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Epoques
Art sassanide
© Hachette Livre et/ou Hachette Multimédia
Cross of Solomon
National library of France
However, garnet, quartz and glass
Mosaics
The ground of the palates, as in Bichâpur, was furnished with panels of mosaic, illustrating two kinds of scenes: courtesans and musicians, or series of male or female heads in the form of masks (Dionysiac) of Roman influence. The dancers or musicians, often naked, have their parallel in local art, on silverware. These scenes show that the palate was a place of approval for the king. The palates also comprised decorations in stucco, facts the rinceaux one of flowers, or busts human, scenes of hunting, reasons geometrical and vegetable, or of various animals (of which the iconographic repertory is very similar to that of the seals).
Sculpture
The stone sculpture in the round is represented very little (except notable for a large statue of Châhpuhr Ier measuring more than 7 m in height). Out of metal, it is attested a little better by some royal busts, nonidentifiable because their crowns do not correspond to those of the currencies. These bronzes are end of the period sassanide.
Rupestral reliefsOne counts today until thirty-eight rupestral low-reliefs, of which thirty are located in Fârs, and six in Taq-e Bostân (Kurdistan). They are perhaps the most beautiful masterpieces of art sassanide. At the beginning of the dynasty, each king made carve at least a relief, then during two hundred years there was nothing any more, until Khosrô II.
Proceeding of an art of Court, intended for the glorification of the king, these reliefs are carried out in an isolated place, on a cliff, not intended to spectators, contrary for the Roman low-reliefs. Various topics are illustrated: scenes of nomination, nine, where a divinity (Ohrmizd, only or accompanied by Mithra or of Anâhitâ) tightens with the king a enrubanné diadem, interpreted like the xwarrah, incarnation of the divine light and prosperity. Ardachêr made engrave three reliefs of nomination; on the other hand, Bahrâm II, which made carry out ten reliefs, does not have relief of this type. Another scene is that of the homage paid to the king by princes or dignitaries: Bahrâm II made four low-reliefs of this kind. The scenes of triumph on the Roman Emperors are famous. Lastly, two scenes of tournament, and the bags of Bahrâm II in Sar Mashhad and Khosrô II in Taq-e Bostân (drives out with wild boars and the stags) are also very remarkable.
Metal crockery
The parts of silverware sassanide were seldom found in excavations, which complicates their dating. Most dishes were not intended for the table, but were used of gifts or objects of pageantry. The other containers, ewers, vases, cuts with drinking, constituted the crockery of the Court. It is only by comparison with the reliefs, the currencies or the seals which one can date these objects. At the beginning, they are illustrated by scenes of hunting or portraits royal; more tardily, by geometrical reasons, vegetable, Dionysiac animals, reasons and dancers and musicians.
Seals
Found in considerable quantity, the semi-precious stone seals (cornaline, agate, garnet, chalcedony, sard, onyx, amethyst, jasper, quartz, etc) were used to sign a document or to authenticate goods: they were affixed on bubbles, out of believed clay, sometimes in great number, representing co-signatories as many. Equipped sometimes with inscriptions (official or deprived administrative seals), they are an invaluable source for the anthroponymy and toponymy, just as for the iconography (broad animalist and human repertory).
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