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New Evidence of Zoroastrian Iconography of the Late Parthian Period

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New Evidence of Zoroastrian Iconography of the Late Parthian Period Iranica Antiqua, vol. LI, 2016 doi: 10.2143/IA.51.0.3117834 NEW EVIDENCE OF ZOROASTRIAN ICONOGRAPHY OF THE LATE PARTHIAN PERIOD BY Barbara KAIM (University of Warsaw, Institute of Archaeology) Abstract: Among several small objects found within the ruins of the fire temple excavated by the Turkmen-Polish team at Mele Hairam were four small bone plaques of the late Parthian period. Although badly preserved, these plaques are important both as evidence of ancient Zoroastrian iconography and as unique scenes depicting ritual acts that were performed inside the fire temple. Keywords: Zoroastrian iconography, Late Parthian, fire temple, Mele Hairam Conducted by the Turkmen-Polish team between 1997 and 2009, exca- vation at Mele Hairam, the site located in the Serakhs oasis of southern Turkmenistan (fig. 1), revealed the remnants of a Zoroastrian fire temple dating back to the first - fourth centuries AD. Several cultic installations uncovered inside the temple building provide valuable information for the reconstruction of ancient fire worship patterns. The same contributory role can be ascribed to images engraved on four small bone plaques of the late Parthian period, that were found within the fallen brick debris of the south- ern temple sector. The place where the plaques were found and how poorly they are preserved both suggest that the object they once adorned, now unreconstructable, had been destroyed already in ancient times, rendering the plaques useless. As such, they had been thrown away from the temple enclosure. Although badly damaged and incomplete, these finds are note- worthy as they belong to a very scanty collection of ancient Zoroastrian iconographic evidence. The first of four plaques (inv. no. MH08-12802-1) contains a rather crudely incised image of a fire holder supporting a bowl with flames rising from it (fig. 2). The flames are surrounded by an arc composed of a row of dotted circles between two lines, which probably stands for an architec- tural element. A shaft of the fire holder is decorated with alternately arranged dotted or hatched strips. Both the way in which the fire bowl is depicted (different from the frontal convention of Parthian art) and the 001_98160_Iran_Antiqua_51.indb 201 1/03/16 12:47 202 B. KAIM Fig. 1. Map of Turkmenistan with location of the Serakhs oasis. decoration of the altar’s shaft allude to the art of the Kushan empire. Those are not the only manifestations of close relations of the Serakhs oasis with the Kushan empire. Other, and probably more obvious are: an ivory plaque, with an iconography and style linking it to the group of ivory and bone items belonging to the so-called Begram Treasure (Kornacka 2010) and a bone figurine of yakshi — a female tree and earth spirit, a symbol of fertility worshipped by the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain faiths, both found at Mele Hairam (Kaim 2012). The second bone plaque (inv. no. MH08-12802-2) is decorated with a representation of a crescent-topped stand flanked by two vessels, with three lines or batons below to the right (fig. 3). Despite considerable dam- age of the plaque surface, the vessels can be readily recognized as mortars with pestles, while the stand is certainly a mah-rui for its almost unmodi- fied shape that has continued to the present (fig. 4).1 As mortars and mah- rui are typical ritual implements used by Zoroastrian priests during sacred ceremonies, it seems legitimate to ascribe the same function to the batons 1 It is worth highlighting that we have here the earliest depiction yet known of a mah- ruy. As a matter of fact depictions and archaeological finds of mah-ruy are very rare. A mah-ruy of stone was found inside of a Sasanian building of chahar taq type near Hajiabad in eastern Fars (Azarnoush1994: 33-35, figs. 119-20). 001_98160_Iran_Antiqua_51.indb 202 1/03/16 12:47 NEW EVIDENCE OF ZOROASTRIAN ICONOGRAPHY 203 Fig. 2. Mele Hairam. Bone plaque inv. no. MH08-12802-1. Fire holder with a bowl for the sacred fire. Dimensions: 7.20 cm (max. preserved height); 3.60 cm (max. preserved width); 0.21 cm (depth). and view them as belonging to a barsom or a bundle of rods or twigs. Modern Zoroastrian rituals usually use the barsom bundle placed across the pair of mah-rui. Our plaque is incomplete but the alleged absence of another mah-rui can actually be true and result from the lack of free space, or an artisan’s incapability of presenting several items within a limited space. Anyway, the presence of mortars in addition to the mah-rui suggests that the scene shows implements for any ceremony that involves