LaurieAnnie's photos with the keyword: Persia

Head of a king, probably Shapur II, 4th century; Sasanian period Iran Gilded silver; H. 15 3/4 in. (40 cm) Fletcher Fund, 1965 (65.126) The Sasanian dynasty of Iran ruled an area from the Euphrates River to Bactria from the third century A.D. until the Islamic conquest in the seventh century, controlling for much of that time the Silk Road from Byzantium to China. Dating from the fourth century, this royal head, hammered from a single sheet of silver, with chased and repoussé details, has parallels in imperial portraits made in the Roman West. The king wears simple ovoid earrings and a beaded necklace of Sasanian fashion. His powerful stare and characteristic arched nose seem to suggest that the artist was attempting to convey a sense of majesty rather than an individual likeness. The identity of the subject of such representations, in relief or in the round, can often be determined by comparison of facial features and details of the crown with those of kings portrayed on Sasanian coins of the period. In this case, however, the crescent that decorates the crenellated crown and the striated orb that rises above it have no exact parallel. It does appear, however, on crowns worn by Kushano-Sasanian rulers. No crescent is seen on the official crowns of Shapur II, but a rock relief at Taq-i Bustan depicts Shapur III (r. 383–88) in a similar fashon. Text from: www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/05/wai/ho_65.126.htm

Head of a Woman Limestone Syria, Palmyra 2nd-3rd century AD Accession # 65.77, On Loan to the Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art from the Department of Greek & Roman Art. From the first century BC, the oasis city of Palmyra, in the northern Syrian desert, controlled most of the caravan trade routes from the East to the Mediterranean seacoast. Originally an independent Arabian principality, it became successively a vassal state, a free city, and a colony under under Roman control. Lavishly decorated temples and processional streets provide evidence of the wealth of the city. The sculptures exhibited here come from impressive stone funerary monuments. Family vaults contained multiple burials in stone boxes sealed with relief images of the deceased. The figural style as well as the divine and human images and symbols reflect the mixed Greek, Syrian, and Iranian Parthian culture of the inhabitants. Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.

Rhyton terminating in the forepart of a wild cat, 1st century B.C.–1st century A.D.; Parthian period Iran Gilded silver; H. 10 13/16 in. (27.5 cm) Purchase, Rogers Fund, Enid A. Haupt, Mrs. Donald M. Oenslager, Mrs. Muriel Palitz and Geert C.E. Prins Gifts; Pauline V. Fullerton Bequest; and Bequests of Mary Cushing Fosburgh, Edward C. Moore and Stephen Whitney Phoenix, by exchange, 1979 (1979.447) Elaborate bowls, animal-headed drinking vessels, and rhytons—vessels with a hole at the front from which liquid flows—were highly valued in ancient Near Eastern society. During the pre-Achaemenid, Achaemenid, and Parthian periods, examples made of silver, gold, and clay were used throughout a vast area extending both to the east and west of Iran. The animals on these vessels included the ram, horse, bull, ibex, supernatural creatures, and female divinities; some were engraved with royal inscriptions. Rhytons made of precious materials were probably luxury wares used at royal courts. Both the rhyton and the animal-headed vessel were adopted by the Greek world as exotic and prestigious Oriental products. Dating from the Parthian period, this silver rhyton is a fine example of the enduring influence of Hellenistic culture, which owes much to the artistic traditions of Achaemenid Iran. The horn-shaped vessel ends in the forepart of a wild cat; a spout for pouring is in the middle of its chest. A gilded fruit-laden grapevine winds around the animal's chest; at the other end of the rhyton, an ivy wreath encircles the rim. These are the symbols of the Greek god of wine Dionysos, whose cult spread eastward with the invasion of Alexander. Dionysiac images—wild felines, grapevines, and dancing females—were absorbed by the Parthians and continued to appear in the art of Near Eastern cultures in the later Sasanian period (224–651). Text from: www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/05/wai/ho_1979.447.htm

Bricks with a Palmette Motif Glazed ceramic Southwestern Iran, excavated at Susa Achaemenid period, 5th-4th century BC Accession # 48.98.20 a-c This fragment was once part of the extensive polychrome wall decoration of the palace complex at Susa (built ca. 521-360 BC), the ancient city revived in the Achaemenid period. Glazed bricks and tiles with colorful motifs had been widely used at Babylon, the conquered royal city in Mesopotamia, and could have served as a model for the Achaemenids at Susa. Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.

Cup with a Frieze of Gazelles Gold Northwestern Iran, Caspian region Early 1st millennium BC Accession # 62.84 The bodies of the gazelles are raised in relief; their heads are hammered from separate pieces of metal and worked onto the necks projecting from the walls of the cup. A vessel decorated in similar fashion with striding lions was found at Kalar Dasht in northern Iran. Other related pieces have come from the site of Marlik in the southwestern Caspian region. Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.