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In Search of the Lost Median Art

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In Search of the Lost Median Art Iranica Antiqua, vol. XL, 2005 IN SEARCH OF THE LOST MEDIAN ART BY Shahrokh RAZMJOU (The National Museum of Iran, Tehran) Since the beginning of archaeological excavations in the Iranian plateau during which thousands of objects and artifacts belonging to different peri- ods of history have been recovered, one question has always existed: Which objects can be recognized or identified as Median or as being related to the Medes? There has never been a clear answer to this ques- tion. Items found during excavations have helped to determine styles char- acteristic of each period, but Median artifacts and their artistic styles still remain ambiguous and obscure. The lack of inscriptions, which could show a connection with the Medes, is particularly problematic. Therefore much doubt has been expressed about the existence of “Median Art”. In particular, recent scholars are more skeptical about this topic than ever before and prefer to deny the existence of any artistic works made by the Medes. In other words, some scholars believe that we still have nothing that can be identified as Median (see Muscarella, 1987). Speaking out about the existence of Median art can be a dangerous topic and means risking ridicule from the skeptics. Not speaking out about the problems associated with the identification of Median artifacts is even more risky because silence prevents us from shedding some light on the possibility of its existence. This author has chosen to discuss the possibil- ity of Median art. There are two issues to discuss. The first addresses the existence of art among the Medes. The second is the criteria by which we determine whether or not we can classify an artifact as Median. The present paper argues that Median art does exist, suggests that our current perspectives for identifying Median art should be changed, and proposes a new framework for recognizing Median art. Unfortunately pre- conceived ideas exist about the appearance of Median art, so we have never really considered what it should actually look like. 272 S. RAZMJOU In the whole history of mankind, no civilization can be found that did not have some form of art. Art is an inevitable and inseparable part of human nature. People around the world, whether primitive, desolate, rich or poor, somehow develop an art form of their own. Artifacts can be found even today in the most inaccessible districts in mountains, jungles or on faraway islands, amongst people who appear to be undeveloped or unciv- ilized. Art and mankind have never been separated and although people have varied levels of artistic sophistication, all have a form and level of art of their own. There is no doubt about this. State of the Medes: In the late 7th century BC. the Medes had enough political and military power to comprehensively destroy the powerful Assyrian Empire. They established a powerful government with a comparatively large territory and they became a young super-power of the time along with Lydia and Babylonia. Whether or not the Medes had an empire, kingdom or govern- ment based on nomadic tribes, is still a topic for discussion (As for the Median state and the question of whether or not it existed, see: Sancisi- Weerdenburg, 1988 & 1994, Codella, 1992, DeMatran, 1993, Kienast, 1999). The presence of the Medes is strong in Assyrian and Classical sources. The history of the Medes shows they were a powerful and organized coun- try before and after the fall of Assyria. Even Herodotus has dedicated a chapter to them as: Medikos Logos. (Herodotus, 1: 95-130) After the establishment of the well-organized Persian Empire, people in the west did not understand the change and continued to call the young empire of the Persians “Median”. If an unorganized empire had been replaced by an organized one there would certainly have been some recog- nition of the change. If that had been the case, the Persians would have avoided sharing their rule with the Medes. On the country, the Medes helped the Achaemenid Persians to rule a great part of the civilized world of that time. Although many inhabitants of Median territory seem to have been nomads and lived in nomadic tribes and others owed allegiance to minor chieftains, they had unity through a centralized government. They were able to gain control over a vast territory, probably similar to that of the Achaemenid Persians in the east. The cooperation amongst Median tribes is evidence for an organized governmental system and signifies the social and cultural development at this time. IN SEARCH OF THE LOST MEDIAN ART 273 With all this in mind, how is it possible to imagine that such a complex of nomadic units, tribes and small local kingdoms successfully ruled and ran their territory yet never managed to develop an art form recognized as their own? Even among the most primitive people we can easily find traces of art and artifacts. Is it possible then to think that people like the Medes had no art? Why then, shortly after their fall, were they chosen by the Achaemenids to make artistic contributions to the royal palaces? Is it rea- sonable to say they had no art in their time of rule and power, and that after their fall they became famous artists and art creators? Such a sug- gestion is not logical. However, if the Medes did create artistic artifacts, then where are those objects? For a long time and especially in the 20th century, many legal and ille- gal excavations have been done in various regions located within the geo- graphical ancient territory of the Medes. During these excavations and dig- gings, a large number of artifacts from different periods have been recovered. There is no doubt that some artifacts from the Median era have been found that were produced by Medes but were not recognized or cat- egorized as “Median”. For example, we may compare the early excava- tions at Susa, in which layers and features of some periods such as Parthian and Sasanian were ignored. The main reason for this was a lack of knowledge about these levels. Today, although our data is still poor and incomplete, it is possible to recognize Parthian art and to separate Parthian finds from Seleucid or Sasanian artifacts. Therefore, I suggest that during the hundreds of excavations and dig- gings, we have definitely found Median artifacts, but did not recognize them as Median art due to our continued lack of data. This is something that needs to be explored. The question here is how we can refine our cri- teria for the proper recognition of Median art. This is a difficult question to answer. The Medes Appearance in Achaemenid Art: For recognizing Median art we need to start from a concrete point. Greek reports of the royal city of Ecbatana with its decorated fortifications give no good clues about Median art. In my opinion, the most concrete point to start with, can be found in the Achaemenid period. For example in this period the Medes are shown in 274 S. RAZMJOU detail with their characteristic cultural elements, and they are identified as Medes in inscriptions, for example on tombs. This leaves no doubt about their identity. From these images, it may be possible to trace items back to the Iron Age. An important feature of Achaemenid art at Persepolis is that it shows individuals with their own characteristics and demonstrates the differences between the people in the images. This method of identification through interpreting characteristics was useful for international visitors. This method eliminated the need for any inscriptions. Even today many images of actors, politicians, athletes and other famous people can be found with- out inscriptions because everyone recognizes them by their characteristics. This character uniqueness is also visible in the image of the king himself and the crown prince. These two images are markedly different from the other Persian images. Although each group of people has its own characteristics, the Medes are unique. Not only are they shown more than other subject people in the Achaemenid reliefs, but they are always shown together with the Persians. In the reliefs of the northern and eastern staircases of the Apadana Palace and the Western staircase of the Tachara Palace, delegations of subject people are clearly led to the king by a Persian or a Median. In fact the Per- sians and Medes are the only people who are leading delegations. In other reliefs Median high officials are moving side by side with the Persians towards the palace, sometimes holding each other’s hands (Schmidt, 1953, Plates 50, 58-59) (fig.1). Sometimes they are all walking together from one side of a staircase in two lines towards the king (e.g. Tripylon Gate) holding flowers in their hands (Schmidt, 1953, plate 72: A-C). In the northern doorjambs of the One Hundred Columns Hall, the Median guards or officers are also shown together with the Persians. All of these things indicate that the Medes had a superior position under the Achaemenids. They were more than a defeated or subject people although they had been defeated twice by the Persians. The first time was by Cyrus the Great (when they lost their rule), and then by Darius the Great during the rebellion of Phraortes (Fravartish) (For Darius’s report of this rebellion see: Kent, 1953, pp. 123-124). Unlike a defeated enemy, the Medes always had a special place amongst the Persians and received special respect. An example of this IN SEARCH OF THE LOST MEDIAN ART 275 relationship is found in illustrations that show Persians wearing Median suit for riding or fighting.
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