Sasanian Research Articles

Locating al-Qadisiyyah: mapping Iraq's most famous early Islamic conquest site

Abstract The Battle of al-Qadisiyyah (c. AD 637/8) was a crucial victory by the Arab Muslims over the forces of the Sasanian Empire during the early Islamic conquests. Analysis of satellite imagery of south-west Iraq has now revealed the likely location of this important historic battle.

The Impact of Foreign Control on The Economic Factor in Southern Arabia Before Islam

Yemen's geographical location, which connects East to West, helped the recovery of its economy. Agriculture was one of the most important factors that characterized the economy of southern Arabia before Islam, as a result of its fertile soil and the availability of water in it, including rainwater, dams and valleys. The agricultural crops varied with Tayeb and incense were the top of Yemeni goods, so they called it the “land of Tayoub”. Yemen was also called “Green Yemen” because of its abundance of goods. The commercial factor also played an important role in raising the Yemeni economy as it served as a link between the countries of the old world. Various trade routes branched out, including land roads, as the incense road is one of the most famous roads that gained wide fame before Islam, as well as sea routes for the transport of commercial caravans. The industrial sector was equally important, with Yemeni workers excelling in diverse industries, the availability of raw materials in the country led to flourishing industries. All these factors contributed to the development of the economy, making it vulnerable to foreign ambitions. Several foreign powers, including the Romans, sought to acquire its wealth. Later, other external powers such as the Al-Ahbash, supported by the Byzantine Empire, and the Sassanid Empire extended their influence over Yemen's riches, ultimately affecting and leading to the demise of the Yemeni civilization. Economic factors were the main drivers of foreign control over southern Arabia.

Georgia and Sasanian Iran

Abstract This article examines the impact of Sasanian hegemony in Georgia (Kartli/Iberia) on the monuments of early Christian Georgia’s material culture. It explores how Sasanian political power and influence were conveyed through visual imagery, depicting Kartli as an adaptive yet creatively distinct realm that incorporated many elements of Sasanian art and culture into early Christian iconography. The article focuses on some iconographic motifs representing the Sasanian concept of royalty and their adaptation to Georgian culture, analyzed through both Iranian and Georgian visual sources, as well as Georgian textual data.

Sasanian Niello Inlay: Microanalytical Investigation of a Silver Oval Bowl with Tigers and Grapevines

ABSTRACT Researchers utilized non-invasive analytical techniques such as micro-X-ray fluorescence (µ-XRF) spectroscopy, micro-X-ray diffraction (µ-XRD), and micro-Raman spectroscopy to examine a silver oval bowl adorned with tigers and grapevines, believed to date back to the Sasanian period of Iran (third to seventh centuries CE). The bowl, currently housed in the Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, underwent analysis aimed at identifying the composition of both the silver alloy and the niello used in its decoration. The primary objective of the study was to discern the alloy composition and the niello application technique employed by Sasanian metalworkers. The findings revealed that the bowl is crafted from a silver–copper alloy containing approximately 3 wt.% of copper. Additionally, the niello inlays were determined to consist solely of silver sulfide (acanthite). The composition of the niello closely resembles that of early Roman niello inlays, suggesting a possible technological connection with Romans in the Sasanian period.

Archaeological Studies and Statistical Analysis of Sasanian Coins (Drachm) from Tis Village in Southeast of Iran

In 2002 AD, a hoard comprising of 183 coins was discovered by workers during the construction of a road near a village within the environs of Tis near Chabahar in Southeastern Iran. From this cache of 183 coins, 157 are currently preserved in the Museum of Zahedan and are used in this study. To date, no research has been conducted on any of the coins, which are arranged in albums with only a small number displaying details of their various properties. Initial research involved identifying the coins, identifying and recording their exact location, and developing a typology. This study identifies the precise location as determined via analysis of the king, the mint, and the date and in consideration and comparison of the listing of the coins by Stephen Albums, in which the qualitative measurement of the quantity of coins and quantitative measurement of coin’s mints have been studied. Studies show that the coins are attributed to the Sasanian period, Peroz I and are classified into four groups of typological type, and in 15 different mints, including Mazda Artaxerxes, Estakhri, and Darabgerd. Using the relative frequency graph, the highest quantity of coins, according to typology, is attributed to the second type at 35.02 % and the lowest attributed to the first and third types jointly at 11.46 % of the total. The highest quantity of coins is attributed to the mint of Estakhr at 13.37 % and the lowest to the mint of Gorgan at 0.64 % of the total. Due to an absence of determinable typological features, 10.88 % of the coins could not be attributed to any type. In addition, 26.74 % of the coins could not be attributed to any specific mints.

