Ancient Iran Profile picture
I write on ancient Iranians.🔥
𐭯𐭠𐭯𐭪𐭩 Profile picture Vandād ī Xrafstarzadārān Profile picture 2 subscribed
Mar 30 7 tweets 4 min read
Rhytons are rather rare in Sasanian Iran. But one known shape shared with others in Central Asia as well is the compact horn & gazelle's head protome

This one only entered the Smithsonian in the 80s, though it was known since the 60s ... ⤵️ https://asia.si.edu/explore-art-culture/collections/search/edanmdm:fsg_S1987.33/ Based on the analysis in "Ancient Iranian metalwork in the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and the Freer Gallery of Art" it's likely early Sasanian

In any event, similar ones were used for centuries in West & Central Asia

Partho-Sasanian rhyton, excavated @ Babylon ... Image
Jan 7 15 tweets 7 min read
Achaemenid amphora & amphora-rhytons

Depiction: Armenian delegation, Persepolis

⤵️🧵 Image Other depictions @ Persepolis:

1: Armenian
2: Lydian
4: Medes


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Sep 13, 2023 7 tweets 4 min read
Some additional notes on Sasanian instruments, from the MP text Khosrow and Ridak:

A) This instrument is the barbat (with later changes called oud (photo 3)), not "win"/ ون, I made detailed notes on it in multiple threads



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B) Some sources note "win" and "win-kenār" are types of harp, e.g.,

بررسی ابزار موسیقی دوره ی ساسانی بر پایه ی متن پهلوی خسرو قبادان و ریدگ

Although some sources note these could be instruments from India

Azarnouche translates the first 3 to French as... Image
Jun 18, 2023 9 tweets 5 min read
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

⤵️ Imagehttps://www.metmuseum.org/a... 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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Jun 17, 2023 30 tweets 19 min read
History of Dogs in Iran

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

⤵️🧵 Image 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) ImageImageImageImage
Jun 10, 2023 43 tweets 25 min read
Study of Colour in #Sasanian Iran

We have enough reference materials for study & recreation of colours in Parthian-Sasanian eras

Photo: Etchmiadzin Gospels, likely 6-7 C CE depiction of 3 magi

⤵️ Image Together with refs to royal colours, like Hamza al-Isfahani's Tarīk̲h̲ sinī mulūk al-arḍ wa ’l-anbiyā, we can work on recreating colours of that era

I've talked about colours in Achaemenid era, though that needs updating. Previous threads on motifs etc:
May 22, 2023 7 tweets 3 min read
Some illustrations from book on Susa Excavations, 1884-1886 (A Suse, Journal des Fouilles, 1888)

⤵️ Image Crossing Karun and Karkheh

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May 14, 2023 8 tweets 7 min read
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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May 10, 2023 6 tweets 4 min read
"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

⤵️ ImageImage 2: also Ctesiphon

Also with the famous wings motif from Sasanian era

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May 8, 2023 14 tweets 9 min read
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

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Apr 30, 2023 8 tweets 4 min read
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

⤵️ Image 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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Apr 29, 2023 8 tweets 5 min read
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)

⤵️ Image 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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Apr 23, 2023 32 tweets 19 min read
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

⤵️ Image "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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Apr 4, 2023 34 tweets 7 min read
2 hypotheses in Iranian Studies which are based on very shaky logic (among many other examples!)

1) "Mithraism" was not a thing in ancient Iran

2) Nowruz, Iranian new year, is not originally Iranian, but Babylonian... !

I have absolutely no problem with proper...

⤵️ Image with properly constructed, logical hypotheses in any field of human logic.

But it seems in Iranian studies I find more and more hypotheses that appear more based on personal feelings, prejudices, biases, lack of knowledge, etc., being simply accepted by others as "scientific"
Mar 21, 2023 12 tweets 5 min read
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? 🌼🌸

⤵️ 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
Mar 19, 2023 39 tweets 17 min read
#Nowruz (Nouruz, نوروز, Наврӯз, MP: Nōgrōz) 🌸

Iranian New Year traditions in ancient Iran, especially Sasanian era, based on newly published papyri & other sources

نوروز در زمان ساسانیان: بر اساس پاپیروس های تازه منتشر شده و منابع دیگر

⤵️🧵 Image I previously wrote on sources mentioning "nogruz" or Nowruz, as well as some of Nowruz' history:



For more, also see Iranica articles for traditions both before & after Sasanian era: iranicaonline.org/articles/nowru…

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Mar 15, 2023 39 tweets 18 min read
Nowruz (Nouruz, نوروز, Наврӯз, MP: Nōgrōz): Iranian New Year and Some of its History

In more modern times, it falls on the spring equinox, the first day of spring. It's celebrated by millions around the world 🌼🌸

Photo: Safavid picnic tile, @V_and_A

⤵️🧵 https://collections.vam.ac.... Numerous later sources link it to the Indo-Iranian figure/king Jamshid/ Yima

Unfortunately it does not appear that scholars like @sasanianshah have sufficiently considered the origin of Nowruz.

If we require evidence for hypotheses, I have no issue if some evidence

⤵️ https://collections.vam.ac....
Mar 12, 2023 27 tweets 16 min read
Shapur II, the Great (𐭱𐭧𐭯𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭩; شاپور دوم), tenth Sasanian King of Kings (Shahanshah) of Iran

Longest-reigning monarch in Iranian history (309–379 CE). One of longest reigning monarchs in world history

Known illustrations of Shapur II: bulla/sealing

⤵️🧵 Image Details of published sealing

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Mar 11, 2023 23 tweets 12 min read
Iranian Harp; چنگ در ایران باستان

Video: Recreation of an Elamite harp. I talked about Iranian musical instruments before, but will focus on the harp, used in Iranian music for thousands of years until the 17th C, and now being brought back by various musicians

⤵️ Recreation of harp from Choga Mish, Iran, 6800 BCE

چنگِ ایرانیِ چغامیش

See original videos as well.

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Mar 8, 2023 18 tweets 5 min read
Threads on history of Iranian clothing & motifs

Photo: Recreation of Sasanian riding coats (kandys) & pants from Egypt, @ Lyon, France

⤵️ Image I talked in detail about classification of Iranian clothing before in 3 threads:

Feb 25, 2023 5 tweets 3 min read
Don't just compare #Cyrus the Great (کوروش بزرگ
; 𐎤𐎢𐎽𐎢𐏁) to rulers before him

This is not a convenient fact, so it's is ignored by modern authors: Compare him to what came after:

Romans had no issues destroying what there was in Britain, Germany...: old beliefs...

⤵️ Pasargadae See e.g., Boudican revolt.

Centuries later authors had to invent the magical world of "western civilization" by connecting Greece to Rome, Rome to various parts of the world. Now it's basically skin color & religion that connect such widely different cultures in

⤵️ https://andrewmtanner.medium.com/the-sick-myth-of-western-ci