LEGEND OF PERSIAN TREASURE

Pars Arian Territories, 2023

This scholarly investigation delves into the multifaceted significance of gemstones during the Achaemenid epoch (6th to 4th centuries BCE), with a particular focus on the illustrious Oxus Treasure discovered near the Oxus River in Tajikistan. Beyond their aesthetic allure, gemstones within Achaemenid jewelry emerge as conduits of profound symbolism, intricately interwoven with cultural, religious, and societal dimensions. The Oxus Treasure, a collection of meticulously preserved artifacts primarily composed of gold and silver, stands as an archaeological testament to the magnificence and craftsmanship of the Achaemenid Empire. From griffin-headed bracelets to intricately detailed finger rings, each artifact not only showcases artistic brilliance but also encapsulates the intricate values and beliefs that shaped ancient Persian society. This inquiry unravels the cosmopolitan influences that permeated Achaemenid jewelry, blending styles from Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, India, and Lydia. The Achaemenid Empire, sprawling across vast territories, served as a cultural crossroads where diverse civilizations converged. The assimilation of artistic styles from these regions into Achaemenid jewelry reflects a cosmopolitan ethos, highlighting the empire's role as a cultural nexus. Egyptian motifs, Mesopotamian craftsmanship techniques, Greek mythological symbols, Indian artistic intricacies, and Lydian design aesthetics collectively contributed to the rich visual tapestry of Achaemenid jewelry. This amalgamation of influences not only attests to the empire's expansive reach but also underscores its capacity to synthesize and adapt external elements, creating a unique and cosmopolitan artistic identity.

Studia Orientalia Electronica, 2021

The absence of a true Achaemenid Persian "historiography" necessitates that we look elsewhere to construct Persian ideological interactions with the periphery. Like many Mesopotamian kings before them, the Achaemenids became famous for their collecting practices, and sources often depict them looting and stealing artifacts-many of an antiquarian nature-from conquered peoples. Recently, scholars have argued that we should read this picture as a later Greco-Roman historiographical construct, meant to retroactively vilify the Persian kings for their involvement in Hellenic affairs. However, the archaeological record, read together with cuneiform sources, appears to corroborate these statements. The careful recontextualization in Persian capitals of important cultural heritage items, looted mainly from religious environments in rebellious areas, served not only to demonstrate the superiority and dominance of the Persian center over the periphery but also to situate the Persian kings in an historical continuum of Mesopotamian kingship. A reevaluation of Achaemenid collecting practices from the sixth to the fourth centuries bce may allow for a more complete understanding of the discursive nature of Persian imperial display.

Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Arts

Urartu is one of the powers of the beginning of the first millennium B. C., which has been located in Turkey, Armenia and north-west of Iran, competing strongly with New Assyrian Empire and encountering to local government of Mannea, and has dominated on some parts of Urmia Lake. The presence of Urartu can be seen in architectural remains in areas like Bastam and Hasanlu. But, the cultural effect of this great power and its affection on physical remains, to comprehend the process of forming and completion of the region’s combined art works, has not been taken into account so much. However, in the Urmia Museum, there is a significant number of artifacts attributed to Urartu have not yet been introduced or studied.In the present study, aims to fill this gap, 31 artifacts including: strap, bracelet, necklace, rod and safety pin and tweezers were selected and documentedfrom the treasury of Urmia Museum. The results of this study can be used for more precise studies in the future aimed t...

2009

DARIC (Gk. dareiko‚s statê ́r), Achaemenid gold coin of ca. 8.4 gr, which was introduced by Darius I the Great (q.v.; 522-486 B.C.E.) toward the end of the 6th century B.C.E. The daric and the similar silver coin, the siglos (Gk. síglos mediko‚s), represented the bimetallic monetary standard that the Achaemenids developed from that of the Lydians (Herodotus, 1.94). Although it was the only gold coin of its period that was struck continuously, the daric was eventually displaced from its central economic position first by the biga stater of Philip II of Macedonia (359-36 B.C.E.) and then, conclusively, by the Nike stater of Alexander II of Macedonia (336-23 B.C.E.). The ancient Greeks believed that the term dareiko‚s was derived from the name of Darius the Great (Pollux, Onomastikon 3.87, 7.98; cf. Caccamo Caltabiano and Radici Colace), who was believed to have introduced these coins. For example, Herodotus reported that Darius had struck coins of pure gold (4.166, 7.28: chrysíou stat...

Ancient Text Studies in the National Museum, Vol 2 Editor-in-Chief: Kazuya Maekawa Ancient Iran New Perspectives from Archaeology and Cuneiform Studies Iran-Japan

The National Museum of Iran is one of the most important museums in the world which owns the most numerous inscriptions of ancient period and variety of tablets, stone and brick inscriptions. The mentioned inscriptions results of scientific excavations during more than recent century in archaeological sites in all over Iran territory is adapted with published scientific reports. Therefore, the National Museum of Iran is interested in developing scientific and cultural cooperation with the researches and experts of all over the world in the field of research and study of cuneiform and ancient languages such as Elamite, Akkadian, Sumerian, Urartian, Old Persian and etc.

Springer, 2020

This collection of twenty-eight essays presents an up-to-date survey of pre-Islamic Iran, from the earliest dynasty of Elam to the end of Sasanian empire, encompassing a rich diversity of peoples and cultures. Historically, Iran served as a bridge between the earlier Near Eastern cultures and the later classical world of the Mediterranean, and had a profound influence on political, military, economic, and cultural aspects of the ancient world. Written by international scholars and drawing mainly on the field of practical archaeology, which traditionally has shared little in the way of theories and methods, the book provides crucial pieces to the puzzle of the national identity of Iranian cultures from a historical perspective. Revealing the wealth and splendor of ancient Iranian society – its rich archaeological data and sophisticated artistic craftsmanship – most of which has never before been presented outside of Iran, this beautifully illustrated book presents a range of studies addressing specific aspects of Iranian archaeology to show why the artistic masterpieces of ancient Iranians rank among the finest ever produced. Together, the authors analyze how archaeology can inform us about our cultural past, and what remains to still be discovered in this important region. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-41776-5

Iran and the Caucasus, 2010

Long review article on the Hellenistic Fars

Iranian Journal of Archaeological Studies, 2023

"The Archaeology of Iran from the Palaeolithic to the Achaemenid Empire" by Roger Matthews, Hassan Fazeli Nashli and Amy Richardson, Publisher:Taylor & Francis, 2022, stands as a monumental undertaking, offering a comprehensive and engaging journey through the vast expanse of Iranian history. Spanning from the first flickers of human habitation over a million years ago to the rise and fall of the Achaemenid Empire in 330 BC, this tome unravels the intricate tapestry of Iranian society, revealing its evolution, struggles, and triumphs across millennia. What distinguishes this work is its extraordinary breadth. It explores many facets of Iranian history, including as subsistence techniques, technical developments, social structure, belief systems, and relationships with the environment, and spans a chronological period of more than a million years. Painting a vivid picture of societal evolution, it painstakingly breaks down each epoch, from the hunter-gatherers of the Palaeolithic to the sophisticated urban cultures of the Achaemenid Empire. Such an enormous breadth demands a well-organized story. The twelve chapters that make up the book's structure each focus on a different time period or subject. Every chapter starts with a clear introduction that sets the scene and highlights the most important moments. The organisation of the material makes it simple for readers to explore the large quantity of content and go further into particular topics of interest.