Zoomorphic Pattern Iconography in Sassanid Art

Subject Areas : Prehistoric Archaeology

Bahman Firouzmandi ¹ , Elham Vosough Babaei ²

1 - Associate Professor, Department of Archaeology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
2 - M.A. in Archaeology, Department of Archaeology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Received: 2023-07-02 Accepted : 2023-07-02 Published : 2014-08-23

Keywords: symbol, religious concepts, Sassanid Art, Animal aspects, Royal Ideology,

Abstract :

In art of Iran, symbolic signs and mythical concepts has been an effective way to transfer rituals and religious insight of Iranian people. One of the most important and frequency symbol sign which can be seen from prehistoric to end of historic are zoomorphic pattern. In Sassanid era, the artists were so concerned on animal motives that its reflection can be seen on Art works. So, the main aim in this article is analyzing of these designs and symbol and significant of their motives. This goal is pursued by answering the following questions: 1) what concept is reflect by each animals? 2) What relation between Sassanid Zoroastrian religions with the engravings of animals? In this representation, Archeological discovering includes relief, Metal work and textile (84 samples) were review in frequency chart and besides searching, and using the top and old textbooks of this period had been a way for getting complete result. The result show, in sassanian art like other cultures, symbol of animals has a specific meaning that the main of them have derived from the concepts of religion, mythical, astronomical and are also has been reflection of the Sassanid royal ideology.