Wood carving Iran in the Parthian period
The well-known Iranian scholar Gershman believes that Alexander’s victory in the evolution of Iranian art, which lasted for about seven centuries, brought about a period of fitness and stillness. At the height of the occupation, the Parthian Empire covered a much larger area than present-day Iran, including the Indian subcontinent, Mesopotamia, Armenia, and some areas under Indian and Iranian influence. Their first capital was on the western edge of the Qaraqum Desert near the steppes where these tribes pitched their tents.
Some sources call this tribe the Parthian people, and the name of this dynasty is derived from the name of their king, Arshak, who was a native of Balkh (Bactria). During this period, the crescent arch, which is a completely Iranian arch, replaces the flat roof and the column is no longer used to hold the roof, but the arch is placed in the middle of the wall; Wooden sheets were used to strengthen and beautify the walls. According to Gershman’s novel, the building material remains the same brick and has wood veneers or exterior cladding. In the northern part of ancient Nisa, a columnar structure has been identified as belonging to the second century BC.
In this royal palace, which had strong fortifications, there were religious buildings dedicated to the prayer of the royal family. The palace dates back to the third and second centuries BC. Objects and works of art found on the porches of this palace have very impressive ivory rhymes. Although the construction of the Ryton in ancient Iran was common from the beginning of the first millennium BC, finding the treasure of ivory rhytons with engraved and embossed ornaments is very significant. The art of woodcarving or carving on wood in areas with abundant wood resources has flourished in the distant past, and our country, Iran, with its abundant wood resources, has been one of the major centers for the manufacture and production of wood products.
Although there are not many wooden artifacts from the distant past, as we have already mentioned, the art of carving has a process such as carving, plastering and carving on ivory and bone, which may be largely understood by examining its evolutionary process. “A comparative study of Nessa Ivory Sagars provides some very interesting information. Their shape is eastern and their decoration, which is in the form of the anterior part of the vulture, dates back to the Achaemenid period. On the other hand, there are mythical scenes around some of these Greek dishes, and the margins of the “masks” that appear on some of them are an ancient Iranian decorative theme. ”
“The decorative elements in the form of masks used in Al-Hadr Palace are also Iranian. These masks are carved out of stone and are in the form of “chin-shaped faces” from prehistoric Iran. Making a series that leads to the chin has also been very common among Lorestan bronze makers. “This is a new trend in the art of partying, and Nisa Sagars, the oldest known works of the party, are the epitome of this method.”
A grave in the “Shami” area, which probably dates to the first or second century BC, has been found with several pieces of shells engraved with images that may have been used to decorate the chest. In her book, Parthian and Sassanid Art, Mario Bosailli and Emberto Sherato state: “The influence of Parthian art can be seen precisely in the art of its eastern Greek-Iranian neighbors, but a precise distinction between elements in Kandahar art and in the Matura school of common Iranian taste. “And other ethnic groups in Central Asia find it difficult to distinguish between the distinct elements of the party that have emerged as a result of commercial activities and historical events.”