Helmet of the migration period from the Yuvanayag mound cemetery

The article introduces first results of the research on an iron helmet found in 2022 at the Yuvanayag mound cemetery in the Vychegda River region, the Komi Republic. The mound cemetery belongs to the circle of the Veslyansky I type cemetery, which was left by migrants with a developed military culture. Its distinctive feature was the tradition of building mounds over graves. Those burial mounds are a reflection of the late Migration Period in the European North-East (5th–7th centuries AD). The found helmet of the Bandhelm type (after Ch. Miks’s classification) is a unique specimen for the region, which also had no analogues in the adjacent territories. Based on mineralogical and geochemical studies, the helmet is made of iron with micro-inclusions of native aluminum and lignite carbon matter. The helmet overlays are made of brass with inclusions of lead-copper-zinc alloys and copper. Its elongated shape and decoration with hemispherical brass overlays are close to the helmets of Sasanian Iran. Geographically, the closest analogy to the Yuvanayag find is the Bandhelm from the predatory excavations near the village of Tsaritsyno in Ryazan Region. Preliminary dating of the artefact from the Yuvanayag burial mound is the late 4th – 5th century AD.

Khūrigān: a Recently Discovered Post-Achaemanid Rock-Cut Tomb near Naqsh-e Rostam, Iran

Abstract Near the northwestern-southeastern foothills of the Marvdasht plain in Fars province, lie a range of ancient necropoleis which date from the reign of Darius I, the Achaemenid king and until the first century after the Muslim conquest. The well-known necropoleis of Naqsh-e Rostam and Persepolis have the most complex tombs among them. However, there are other burials in this region, although smaller and simpler or even imitative, which have considerable archeological importance, since they provide information for the social and political understanding of their time of creation, often known as the dark ages. The present study aims to introduce and analyze the structural-chronological features of the rock-cut tomb of Khūrigān, one of the recent discoveries near Naqsh-e Rostam. Regarding the architectural and stylistic characteristics of the tomb and its context, as well as considering its archeological landscape and using historical information, the period from the last century of the Achaemenid reign until the beginning of the Sassanid dynasty is considered for the general chronology of this tomb; however, through applying a more detailed perspective, we can attribute the chronology of this tomb to the first half of the 3rd until the 1st century BC.

Persian Astronomy in China

During the Tang dynasty (618–907 ce), a significant number of Persian nobles sought safety in China following the downfall of the Sasanian Empire in 651 ce. These Persians possessed a distinct cultural identity, which was highly esteemed by certain Chinese elites. In contrast to Indians who migrated to China during and before this period, with their influence primarily mediated through Buddhism, Persians played prominent roles in secular fields such as astronomy, medicine and commerce. This article explores the history of Persian astronomers in China, placing their presence within the broader context of knowledge exchange across Eurasia, with a focus on their lives, works and interactions with the Chinese. Although their impact on Chinese astronomy and culture may have been limited, their tradition later served as a precursor to the astral science of Perso-Islamic astronomers in China from the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368 ce) onwards. This is exemplified by a variety of Sino-Persian astral works such as the astronomical text Futian li 符天曆, the horoscopic treatise Yusi jing 聿斯經, the Ming astral anthology Mingyi tianwenshu 明譯天文書 and the Sino-Islamic Canon Huihui li 回回曆.

ARAB ADMINISTRATION AND SETTLEMENT POLICY IN AZERBAIJAN

After the death of the Prophet Muhammad, the caliphs who came to power continued the conquests started with the aim of spreading Islam. Some of these activities were related to Azerbaijan. Like every state, the Arab caliphate had its own administrative system, which was more or less the same in all regions. The Arab armies governed the newly conquered territories by appointing governors. From the first day of its capture, Azerbaijan began to be governed by governors appointed here. The first governor who adopted Ardabil as his center, as it was during the Sassanid period, was Hüzeyfa b. al-Yaman has been. We can say that the Arab caliphate aimed to reduce the influence of the Byzantine and Khazars, the leading states of that time, in the region by attracting the local people to their side and forming a unified power unit relying on the support of the local people in the future struggle against them.

