Iranica AntiquaPub Date : 2008-01-31DOI: 10.2143/IA.43.0.2024046
B. Overlaet
{"title":"GREAT BALLS OF FIRE? : PYRITES, METEORITES AND METEOR-WRONGS FROM ANCIENT IRAN","authors":"B. Overlaet","doi":"10.2143/IA.43.0.2024046","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2143/IA.43.0.2024046","url":null,"abstract":"Metallic nodules found in the Siyalk II settlement and in Iron Age III tombs in Luristan, Iran, were identified by the excavators as meteorites. However, these identifications must be questioned. The Siyalk nodules could be of telluric origin. The four Luristan specimens are identified as pyrite nodules. It is suggested that such nodules were used for fire-making, although other functions such as a use as sling balls are not to be excluded either.","PeriodicalId":43366,"journal":{"name":"Iranica Antiqua","volume":"43 1","pages":"153-165"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2143/IA.43.0.2024046","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68055015","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Iranica AntiquaPub Date : 2008-01-31DOI: 10.2143/IA.43.0.2024050
J. Bigwood
{"title":"SOME PARTHIAN QUEENS IN GREEK AND BABYLONIAN DOCUMENTS","authors":"J. Bigwood","doi":"10.2143/IA.43.0.2024050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2143/IA.43.0.2024050","url":null,"abstract":"Documentary sources (the two Greek parchments from Avroman and an assortment of cuneiform tablets from Babylonia) make reference in their dating formulae to fourteen otherwise unknown Parthian queens of the last 150 years BC. Treated individually, as they are normally treated, these allusions perhaps tell us little. However, if considered together, they make a significant contribution to our knowledge of a group at the Parthian court about which the Greek and Roman literary sources provide an exceedingly limited amount of information. This article comments on problems in the evidence for the fourteen queens. It considers, too, their title in Greek and in cuneiform (as well as what is known of the titles of women of high status in Parthian), for all of them, unlike the royal women of the literary sources, have a title. In addition, it looks at the question of the ranking of such women, one in relationship to the others, and at the marital alliances of the kings - at sibling-marriage, for example, for which, despite what is sometimes claimed, credible evidence is very sparse.","PeriodicalId":43366,"journal":{"name":"Iranica Antiqua","volume":"43 1","pages":"235-274"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2143/IA.43.0.2024050","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68054900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Iranica AntiquaPub Date : 2008-01-31DOI: 10.2143/IA.43.0.2024051
E. Strugnell
{"title":"THEA MUSA, ROMAN QUEEN OF PARTHIA","authors":"E. Strugnell","doi":"10.2143/IA.43.0.2024051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2143/IA.43.0.2024051","url":null,"abstract":"This article considers the ancient and modem evidence for reconstructing the life of Thea Musa, Roman Queen of Parthia. This singular woman rose to prominence in Parthia just prior to the turn of the millennium, and is identified as a gift of Augustus himself to King Phraates IV. Through this gift Augustus sought to undermine Parthian succession. Yet incredibly, Musa receives no specific mention in any Latin source. It is argued that the omission of her narrative is deliberate and an indication of the vexation felt by Augustus at his failure to maintain the so-called 'Parthian Peace' first negotiated in 20 BC. Musa's ascendance in Parthia marks a resurgence of Parthian claims to the disputed territory of Armenia. Outright war is averted only by the intervention of Gaius Caesar. The decision to send the Parthian heirs to Rome, it is argued, should not be interpreted as Parthian acceptance of Roman hegemony, but rather as part of Musa's desire to ensure her political position and that of her son, Phraataces.","PeriodicalId":43366,"journal":{"name":"Iranica Antiqua","volume":"19 1","pages":"275-298"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2143/IA.43.0.2024051","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68055020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Iranica AntiquaPub Date : 2007-01-01DOI: 10.2143/IA.42.0.2017868
A. Daems, K. Croucher
{"title":"Artificial cranial modification in prehistoric Iran: Evidence from crania and figurines","authors":"A. Daems, K. Croucher","doi":"10.2143/IA.42.0.2017868","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2143/IA.42.0.2017868","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":43366,"journal":{"name":"Iranica Antiqua","volume":"42 1","pages":"1-21"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2143/IA.42.0.2017868","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68053670","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Iranica AntiquaPub Date : 2007-01-01DOI: 10.2143/IA.42.0.2017873
A. Vahdati
{"title":"Marlik and Toul-e Talish : A dating problem","authors":"A. Vahdati","doi":"10.2143/IA.42.0.2017873","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2143/IA.42.0.2017873","url":null,"abstract":"As a result of recent activities of Iranian expeditions in Talish, to the southwest of the Caspian Sea, several graveyards with remarkable Iron Age material has been excavated. Among these, perhaps the most interesting is a Toul cemetery that produced material similar to some tombs at Marlik. Based on these similarities and on the presence of a bronze bracelet with an Urartian inscription in Toul cemetery, the excavator of the site concluded that both cemeteries are contemporary, belonging entirely to the 8th - 7th centuries B.C. and that they highly influenced by Urartian art. In this article I propose that the majority of finds from Toul cemetery belong to ca. 10th - 9th centuries B.C. The presence of a few Iron Age III/IV depositions should be considered as a result of the occurrence of later burials in the cemetery. It is further suggested that the inscribed bracelet of Toul neither is a precise chronological indicator nor an indication of Urartian influence over the art of Caspian region.","PeriodicalId":43366,"journal":{"name":"Iranica Antiqua","volume":"42 1","pages":"125-138"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2143/IA.42.0.2017873","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68053881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Iranica AntiquaPub Date : 2007-01-01DOI: 10.2143/IA.42.0.2017869
