 Lion rhyton, 550-450 B.C. Ekbatana, West-Central Iran Gold, 22,3 cm/ Ø 19,5 cm © Teheran, National Museum  Cup with Three Rams Heads Kalmakareh Cave near Pol-i Dohtar (Luristan, Western Iran) 5th/4th century BC © Teheran, National Museum  Bracelet with Lion Decor Ziwiye (Kurdistan) 8th-7th century BC, gold © Teheran, National Museum  Relief Head of a Bearded Man Persepolis Reign of Darius (522-486 BC) © KHM, Egyptian-Oriental Collection |
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7000 Years of persian
Art Masterpieces from the Iranian National Museum in Teheran 10 August 2001 - 26 May 2002 (extra time)
Iran, occupying a broad, high plateau between the Orient and Occident, has since the beginning of history been the point at which various cultures and civilizations have come together. During prehistoric times and early history the people living in this area produced striking examples of material culture, thus making an important contribution to the development of ancient civilization of the East. The legendary Achaemenian dynasty existing between the 6th and 4th century B.C. is the starting point for the unbroken fascination which this area has had and which over time has been expressed in Herodotus' history, in Marco Polo's travel journal or in Goethe's "West-Eastern Divan". More than twenty years after the Islamic Revolution of 1979, approximately 180 precious objects will leave the National Museum in Tehran so that the importance of Iran's pre-Islamic culture may be presented to a European public. The exhibition will give an enormous panoramic cultural-historical overview of 7000 years of civilization. Selected archaeological finds will illustrate the most important phases of development of this ancient cultural area. The oldest objects - two earthenware figures dating from the 7th and 6th century B.C. - mark an important turning-point in the history of mankind: the so-called 'neolithic revolution' in which stone age hunters settled down to begin farming and stock-breeding over large areas of the Near East. The ensuing Bronze and Iron Age technological innovations and achievements of civilization will be illustrated by means of selected object groups, such as chloride vessels from Shahdad, pottery from Marlik Tepe, the famous bronze objects from Luristan, and precious medal and ivory findings from Ziwiye and Hasanlu. In antiquity the Persian empire developed into a multinational empire, encompassing an enormous amount of territory. The Achaemenian king Cyrus the Great was able to expand his territory and establish a new order throughout the entire Middle East at an early stage, making the Achaemenian dynasty (558-330 B.C.) the most powerful royal line of his time. The kings of Persia assembled incredible riches in their monumental major cities of Persepolis, Susa und Parsagadae - in the exhibition this royal art work will be represented by examples of magnificent silver and gold vessels. Through Alexander the Great's conquest of Persia and the subsequent Seleucid rule (312 - ca. 139/38 B.C.) Greek influence in Persian art became manifest, continuing into the Arsarcid dynasty (247 B.C.-224 A.D.). This period of Iranian art history, which is difficult for us to comprehend today, will be represented by a selection of sculptures, glass and ceramics. Once the Sasanid dynasty (224-621 A.C.) became established, there was a conscious attempt to return to the great cultural tradition that flourished during the Achaemenian dynasty. The most notable pieces of diverse artwork produced during the Sasanid period are magnificently decorated silver bowls. Objects made of silver, ceramic and glass from the early Islamic period are the focal point of the last group to be presented in the exhibition. Not only do they exhibit Sasanid influence but also original elements in form and decoration which at a later stage culminate into an independent Islamic pictorial language. An elaborately decorated Koran parchment manuscript from the 9th/10th century concludes the exhibition, symbolizing the beginning of profound cultural changes which also encompass the region of ancient Iran. The  exhibition
catalogue, containing numerous essays and color illustrations of
all works of art on display, comprises 343 pages and is available at the
price of DM 49,- / € 25. Links: Iranian
Cultural Heritage www.archaeologie-online.de www.int-pub-iran.com www.parthia.com www.webmuseen.de/Surftips/Damals www.dainst.de/de/abt/eurasien.html www.orientarch.uni-halle.de/ca/tutorial/idx_inf.htm www.gutenberg.aol.de/autoren/hafis.htm www.time.com/europe/photoessays/neshat www.freunde-islamischer-kunst.de archaeology
in www (german) www.achemenet.com email:
Dr. Agnieszka Lulinska, Project Manager in Bonn |
