76689 - Archaeology of Pre-Islamic Iran I

Learning outcomes

The course concentrates on a monographic subject, different every year, treated on the basis of the historical, literary and archaeological sources, with the critical approach typical of scientific research. At the end of the course, the student has acquired the specific knowledge on the monographic subject; has developed autonomous attitude in respect of the large existing bibliography on the archaeology of Ancient Iran; has got the learning capabilities necessary to investigate with well-grounded basis the sources for an archaeological research.

Course contents

The course concerns a single theme of the archaeology of the Iranian pre-Islamic world, studied in a more detailed monographic approach, with a particular concern towards critics and methodology.
The subject of the 2014-2015 course is: "Seals and sealings of Iran in the Sasanian period (3rd-7th century AD)". According to the number of CFU which he has to acquire, the student will follow progressively wider parts of the course.

Readings/Bibliography

The bibliography given below is meant mainly for the students who will not be able to attend the classes:
6, 8 or 12 CFU examination:
R. Gyselen, Catalogue des sceaux, camées et bulles sassanides de la Bibliothèque Nationale et du Musée du Louvre. I. Collection générale, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, 1993, pp. 15-64.
L. Gorelick / A.J. Gwinnet, “Innovative Methods in the Manufacture of Sasanian Seals”, Iran, XXXIV, 1996, p. 79-84.
P. Callieri, “The Activity of Gem and Coin Die Engravers in North-West India Between the Indo-Greeks and the Kushanas”, in P. Callieri (ed.), Architetti, capomastri, artigiani. L'organizzazione dei cantieri e della produzione artistica nell'Asia ellenistica. Studi offerti a Domenico Faccenna nel suo ottantesimo compleanno [Serie Orientale Roma, C], Roma, IsIAO, 2006, pp. 7-16.
R. Gyselen, “L'art sigillaire : camées, sceaux et bulles”, in Les Perses sassanides. Fastes d'un empire oublié (224-642), Paris, Editions Findakly, 2006, p. 199-213.
8 and 12 CFU examination: add:
P. Callieri, “5. Questions de style et de technique dans la production des sceaux sassanides : les centres de production”, in P. Callieri, La culture architecturale et figurative de l'Iran sassanide, Paris 2014 (in stampa).
12 CFU examination: add:
R. Gyselen, Compte-rendu de N.C. Ritter, Die altorientalischen Traditionen der sasanidischen Glyptik. Form-Gebrauch-Ikonographie (Wiener Offene Orientalistik 9), Wien-Berlin 2010, in Studia Iranica 41, 2012, p. 319-323.
R. Gyselen, “La glyptique des hauts fonctionnaires et dignitaires de l'empire sassanide”, in R. Gyselen, La géographie administrative de l'empire sassanide. Les témoignages sigillographiques [Res Orientales, 1], GECMO, Paris, 1989, p 149-166.

