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Near Eastern Art :
Sassanid Art : Sassanian Hematite Intaglio Seal
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Sassanian Hematite Intaglio Seal - FJ.3257
Origin: Central Asia
Circa: 200
AD
to 600
AD
Dimensions:
.75" (1.9cm) high
x .625" (1.6cm) wide
x .625" (1.6cm) depth
Collection: Near Eastern
Medium: Hematite
$4,200.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
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In 244 A.D., Ardeshir I founded the Sassanid
Dynasty, the last native Persian Kingdom to rule
Ancient Iran before the Islamic conquest. The
Sassanid era was a golden age of Persian culture
that witnessed the revival of Zoroastrianism, an
ancient mystical religion native to these lands,
and a literary Renaissance spurred by the
translation of many Old Persian epics recorded in
cuneiform into the Middle Persian language of
Pahlavi written in an alphabet derived from
Aramaic. By introducing heightened international
trade and commerce they created a legacy of
political and economic diplomacy. They
sponsored trade with the Romans (later on the
Byzantines), their archenemy, to the west and the
Chinese to the east. Excavations in China have
unearthed gold and silver Sassanid coins
covering a span of many centuries until the
demise of the Empire during the reign of
Khosrow II. However, the fall of the Empire had
already started with a series of wars waged
under the rule of Khosrow I, the father of
Khosrow II. Challenged by the intensification of
the same international commerce that had bore
such wealth, struggles for national power and
international prestige had escalated to an
ungovernable degree. In the face of threats to his
royal house, Khosrow II embarked upon military
campaigns that would prove unsuccessful. By
the close of his reign, the once mighty Sassanid
Empire came to an end, paving the way for the
rise of Islam in the Middle East.
Under the Sassanid dynasty, the Persian Empire
achieved a glory and splendor that rivaled
Rome’s. Drawing on the ancient lapidary
tradition of the near east, Sassanid artisans
created gems of bold and original iconography.
This unusual seal is carved from hematite, a
stone prized for its protective powers in battle
and its effect on the blood. The gem depicts the
noble features of a man surrounded by an
inscription, perhaps his name. Beneath the chest
are two widespread wings, which suggest this is
a posthumous portrait, perhaps of a king. When
we hold it today, we are aware of the touch of
other hands, the energy of people who lived in a
distant and exotic world, yet who were not unlike
ourselves.
- (FJ.3257)
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