In the art of pre-Islamic Iran we have evidence of relief busts in stucco for which a particular position on top of a semi-column can be reconstructed; at the same time we have a few specimens of sculptural human heads in the round, the lower part of which suggests a joint with an element other than the body of a statue. After describing the evidence on the basis of the available publications, the author attempts an interpretation based on the physical features of these busts or heads. This leads him to suggest the existence of a new type of architectural sculpture, the “bust-pillar”, which seems to be solely present in the architecture of Iran during the Arsacid and Sasanian periods.
Callieri, P. (2016). The bust-pillar: a new type of monument in Ancient Iran?. Bruxelles : Societé belge des orientalistes.
The bust-pillar: a new type of monument in Ancient Iran?
CALLIERI, PIERFRANCESCO
2016
Abstract
In the art of pre-Islamic Iran we have evidence of relief busts in stucco for which a particular position on top of a semi-column can be reconstructed; at the same time we have a few specimens of sculptural human heads in the round, the lower part of which suggests a joint with an element other than the body of a statue. After describing the evidence on the basis of the available publications, the author attempts an interpretation based on the physical features of these busts or heads. This leads him to suggest the existence of a new type of architectural sculpture, the “bust-pillar”, which seems to be solely present in the architecture of Iran during the Arsacid and Sasanian periods.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
