Ancien Culture and Languages

Ancien Culture and Languages

Study of Sasanian golden necklace of Reza Abbasid Museum with Symbological approach

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 member of faculty of art research center
2 member of faculti of Sharieeati university
Abstract
In addition to court art, Sasanian art is a religious-Zoroastrian art with material and spiritual aspects. Therefore, the interpretation of works of art, from bas-reliefs to silverware and jewelry, with a symbological approach, unveils the beliefs of the people in that time, as symbols and representations of artistic works have always been tools for expressing and conveying the thoughts in that era. Sasanian artistic works largely reflect the intellectual and belief systems prevailing in Sasanian society. This article aims to analyze the visual and structural aspects of a surviving piece of Sasanian jewelry, which, in a way, expresses the socio-cultural concepts of that era. In this research, we also study some of the perspectives and thoughts held by the conscious and subconscious minds of the users and creators of this piece. The main hypothesis of this study is based on whether artistic works were influenced by the political and cultural characteristics of this era, and whether, conversely, by analyzing the structure and nature of artistic works, we can discern the belief of that period. Based on this, as a case study, one of the most valuable artefacts of this period, the Sasanian necklace in the Reza Abbasid Museum in Tehran, has been studied. The results of the study on this artefact reveal that the patterns used on this necklace, like other surviving patterns in ancient Iranian art, have their roots in religious and mythological beliefs during the Sasanian era. The research method in this study is descriptive and analytical in terms of purpose and nature, aiming to prove the hypotheses using a symbolic approach. The data collection method is document-based, relying on written sources as well as field study of the work in the museum.
Keywords

  • Receive Date 30 October 2024
  • Revise Date 27 January 2025
  • Accept Date 10 February 2025