweets
May 8
Sasanian stucco from eastern #Iran

گچبری ساسانی در خراسان

In recent years, at least 4 sites (Bandian, Mele Hairam now outside Iran's borders, Bazeh Hur, Shilgan) have been excavated which give us a much better idea of this art form in eastern Iran, including Khorasan

⤵️ Mele Hairam
1) Mele Hairam: a number of important late Parthian-Sasanian finds. Likely a fire temple

⤵️ ImageImage
This piece is amazing

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Read 14 tweets
Apr 30
Wild Boar heads in Iranian architecture. The head alone is likely representation of deity of victory, Verethragna/ Bahram (بهرام)

سر گراز در معماری ایرانی

Photo: multiple stucco fragments @philamuseum from Tepe Hissar, Sasanian

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One example from Tepe Hissar

I wrote about boars in more details before, and gave many examples of boar heads as well as boar hunting etc. across various media in ancient Iran

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Ramāvand, Qalā Gūri, #Sasanian

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Read 8 tweets
Apr 29
Earliest depiction of #Simurgh/ Senmurv (سیمرغ) in the world I am aware of: sealing, Excavated @ Bandian (بندیان), 5 C CE (i.e., 401 - 500), possibly reign of Bahram V

Firmly establishing this motif as #Sasanian. Now @ Great Museum of Khorasan (موزه بزرگ خراسان)

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Various seals & other objects were found @ Bandian. As far as I know, this particular one hasn't been fully published.

Some of the other sealings & seals from Bandian

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Some other important Sasanian objects @ Great Museum of Khorasan

4: excavated throne leg.

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Read 8 tweets
Apr 23
Virtual Museum: The Tillya Tepe (Tillā tapa: Golden Hill; طلا تپه) Treasure, northern Afghanistan (Khorasan)

I hope these objects will remain safe. Photo: From March 1990 National Geographic magazine article

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"The hoard is a collection of about 20,600 ornaments, coins & other kinds of artifacts, made of gold, silver, ivory, etc., that were found in six burial mounds erected for five women & one man, with extremely rich jewelry, dated to around 1st C BCE-1st C CE."

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I'm not going to write too much here.

Most images have descriptions. So you can enjoy the treasure and read more if you like

⤵️ ImageImage
Read 32 tweets
Mar 21
Iranian #Nowruz (Sasanian Middle Persian/Parsig: nōgrōz) is ancient, but an even more ancient name for the celebration is Nāvā sardā

I've looked at ~ 20 articles on Nowruz, but unfortunately can't find anything on its more ancient roots... Can anyone help? 🌼🌸

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I find it fascinating because by all accounts in Sasanian Middle Persian & modern Persian, year = sāl

Only in Parthian, old Persian & Avestan is it Sarad > sard, which points to the name likely being more ancient.

From excellent thread by @ArnoAlahverdian on Armenian Nawasard
here:

we learn the term goes back to Old Persian, (possibly Parthian)

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Read 12 tweets

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