Rock Reliefs, Tassels, and Sasanian Kings
Re-evaluating the Iconography of a Mysterious Object
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12843574 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Esmaeil Sangari (0000-0003-2351-4947, University of Isfahan, corresponding author), Milad Jafari Gavzan (0000-0003-2764-460X, University of Isfahan), Amirhossein Moghaddas (0000-0003-0170-8441, University of Isfahan) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue | 4-5 |
| Pages | 411-434 |
| Publication date | 2025-12-02 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Iran and the Caucasus (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1573-384X • E-ISSN: 1609-8498 |
| Publisher | Brill (PUBLISHER • NL) |
| DOI | 10.1163/1573384x-02903002 |
| OpenAlex | W4416975356 |
| Language | EN |
So far, more than forty Sasanian bas-reliefs have been discovered in Iran and neighboring countries, in which the horse is the most frequently depicted animal motif. A mysterious decorative object often appears in Sasanian equestrian reliefs, usually positioned between the horse’s hind legs. In the pre-Sasanian period, this object is rarely encountered, with no trace of it except for a wall painting at Dura-Europos and a piece of graffiti at Persepolis. By examining the typology and iconography of these tassels, the present study argues that they were used as whips to stimulate the horse to run faster
Asian studies · Central asia · Graffiti · Iconography · Object (grammar · Typology · Ancient Near East History · Byzantine Studies and History · Eurasian Exchange Networks
| Highly cited | No |
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