Seal

This paper focuses on studying, introducing and comparing seals from the settlement areas and cemeteries in the North of Central Plateau of Iran. These seals were discovered in the previous and present excavations and surveys over the region. Based on the obtained results, the ratio of similarity and difference between the two groups of seals (from the settlement areas and the cemeteries) is quite proportionate to that of the potteries found in the mentioned region (again in the settlement areas and the cemeteries). The differences are not so significant to that ignore the traits they have in common. To put it simply, the specific signs and traits could be generally introduced as the seal making style of the Iron Age.

From 224 to 651 AD, the Sasanian dynasty created one of the most powerful empires in the pre-Islamic Middle East. The dynasty ruled from the Euphrates to the Indus, holding a position of supremacy for more than four centuries and exerting a direct influence from Egypt to China via the Silk Road and maritime trade routes.  Seals and seals impressions are the most abundant class of cultural artifacts surviving from the Sassanian era. They are commonly found from West to Central Asia and even beyond, from Europe to Southeast Asia. The importance of their study is from two aspects, on one hand, they are as historical documents and on the other hand, they are valuable works of art and a way to understand the culture and civilization.  This study conducted in a descriptive-analytical method using written sources, tries to read four samples of the Sassanian’s seals of the National Museum of ancient Iran, which are part of the confiscated items collection. The purpose of this research is to read inscriptions and examine the roles of these seals.

The artistic background of the Good Shepherd motif can be traced to ancient eras of the East and the West. This motif later gained prominence in early Christian art. The ram-bearer (carrying a sacrificial or an offering animal) first appeared in Near Eastern art and later became an important motif in Greco-Roman art to represent certain roles of the god Hermes. This motif was considered by Christian converts as a symbol of Jesus Christ, as they represented him in the figure of a young shepherd caring for his flock. This theme can also be seen on some Sasanian seals, which can be considered as the Good Shepherd motif. In this article, the authors introduce the aforementioned motif depicted on these seals and examine their possible connection with the Christian communities. The motif of the Good Shepherd, as seen on the seals, demonstrates modifications in the original iconography. These changes can be observed in the longer dress of the ram-bearer or the engraving of celestial symbols. These modifications are probably a sign of the localization process of an imported motif in the Sasanian Empire.

Fire held particular significance among Zoroastrian Iranians, possessing varying degrees of importance. There were three groups of fire associated with rituals. The most sacred of these was the fire of Bahram, known as the fire of the victorious king, which was to burn perpetually in the fire temples of Ādur Gušnasp, Ādur Farnbāg, and Ādur Burzēn-Mihr under all circumstances. The fire temple of Ādur Gušnasp is located in Takht-i Soleiman, Takab (Northwest of Iran), and Ādur Burzēn-Mihr is situated in the region of Rivand in Khorasan (Northeast of Iran). However, there is a discrepancy regarding the location of the fire of Ādur Farnbāg or the fire temple of the priests. Some researchers, orientalists, and many historical geographical documents have suggested the Karyan region of Fars, but conclusive evidence has not been provided. In the archaeological study of the Bardestān desert region and the Sasanian site of Koyu, a newly discovered seal bearing an inscription referring to the fire of Ādur Farnbāg has proposed a new hypothesis concerning the location of the state fire of Ādur Farnbāg. This paper will introduce the site and the newly found seal, and the reasons for proposing the Bardestān desert region as the location for the fire of Ādur Farnbāg will be discussed. This research was conducted through field surveys and comparative library studies, aiming to address one of the most significant questions in Sasanian archaeology regarding the location of the fire temple of Ādur Farnbāg.