Interplays and Interactions on the Maritime and Overland Silk Roads in the First Millennium ce

This article concerns the contacts and interactions that took place on the Maritime Silk Road during the first millennium ce. The term ‘Maritime Silk Road’, like the ‘Silk Road’ itself, can be quite vague. It has come to mean any trade or travel from Japan and Korea across the sea routes of East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, to the Mediterranean and Europe. The focus here, however, follows the subject of the October 2021 ‘China, India and Iran’ conference in Cambridge, where the article was first delivered, and is confined to China, Southeast Asia, India and Persia. It first explains how my interest in this topic came about. Then it highlights some of the ways in which these interconnections manifested themselves during the first millennium by analysing examples from the Chinese dynastic histories and the travel accounts of Buddhist pilgrims. Finally, it discusses two sets of examples of these phenomena mentioned in Rong Xinjiang’s 榮新江, Sichou zhilu yu dong-xi wenhua jiaoliu 絲綢之路與東西文化交流. One of these examples concerns China’s relations with the Abbasid Caliphate (750–1258 ce) during the Tang period (618–907), and the other concerns the overland and maritime movement of Persian nobles and merchants to China after the fall of the Sasanian Empire (224–651 ce), and their integration into Chinese society.

Most Orthodox Empire?


 
 
 This article explores a specific case of premodern social thought, the Middle Persian Zoroastrian system of estates, MP pēšagān, sg . pēšag, which originated in Sasanian Iran, and its link to the social position of priests in the empire. It is argued that Zoroastrian religious experts tried to impose a totalizing system of social organization and heuristic possibility in a situation characterized by competition for resources in a tributary society. Against a widely held belief, it will be shown that this system was only loosely based on an Avestan predecessor—an observation that should caution against broader attempts to project Middle Persian concepts onto the Avesta and vice versa. The findings also contribute to our understanding of the relationship between the Sasanians and the Zoroastrian tradition.
 
 

Integrated Investigations of Painting Materials in the Sasanian City of Ardaxšīr Khwarrah, near Firuzabad (Southern Iran)

Ancient Ardaxšīr Khwarrah, today known as Shahr-e Gur, situated near the modern town of Firuzabad in Fars, Iran, holds historical significance as the inaugural capital city of the Sasanian Empire. During archaeological excavations conducted in 2005 by an Iranian–German team directed by Mas‘oud Azarnoush and Dietrich Huff, a mud-brick complex was uncovered, revealing a remarkably well-preserved stretch of wall painting and a polychrome painted floor. The discovery prompted the hypothesis of a potential funerary context dating back to the Sasanian period. Both the wall painting and painted floor have suffered extensive deterioration attributed to the environmental conditions of the archaeological site, which was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2020. To address the urgent need for preservation and further understanding of the site’s artistic and structural elements, an emergency diagnostic project was initiated. Non-invasive investigations were carried out on the wall and floor by optical digital microscopy and portable energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence. Additionally, representative minute samples underwent analysis through various techniques, including micro-X-ray fluorescence, polarised light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, micro-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and pyrolysis coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The palette of the floor and mural paintings were identified to contain red and yellow ochres, lead-based pigments, carbon black and bone white. The unexpected presence of Egyptian blue mixed with green earth was recognised in the green hues of the wall painting. The detection of protein material in both the wall painting and polychrome floor indicates the use of “a secco” technique, thereby shedding light on the artistic practices employed in Ardaxšīr Khwarrah.

ДВЕ АЛАНСКИЕ КОМПОЗИЦИИ IX-X ВЕКОВ С АНТРОПОМОРФНЫМИ ИЗОБРАЖЕНИЯМИ ИЗ ИНГУШЕТИИ

Two subjects are considered in a series of anthropomorphic images of “mythological type” from the catacombs destroyed by robbers from 2011 to 2019 on the Chemulga River. The set of anthropomorphic characters here is unique for the territory of the Khazar Khaganate. In general, compositions with male characters were concentrated in sets of men’s belts of the 9th–10th cc. The costume and details of the iconography of images connect them with Sasanian Iran and Pre-Islamic Sogdia. The Alans’ choice of characters was explained by parallels with local mythology and epic, including foreign cultural compositions (the flight of Alexander the Great). That scene, as well as the image of an old man playing a lute and an eagle carrying off a man, may be related to the stories about the elder of Narts – Uryzmag in the Nart Epic of the Ossetians. A young man with lasso under a tree and a hare horseman hunter have parallels in important plots (the origin of the Alans-Narts and the ancient Sword God from marriages with the daughters of the Sea God). A winged and seated praying characters are, probably, zædtæ – spirits, patrons of groups of people etc. in the old Alanian religion. The plots were corresponded to the worldview of the Alanian warriors.

