Ancient Near Eastern Art: The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, v ...

neck are covered with gold foil. This
combination of gold and silver was
commonly used on metalwork of the
Achaemenid period, and the fashion continued
on later works of Parthian and
Sasanian date.
Another Achaemenid vessel (fig. 14)
ends in the forepart of a lion. The mouth
of the lion is open, and in characteristic
Near Eastern fashion the tongue protrudes
from between the teeth. The vessel
is made of seven different parts, almost
invisibly joined.
A gilded silver rhyton (fig. 13), hornshaped
and having a small spout for
pouring, dates from the Parthian period
(ca. first century B.C.) and is much influenced,
in form and style, by the art of the
late Hellenistic West. The panther wears
a grape-and-leaf vine wound around its
chest, and an ivy wreath encircles the rim
of the vessel. These motifs are symbols
of the Greek wine god Dionysos, whose
cult spread eastward at the time of the
invasion of Alexander the Great in the
late fourth century B.C. Dionysiac images
-panthers, grapevines, and dancing females
(see fig. 26)- continue to appear
on the silverware of the Sasanian period
(A.D. 226-651). On an oval bowl (see fig.
11) dating from the end of this period a
curling grapevine scroll is populated with
birds and animals and frames a small
male figure, bearded and partially nude.
The vine scroll and the nude male figure
(an unusual subject in Sasanian art) reflect
the influence of Dionysiac imagery. The
significance of the Dionysiac motifs in
Iranian art is unknown. They are common
on silverware of late Sasanian date
and, during that period, may have referred
to Iranian court festivals rather
than to specific Dionysiac cult practices.
Although royal images do not appear
on the gold and silver vessels that have
survived from the Achaemenid period,
names of kings were inscribed on some
examples around the rim (see fig. 72).
On later vessels, notably those of the
Sasanian period, there are no royal inscriptions
but the king himself is represented,
usually in a hunting scene (see fig. 63).
Silver-gilt plates decorated in this fashion
were probably intended as gifts for neighboring
rulers or for members of the king's
own court.
Ancientexts state that goldsmiths fashioned
not only vessels but also statues of
kings and divinities and many small objects,
such as jewelry and other decorations
for the clothing of the king and god.
Only a small number of these treasured
objects have survived, but the remains
provide a glimpse of the luxury wares that
were used at the royal court and dedicated
by rulers to their gods. P.O.H.
A
I
13 14
16