Ancien Culture and Languages

Ancien Culture and Languages

A Comparative Study of "The Scene of the Gifting Sacred Symbols to the King" in Parthian and Sassanian Coins with an Interpictoriality Approach

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Department of Art History/ Institute of Art's Studies and Academic Research/ Academy of Art
Abstract
In the ancient world, coins were a standard unit made of metal that was considered a medium of exchange. Coins are considered as one of the primary sources of study because they provide information beyond their material value to researchers in various disciplines. This data includes topics related to history, language, mythology, economics, politics, and art. This study intends to look at the relationship between the image the scene of gifting the sacred symbols to the king by observing the Parthian and Sassanian coins in time. In the coins that are examined, a mythological figure presents Farah or a sacred symbol to the king. This visual motif can be seen on some Parthian coins, which can be followed in Sassanian coins as well. This study shows that the relationship between the king's person and the sacred figure (in most cases of a god) who presents a symbol of the sacred world to the king has been a motif engraved on coins since the Parthian era, which continues to exist in Sassanian coins due to the changed conditions. In fact, the main question of this research is how did visual developments in Iranian art before Islam and the process of transforming a visual concept into an icon happen. This research is carried out by library documents and observational method (observing coins related to the Parthian and Sassanid eras) and an interpictoriality research approach.
Keywords

Volume 4, Issue 2 - Serial Number 7
news
March 2024
Pages 1-27

  • Receive Date 16 June 2024
  • Revise Date 10 September 2024
  • Accept Date 13 September 2024