Archaeological Exploration at the Site of Tell Jidr (Karkar) in Iraq: Results and Prospects

The article is devoted to archaeological exploration conducted by researchers of the Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences in March 2023 at the site of Tell Jidr in Iraq. According to new research, the city of Tell Jidr, named Karkar in the ancient times, was a multi-layered monument that emerged on the eastern channel of the Euphrates – Iturungal – back in the Ubaid III Period, and then existed throughout the Early Dynastic I and Akkadian Periods, the Third Dynasty of Ur, into the Old Babylonian and the Kassite era. At its peak in the Parthian and Sasanian Periods, Tell Jidr, which apparently lost its original name, occupied an area of about 430 ha, stretching 4.4 km from northwest to southeast and 1.9 km from southwest to northeast, and competed with the capital of both empires, Ctesiphon. Remote sensing and ground truthing activities made it possible to clarify the internal structure of the monument, which consisted of northern and southern parts, to identify the system of city blocks and streets, public buildings (temple, palace, citadel), fortification, and to trace the evolution of urban development. Taking into account the finds of ceramic fragments decorated with stamps and fish dishes, as well as mention of Karkar in cuneiform sources of the late Achaemenid and Seleucid times, it is possible to clarify the existing ideas about the stages of the settlement’s development and to confirm the existence of the settlement in the Achaemenid and Hellenistic Periods.

Eimeria leuckarti in equid coprolites from the Sassanid Era (2nd–6th century CE) excavated in Chehrabad Salt Mine archaeological site, Iran

ObjectiveThis study reports coccidian oocysts in an equid coprolite dated to the Sassanid Empire (2nd–6th century CE) recovered in Chehrabad Salt Mine archaeological site, Iran. MethodsBetween 2015 and 2017, an archaeoparasitological investigation led to the discovery of an equid coprolite in the Chehrabad Salt Mine archeological site, (Douzlakh), western Iran. Samples were rehydrated using trisodium phosphate solution and were examined by light microscopy. ResultsSeven oocysts of Eimeria leuckarti (Flesch, 1883) were identified; they were in various stages of sporulation. ConclusionThis is the first report of ancient coccidian oocysts from equids. The importance of this observation is discussed, and current knowledge of eimeriid oocysts at archaeological sites is reviewed. SignificanceThe observations of E. leuckarti increases current knowledge of parasite biodiversity in ancient Iran when it rested along the Silk Road, a network of trade routes connecting the East and West that was central to economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between these regions, and to livestock movement that could contribute to the transmission of the parasites from/to other regions. LimitationsThe contextual information about animal species present in and around the Salt Mine during its working periods, including Achaemenid dynasty (6th to 4th century BCE) and Sassanid era (2nd to 6th century CE), is very limited and does not allow secure conclusions regarding the host origin of the coprolites. Suggestions for Further ResearchApplication of molecular biology tools to identify the correct host origin of the coprolites and to detect more parasite species is advocated.

The King of the Kings Varahran I

Key words: Hormizd I, Shapur I, Nerseh, Sasanian Empire, succession to the throne, Gilan, Sakastan, Qaaba-e Zardusht, Emperor Probus In the years of 273-274, the first Sasanian heir to the throne and the "great king of Armenia" Hormizdak, then the king of the kings Hormizd I passed away under suspicious circumstances. By analyzing the religious and political landscape of the early Sasanian Empire in 60-70s of the III century, we can be certain that their deaths and, more importantly, the chronological order, were not the result of an unfortunate coincidence, but rather of a palace revolution attempt by the Iranian nobility and Zoroastrian piety, who were dissatisfied with the Sasanian principality's foreign and internal policies. The aforementioned forces interpreted the right of succession to the Sasanian Empire throne by using the self-created scenario of "the reign crisis" conclusively. Shapur I's eldest son Varahran was given the throne in accordance with the "order of seniority," circumventing Shapur I's youngest son Nerseh, who had a clear advantage over his brother in terms of traditional principle, and breaking the "honor and hierarchy" mechanism implemented under the first three Sasanian kings. His mother's lineage remains unclear. But the place he had in the Sasanian principality and in the political and administrative life of the Empire during the reigns of Shapur I and Hormizd I indicates that he was either a prince born of a non-prime queen or a concubine.

