The Implications of Zoroastrian Thought on Sassanid Metal Dish and Seljuk Potteries*

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1  Professor, Department of Art Research Faculty of Art, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.

2  Postdoctoral Researcher of Art Research, Department of Art Research, Faculty of Art, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

 According to the studies, without identifying the ideas
and beliefs that form the epistemological structure and
worldview of civilizations, understanding the culture and
artifacts will be hard. Zoroastrianism or Mazdayasna is
one of the world’s oldest continuously practiced religions,
based on the teachings of the Iranian prophet Zoroaster.
Zoroastrianism has a dualistic cosmology of good and evil
and an eschatology which predicts the ultimate conquest
of evil by good. Zoroastrianism exalts an uncreated and
benevolent deity of wisdom, Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord),
as its supreme being. In Zoroastrian tradition, there are the
first seven emanations called Amesha Spentas, through
whom all subsequent creation was accomplished. Haurvatat
(Wholeness- Water guardian- Guardian of human
conscience), Ameretat (Guardian of plants and human
Immortality) are known as two examples of them. The
doctrine of the Amesha Spenta, through their connection with
creation, unites ethereal and spiritual concepts with material
and manifest objects in a “uniquely Zoroastrian” way: not
only as abstract “aspects” of Ahura Mazda but also worthy
of reverence themselves and personified or represented
in all material things. In the Gathas, each Amesha Spenta
represents a good moral quality that mortals should strive to
obtain. Thus, the doctrine of the great seven is that through
good thoughts, words, and deeds, each individual should
endeavor to assimilate the qualities of an Amesha Spenta
into oneself. Throughout history of Iran, Iranian people have
used some different motifs in their art crafts based on their
thoughts and interpret about universe. Handicrafts in Iran
have a history of several thousand years and are the most
significant and original manifestations of ancient history
which are related to Iranian thoughts and belief. This article
is a comparative study between the motif of an excellent old
Sassanid metal dish and the pictures of two Seljuk potteries
- a similar scene is represented in all of them (two figures
sitting next to a tree and a pond with fish). The purpose of
this article is to analyze the similar visual and conceptual
patterns in the two different historical periods of Iran (preIslamic and post-Islamic). The present article tries to answer
this question: what is the most important Iranian thought
that caused to create the similar visual patterns in Sassanid
metal dish and Seljuk potteries? The research method is
descriptive-analytical, applied to desk-based data. It seems
that the visual and conceptual patterns of Sassanid metal
dish and Seljuk potteries are related to the Amesha Spenta
(Haurvatat and Ameretat) in Zoroastrianism. In Zoroastrian
ritual, Amesha Spenta Haurvatat, who protects water,
is considered as the guide of human conscience to avoid
evils. Amesha Spenta Ameretat is responsible for plants
and the immortality of Iranian wise humans. The results
of this research show Sassanid artist and Seljuk potter by
creating a unique scene of human, water, tree and nature
emphasize on the spirit of Spenta hidden in Iranian wise
human. According to Zoroastrian humanism, Iranian wise
human with good thoughts and good deeds protects water
and trees and causes the permanence of Iranian culture in a
sustainable nature.
Keyword 

Keywords

References

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Journal of Fine Arts: Visual Arts
Volume 27, Issue 2
August 2022
Pages 33-38

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