The teacher during the course will make use of a number of texts for the critical study of the rock reliefs, indicated lesson by lesson:
A.D.H. Bivar, Catalogue of the Western Asiatic Stamp Seals in the British Museum. Stamp Seals II: The Sassanian Dynasty, London, 1969.
A.Ja. Borisov / V.G. Lukonin, Sasanidskie gemmy, Leningrad, 1963.
C.J. Brunner, Sasanian Stamp Seals in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1978.
P. Callieri, “Sasanian glyptics in Caucasian archaeological contexts: contribution on problems of chronology”, Atti del convegno internazionale “La Persia e Bisanzio” (Roma, 14-18 ottobre 2002) [Atti dei convegni lincei, 201], Roma, Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, 2004, p. 923-933.
R. Curiel & Ph. Gignoux, “Sur une intaille sassanide du Cabinet des Médailles de Paris”, Studia Iranica 4, 1975, p. 41-49.
Ph. Gignoux & R. Gyselen, “ La glyptique des femmes à l'époque sassanide”, Archaeologia Iranica et Orientalis. Miscellanea in honorem Louis Vanden Berghe, Gent 1989, p. 877-896.
R. Göbl, Der Sasanidische Siegelkanon [Handbücher  der mittelasiatischen Numismatik, IV], Braunschweig 1973.
R. Gyselen, “Les formes sont-elles un critère del datation pour les cachets sassanides?”, Akten des VII. internationalen Kongresses für iranische Kunst und Archäologie, München, 7.-10. September 1976 [Archäologische Mitteilungen aus Iran, Erg. 6], Berlin, p. 352-363.
R. Gyselen, “La glyptique des hauts fonctionnaires et dignitaires de l'empire sassanide”,  in R. Gyselen, La géographie administrative de l'empire sassanide. Les témoignages sigillographiques [Res Orientales, 1], GECMO, Paris, 1989, p 149-166.
R. Gyselen, “Les sceaux des mages de l'Iran sassanide”, R. Gyselen (ed.), Au Carrefour des religions : Mélanges offerts à Philippe Gignoux [Res Orientales, VII], GECMO, Bures-sur-Yvette, 1995.
R. Gyselen, Sasanian Seals and Sealings in the A. Saeedi Collection [Acta Iranica, 44], Lovanii, 2007.
R. Gyselen, “Shapur, fils d'Ohrmazd, petit-fils de Narseh” dans : R. Gyselen (ed.), Des Indo-Grecs aux Sassanides : données pour l'historie et la géographie historique [Res Orientales, XVII], Bures-sur-Yvette, GECMO, 2007, p. 73-80.
R. Gyselen, “The Great Families in the Sasanian Empire: some Sigillographic Evidence”, D. Kennet / P. Luft (edd.), Current Research in Sasanian Archaeology, Art and History. Proceedings of a Conference held at Durham University, November 3rd and 4th, 2001 [BAR International Series, 1810], Oxford, 2008, p. 107-113.
P.O. Harper, “Representational Motifs on the Sealings”, R.N. Frye (ed.), Sasanian Remains from Qasr-i Abu Nasr. Seals, Sealings, and Coins [Harvard Iranian Series, 1], Cambridge, Mass., 1973, p. 66-87.
J. Lerner, “An Introduction to the Sealings on the Bactrian Documents in the Khalili Collection”, M. Compareti / P. Raffetta /G. Scarcia (edd.), Eran ud Aneran: Studies Presented to Boris Il'ic Marsak on the Occasion of His 70th Birthday, Venezia, p. 371-386.
J. Lerner, “Observations on the Typology and Style of Seals and Selaings from Bactria and the Indo-Iranian Borderlands”, M. Alram / D. Klimburg-Salter / M. Inaba / M. Pfisterer (edd.), Coins, Art and Chronology II. The First Millennium C.E. in the Indo-Iranian Borderlands (Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Veröffentlichungen der numismatischen Kommission, 50), Wien, 2010, p. 245-266.
N.C. Ritter, Die altorientalischen Traditionen der sasanidischen Glyptik. Form-Gebrauch-Ikonographie (Wiener Offene Orientalistik 9), Wien-Berlin, LIT, 2010.
P.O. Skjærvø, “The great seal of Pêrôz”, Studia Iranica 32, 2003, p. 281-286.
G. Tassinari, “La produzione glittica a Roma: la questione delle officine nel mondo romano in epoca imperiale”, Rivista di Studi Liguri, 74, p. 251-317.

Teaching methods

Lessons with direct and critical examination of the iconographical documents through slide projections and distributions of plans and maps. Aim of the course is introducing the student to the main problems of the research subject proposed. A special stress is put on the methodological approach to research, with the aim of stimulating the critical reflexion of the student.

Assessment methods

Oral examination based on an interview aimed at ascertaining acquired knowledges and competences in the subject of the course, with the possibility of having on request partial assessment of the various parts of the programme. The oral dialogue has the aim of assessing the acquisition of the notions as well as the critical capacity to relate to the teacher's lessons and the indicated bibliography. The use of a specialistic language, with right terminology, is considered a necessary prerequisite for a successful examination in a MA course.

Teaching tools

Slides projection and graphs distribution.

Office hours

See the website of Pierfrancesco Callieri