Арабские завоевания. Взгляд из Египта

The reasons for the success of the Arab conquests present a complex problem. It is difficult to explain the victories of the Arab-Muslim troops, which had much less military-demographic potential than neighboring Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium) and Sasanian Empire. The article is devoted to identifying the main causes of Egypt’s loss by Byzantium and its capture by the Arabs. Methods. The main research method was factor analysis, which allows to find out all the possible reasons for the success of the Arabs and the defeat of the Byzantines, to identify their internal relationship and hierarchy, classifying them into basic and situational ones. Analysis. The study analyzed the influence of the religious factor (Islam for the Arabs, the Christological schism for Egypt), the military potential of the Arabs and the Byzantines (the expected number of troops, the strategy and tactics of the warring parties, the motivation of the armies, etc.), the degree of the consolidation of the elites, public sentiment. Special attention was paid to the route of the Arabs, the role of Patriarch Cyrus (Mukaukus), two attempts to reconquist Egypt by the Byzantines, the system of administration and taxation of the Arabs on the conquered territory. Results. The main factor in the defeat of the Byzantines in Egypt can be considered the weak integration of this region into the Empire, as indicated by the unresolved religious issue (Chalcedonian schism), insufficient military contingent, weak social support for the central government, etc. The main reason for the success of the Arabs in conquering and keeping Egypt under their rule can be considered a “symbiosis” of two factors: 1) early Islam, which contributed to the consolidation of society and the elites, gave meaning for the motivation of the army, contributed to the establishment of the dhimma system, which provided Christian communities with autonomy in religious matters, and 2) the genesis of the Arab state, which passed at the same time and created real conditions for borrowing managerial and fiscal models, “natural” for the conquered territories.

Armenia and Iran

Abstract This paper focuses on the worship of Anāhitā in Western Asia examining some of the ideas put forward by James R. Russel in his volume on Zoroastrianism in Armenia in the light of more recent discussions about the role played by the goddess in Armenian religion before the conversion of the country to Christianity. While the evidence from more ancient periods has also been briefly presented, specific attention is given to Anāhīd’s worship in the Sasanian period and to the devotion of Narseh to this divinity. Finally, Middle Persian personal names containing the theonym Anāhīd are briefly introduced and discussed, showing that this important divinity is underrepresented in Sasanian and post-Sasanian onomastics.

COMPARISON OF ANATOLIAN AND PERSIAN CARAVANSERAIS IN THE SELJUK PERIOD

According to history, the caravanserais were situated along the Silk Road, which linked the East and West and played a significant role in cultural exchange and trade between cities. Caravanserais were constructed to provide facility services and shelter for travellers. The construction of caravanserais in Iran is data back to the Sassanid period. The design of caravanserais alongside the road during the Seljuk Empire was a policy of the Seljuk Empire to connect cities located within the empire’s borders. Hence, different caravanserais with various designs were constructed in both Anatolia and Iran. This study emphasizes caravanserais constructed during the Seljuk era in both regions.
 The aim of this paper is to compare the architectural characteristic of Persian and Anatolian caravanserais built during the Seljuk era. In this respect, six caravanserais with different typologies of the plan features from both regions were selected to compare. The selected caravanserais from Iran are Deyre Gachin, Robat-e Mahi, and Robat-e Sharaf whereas Evdir Han, Aksaray Sultan Han, and Alara Han are selected from Anatolia. 
 The comparison of these caravanserais includes several steps. In the first step, the characteristics of Seljuk caravanserais were defined. In the second step, the features of each caravanserai in terms of its construction or restoration date were explained. In the third step, the form and function of each caravanserai were discussed. In the last step, the similarities and differences between the caravanserais of Iran and Anatolia were identified. To conclude, according to our study, interior spaces and the function of caravanserais in both regions are largely similar, whereas the plan design and space organization are different.

Zoroastrian Fire Foundations: A Portrait of Slaves and Slaveholders

ABSTRACT Throughout the Sasanian era (224-650/1 CE), Zoroastrian Fire Foundations were some of the most significant landowners in Iran. The sources represented in this study reveal that Fire Foundations were among the most prominent organizations in late antique Iran, actively utilizing slaves and their labour in various social, economic and religious contexts. This article studies the religious, social, legal, and economic aspects of slaves in general, and slaves of Fire Foundations in particular throughout the Sasanian period. Drawing on Middle Persian legal and religious texts, the article examines three interrelated themes: the Fire Foundations characterized as slavers, and the function of priests in mobilizing their immense landed estates, income, and the utilization of slave labour; the relationship between free persons and slaves; and the link between the Fire Foundations and slaves. Analyzing these key questions and the considerable involvement of clerics in all these aspects enables us to discern the structural role of priests in Fire Foundations’ use of slavery and within the broader framework of the Sasanian economy. Through this analysis, the article highlights the close administrative and financial ties binding the priesthood and the monarchy during Sasanian Iran.