the crush- ing of haoma-twigs (Yasna, Visperad or Vendidad). But again, the number of mortars on our plaque is unique considering modern Zoroastrian prac- tices as reference; today just one metal mortar is used during ritual cere- monies. Zoroastrian religious texts remain almost totally silent as far as 001_98160_Iran_Antiqua_51.indb 203 1/03/16 12:47 204 B. KAIM Fig. 3. Mele Hairam. Bone plaque: inv. no. MH08-12802-2. Ritual implements. Dimensions: 4.60 cm (max. preserved height); 2.40 cm (max. preserved width); 0.20 cm (depth). Fig. 4. Zoroastrian modern ritual implements: barsom and mah-rui. http://www.avesta.org/ritual/barsom.htm 001_98160_Iran_Antiqua_51.indb 204 1/03/16 12:47 NEW EVIDENCE OF ZOROASTRIAN ICONOGRAPHY 205 guidelines are concerned for the compulsory number of mortars. It is in the Younger Avesta only where two mortars are mentioned in ritualistic con- texts (Vd 10, 1;11, 2; 12, 2; Y. 22, 1; 24, 2, 7; 25, 2). Still, M. Boyce found these mentions as referring to the transitional period when stone mortars were gradually replaced by those of metal (Boyce 1970: 28). However, this path followed by M. Boyce does not have to necessarily be valid given the Persepolis Treasury where both green chert and bronze mortars with pestle sets were found, which proves concurrent use of stone and metal mortars at least during the Achaemenid period (Schmidt 1957: 53-56, 102, pls. 23, 80).2 Therefore, the Mele Hairam plaque can actually catch the point in history, i.e. late Parthian period, when two mortars, whether of stone or metal, or both, were still used instead of one. Sharing the same archaeological context, our third fragmentary plaque (inv. no. MH08-12802-3) is just slightly different in terms of decoration from those described above, as it contains a partly preserved depiction of a male figure wearing a long robe falling in pleats, with a belt at the waist (fig. 5). The male is shown standing in front of an hourglass-like object and holding the barsom. Given the characteristic shape and depictions on the first plaque, the object can be safely identified with a mortar. Neverthe- less, any attempt to reconstruct the full scene once incised on the plaque is too risky on account of its preservation. But, with an insight into ancient Iranian art, it still remains feasible to infer a function of the male figure. The earliest representations of a male figure holding the barsom date to the Achaemenid period. Depicted on seals, the figure standing before an altar of fire is usually shown accompanied by another male figure, the lat- ter being most probably engaged in some sacred fire-relating activities. Both figures are shown wearing the “Median costume” that consists of trousers and a knee-length tunic (Merrillees 2005: no. 75; Schmidt 1957: 26, pl.7). The costume often includes a coat, known to ancient Greeks as kandys, which can vary in length but is invariably worn with its long empty sleeves hanging down on either side (Schmidt 1957: 26, pl. 7; Parrot 1961: 208, fig. 260; Akurgal 1961: 174, fig. 123). Details of a headdress are 2 As seen from the Aramaic texts inscribed with ink on mortars, pestles and plates of green chert were given as tribute for a particular regnal year (Naveh & Shaked 1973: 445-57). 001_98160_Iran_Antiqua_51.indb 205 1/03/16 12:47 206 B. KAIM Fig. 5. Mele Hairam. Bone plaque inv. no. MH08-12802-3. Zoroastrian priest in front of the mortar. Dimensions: 4.6 cm (max. preserved height); 1.80 cm (max. preserved width); 0.20 cm (depth). obscure, but the general outlines of what is a hood with a long neck guard and side-flaps, which cover ears, cheeks, and chin are recognizable3. Images of a male figure with the barsom are also known from reliefs of Achaemenid date. Two male figures standing side by side, each holding the barsom in his left hand, the right being raised in the gesture of rever- ence, or adoration are represented on the well-known relief found at the village of Egili, in the area of Daskyleion, the capital of the Phrygian satrapy. Both male figures are shown wearing a kandys over shoulders as well as a soft headgear folded on top of the head and enveloping the ears 3 It is important to distinguish between the scenes of adoration of the sacred fire where worshipers, mostly in Persian costume, raise their hand in a repeated gesture of reverence (similarly as Achaemenid kings of kings on their tombs) and scenes quoted in this article where a ritual act is suggested by the presence of the barsom or other ritual paraphernalia in the hands of main actors. 001_98160_Iran_Antiqua_51.indb 206 1/03/16 12:47 NEW EVIDENCE OF ZOROASTRIAN ICONOGRAPHY 207 and chin. The entire scene is believed to be the sacrifice of animals to the Yazata Haoma performed by priests (Macridy 1913: 348-52, fig.
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