An Analysis of Kol-e Jubor Statue in Tagh-e-Bostan

In examining the art of the Sassanid era, an independent issue entitled sculpturing generally does not arise, In the Sassanid era, despite the great importance of art, we do not see the individual human faces, apart from building units of great dimensions and the statues dating back to Sassanid Empire are the busts that were used as a part of monument ornamentation and installed on ornamental engaged columns. One example of this decoration is used in Manor House in Hajiabad. Sculpturing in the Sassanid era mainly includes rock reliefs and plastering applied to architecture or monument ornamentation. In the plastering decorations, either the statues are used as column or a motif for decorating the capitals. In some cases such as Kakh-e-Kish (Kish Palace), the busts relevant to Sassanid Kings were installed on the walls of the palace. However, the presence of the distinct and independent statues with non-human dimensions have been documented merely, and two exceptions include Shapur Statue in Shapur Cave (Ghaar-e-Shapur) and a severely damaged and enormous statue in Tagh-e-Bostan in Kermanshah, known as Native name, Kol-e Jubor . It was noted earlier that the statue stood in the water for many years, and such immersion severely damaged it. The statue’s overall figure represents the body of a man, standing with his hands on the sword, Another theory proposes that the object held in the hands is a staff which seems very likely to be the shape of a ruler’ staff may probably be seen here as a symbol . most of the historians that have studied the statue believe that it dates back to the era of Khosrow II. One the one hand,In addition to examining the fact that the art of making figurative and imposing motifs reappears late in the Sassanid era , it would not be possible to assign the exact date of the statue to Sassanid era due to afore-mentioned severe injury. On the other hand, with the accurate survey and comparison of the statue to the rock reliefs in Taq-e Bostan and in accordance with some important evidences such as attire, Study the clothes at the end of this period and compare it with the dress of the figure and sword and its location near the Crowning Ceremony of Khosrow II, it could be said that the statue dates back to the late Sassanid era. Thus, through an accurate survey of the attire in the late Sassanid era and a comparison of the statue with other rock reliefs of Khosrow Parviz in the form of the rock reliefs and capitals found in Taq-e Bostan, Abshuran, and Bistoon, By comparing the statue and Khosrow II’s rock relief in the upper part of the the large vault (arch) of Tagh-e-Bostan, it would be possible to realize the apparent similarity of the two statues the article seeks to discuss and review the statue’s found in the Taq-e Bostan application, identity, and its attribution to the late Sassanid era and Khosrow II.