K. Kaniuth
{"title":"The metallurgy of the late bronze age sapalli culture (Southern Uzbekistan) and its implications for the 'tin question'","authors":"K. Kaniuth","doi":"10.2143/IA.42.0.2017869","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2143/IA.42.0.2017869","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":43366,"journal":{"name":"Iranica Antiqua","volume":"42 1","pages":"23-40"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2143/IA.42.0.2017869","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68053721","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Iranica AntiquaPub Date : 2007-01-01DOI: 10.2143/IA.42.0.2017870
K. D. Graef
{"title":"Les textes de V recent du chantier B A suse (Fin Sukkalmahat -CA. 1575-1530 AV. notre ère2)","authors":"K. D. Graef","doi":"10.2143/IA.42.0.2017870","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2143/IA.42.0.2017870","url":null,"abstract":"This article presents the publication of the cuneiform texts found in level \"V recent\" during the excavation of the \"chantier B\" in the \"Ville royale\" of Susa by the Delegation Archeologique francaise en Iran under the direction of Roman Ghirshman (winter 1966-1967). These texts date from the end of sukkalmahat (ca. 1575-1530 BCE) and are the only group of texts from this period for which archaeological information is available. Firstly, the archaeological context of the \"chantier B\" and level \"V recent\" in particular are given. After a short analysis of the content of the texts, they are presented in transliteration, translation and copy, and are completed with extensive philological notes. An index of the personal names occurring in the texts is provided.","PeriodicalId":43366,"journal":{"name":"Iranica Antiqua","volume":"42 1","pages":"41-59"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2143/IA.42.0.2017870","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68053775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Iranica AntiquaPub Date : 2007-01-01DOI: 10.2143/IA.42.0.2017877
A. Vahdati
{"title":"An inscribed dagger at the national museum of Iran : Forgery or genuine?","authors":"A. Vahdati","doi":"10.2143/IA.42.0.2017877","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2143/IA.42.0.2017877","url":null,"abstract":"In the past seventy years inscribed bronze objects were reported in considerable numbers from unknown sites said to be in Luristan. A major group of these inscribed bronzes are weapons, predominantly daggers. This paper discusses an inscribed bronze dagger, alleged fro Luristan, which is now housed in the national Museum of Iran, Tehran. Taking a closer look at the dagger and its inscriptions, I propose that it can not typologically be attributed to the Achaemenid period and its inscription is a fake. Although the dagger has early first millennium parallels in western Iran, I suggest before it is accepted as genuine, that it be submitted to technical analysis to see if the inscription has been engraved on a genuine blade.","PeriodicalId":43366,"journal":{"name":"Iranica Antiqua","volume":"42 1","pages":"221-227"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2143/IA.42.0.2017877","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68053931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Iranica AntiquaPub Date : 2007-01-01DOI: 10.2143/IA.42.0.2017879
D. Potts
{"title":"Foundation houses, fire altars and the frataraka : Interpreting the iconography of some post-achaemenid persian coins","authors":"D. Potts","doi":"10.2143/IA.42.0.2017879","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2143/IA.42.0.2017879","url":null,"abstract":"The iconography of Persid coins of the frataraka dynasty has been discussed by many scholars. Interpretations have considered whether the building shown on the reverse of these coins was 1. a fire temple 2. an atāshgah, i.e. a repository of holy fire 3. a tomb 4. a coronation tower 5. a “foundation house” or a repository of Zoroastrian parapherlia or 6. a tower altar/fire altar. These putative functions, and the building’s relationship to the similarly shaped Zenda-e Sulaiman at Parsagadae and Ka’ba-e Zardosht at Naqsh-e Rustam, are evaluated.","PeriodicalId":43366,"journal":{"name":"Iranica Antiqua","volume":"42 1","pages":"271-300"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2143/IA.42.0.2017879","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68053977","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Iranica AntiquaPub Date : 2007-01-01DOI: 10.2143/IA.42.0.2017881
J. Jany
{"title":"Criminal justice in sasanian persia","authors":"J. Jany","doi":"10.2143/IA.42.0.2017881","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2143/IA.42.0.2017881","url":null,"abstract":"Sasanian criminal law had at least three different functions : to protect the political interest of the state and the ruling elite, to maintain Zoroastrianism as the official religion of the kingdom, and to protect the society against criminal. Crimes were classified into various categories and sub-categories on which penalties of individual delicts were depending. According to the theory of punishment elaborated by the sages and jurisconsults, the aim of the penalty was to save the soul of the perpetrator from the consequences of his crime. In criminal procedure law Zoroastrian clergy played a decisive role, at least in proceedings against heretics and members of religious minorities. Capital punishments were imposed by crucifixion, beheading with the sword, burning, stoning and other crucial methods of execution. Albeit existing, prisons served only as preventive detention. Prisoners could be released on bail ; bribery, however, was also an effective means to escape punishment.","PeriodicalId":43366,"journal":{"name":"Iranica Antiqua","volume":"42 1","pages":"347-386"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.2143/IA.42.0.2017881","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68054046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}