{"id":839,"date":"2020-09-23T12:55:41","date_gmt":"2020-09-23T16:55:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/cavestocathedrals\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=839"},"modified":"2020-12-29T17:49:07","modified_gmt":"2020-12-29T22:49:07","slug":"persian","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/cavestocathedrals\/chapter\/persian\/","title":{"raw":"Persian Art","rendered":"Persian Art"},"content":{"raw":"<span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">The art of the Persian Empire combined a diversity of styles from other cultures to create a unique Persian style.<\/span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"boundless-concept\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">By the end of this module you will be able to:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Identify and describe the form, content, and context of Persian art<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Define critical terms related to Persian art<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Describe the art produced at the beginning of the Persian Empire<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Discuss Achaemenid art and architecture in the Persian Empire<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"boundless-concept\">\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPersia, centred around present-day Iran, was the site of a vast empire that existed in three general phases. The Achaemenids (550\u2013330 BCE) established the first Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great, who quickly expanded the empire\u2019s borders. Zoroastrianism, an ancient monotheistic religion, dominated the Persian Empire until Islam supplanted it in the seventh century CE. While the religion was unique, the art of the empire was largely syncretic, combining the styles of diverse conquered and neighbouring peoples. The result was a new, unique Persian style.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" data-global-id=\"gid:\/\/boundless\/Image\/32968\">\r\n<div class=\"figure-cont\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-nocaption \">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"454\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1849\/2017\/05\/31155241\/hrykw4wtrron8o31hejg.png\" alt=\"Map renders the Persian Empire in green. The colored area includes modern-day Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and small portions of Egypt and India.\" width=\"454\" height=\"454\" \/> <em><strong>Early Persian Empire:<\/strong> In the Achaemenid period, the Persian Empire stretched across a vast swath of the Middle East into northern Africa and southern Europe.<\/em>[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h3>Metalworking<\/h3>\r\nOne artistic technique incorporated from other cultures involved the smithing and hammering of gold, possibly adopted from the Medes. The most common surviving metal objects are ceremonial drinking cups called rhyta made of gold and silver. Rhyta were used in prehistoric Aegean and Greek cultures, most notably the Mycenaeans in the sixteenth century BCE. The gold [pb_glossary id=\"1675\"]rhyton[\/pb_glossary] below, which bears a stylized ram\u2019s head in relief, dates to the Achaemenid period.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" data-global-id=\"gid:\/\/boundless\/Image\/32969\">\r\n<div class=\"figure-cont\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-nocaption \">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"439\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/textimgs.s3.amazonaws.com\/boundless-art-history\/vmwrukv0qhyju7tonaan.jpe#fixme\" alt=\"Photo depicts a gold cone-shaped drinking cup with a relief of a bull's face and horns.\" width=\"439\" height=\"273\" \/> <em><strong>Gold rhyton:<\/strong> ram's head rhyton (550\u2013330 BCE)<\/em>[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nBetter known than ceremonial rhyta is the Oxus Treasure, a 180-piece trove of reliefs, figurines, jewelry, and coins made of gold and silver. The treasure is important because it demonstrates the variety of forms in which metal was worked during the early Persian Empire. The gold chariot below demonstrates the precision possible with small sculptures and includes a small [pb_glossary id=\"995\"]votive[\/pb_glossary] based on the Egyptian god Bes.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" data-global-id=\"gid:\/\/boundless\/Image\/32970\">\r\n<div class=\"figure-cont\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-nocaption \">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"488\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/textimgs.s3.amazonaws.com\/boundless-art-history\/qqbff2f3tbg59nhyktja.jpe#fixme\" alt=\"Photo depicts gold figurine of a chariot pulled by three horses. Inside the chariot are a driver and passenger.\" width=\"488\" height=\"371\" \/> <em><strong>Gold chariot from Oxus Treasure:<\/strong> amalgamated from fragments of other objects in the trove<\/em>[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nThe griffin-headed bracelet also found in the treasure was once inlaid with enamel and precious stones. Once thought to have originated with the ancient Egyptians, the manner of goldsmithing evident in the amulet was later found in Assyrian art. The style of the animals originated with the Scythians, who inhabited the Steppes of Russia.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" data-global-id=\"gid:\/\/boundless\/Image\/32971\">\r\n<div class=\"figure-cont\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-nocaption \">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"422\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/textimgs.s3.amazonaws.com\/boundless-art-history\/nnm5r3zptlqcbsu7cckk.jpe#fixme\" alt=\"Photo of a gold cuff-style bracelet with two griffin heads.\" width=\"422\" height=\"422\" \/> <em><strong>Bracelet from the Oxus Treasure:<\/strong> Indentations show where the bracelet once held enamel and stone inlay.<\/em>[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h3>Cyrus the Great<\/h3>\r\nPersian art incorporated not only the styles of conquered peoples but also their languages. A large\u00a0<em>bas<\/em>\u00a0relief representing Cyrus the Great as a four-winged guardian figure proclaims his rank and ethnicity as an Achaemenidian in three languages. The [pb_glossary id=\"1010\"]stylized[\/pb_glossary] profile pose in which the king stands recalls the dominant Egyptian style of depicting the human body in art.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" data-global-id=\"gid:\/\/boundless\/Image\/32972\">\r\n<div class=\"figure-cont\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-nocaption \">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"323\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/textimgs.s3.amazonaws.com\/boundless-art-history\/xxdmnt7ks0uqeiqpg5da.jpe#fixme\" alt=\"Photograph depicting bas-relief described above.\" width=\"323\" height=\"431\" \/> <em><strong>Cyrus the Great as a winged guardian figure:<\/strong> This stylized relief of Cyrus borrows from the Egyptian style of depicting the human body and proclaims the king\u2019s ethnicity and rank in three languages.<\/em>[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nCyrus is believed to have died in December 530 BCE and was interred in a tomb that further demonstrates the [pb_glossary id=\"1238\"]syncretism[\/pb_glossary] of Persian art. The load-bearing tomb, pyramidal-roofed, sits atop a geometric mound that resembles a stepped pyramid of Pre-Dynastic Egypt. Despite the razing of the original city centuries ago, the tomb remains largely intact.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" data-global-id=\"gid:\/\/boundless\/Image\/32973\">\r\n<div class=\"figure-cont\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-nocaption \">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"281\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/textimgs.s3.amazonaws.com\/boundless-art-history\/iei3n4w7rm6mrzz9gok9.jpe#fixme\" alt=\"Photo depicts tomb of Cyrus the Great, the lower part is built of stones cut square and was rectangular in form. Above, there was a stone chamber with a roof and a door leading into it. The main decoration on the tomb is a rosette design over the door.\" width=\"281\" height=\"422\" \/> <em><strong>Tomb of Cyrus the Great:<\/strong> Syncretic attributes include the pyramidal base of the tomb.<\/em>[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"boundless-concept\">\r\n<h2>Art and Architecture of the Achaemenid Empire<\/h2>\r\nThe Achaemenid Empire was known for its eclectic style of art and architecture synthesized from many foreign influences between 550 and 330 BCE. Ancient Persian art developed and flourished under the Achaemenid Persian Empire (550\u2013330 BCE), an Iranian empire in Western Asia, which eventually came to rule the ancient world from the Indus Valley in the east to Thrace and Macedon in the west.\r\n\r\nNot only was the Achaemenid Dynasty militarily and politically influential, but it also left a long-lasting social and cultural legacy throughout its vast realms. Among its greatest cultural achievements was the development of Achaemenid art and architecture, which were intimately intertwined, reflected techniques and influences from the many corners of its huge empire, and synthesized different styles to develop a unique Persian style.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"boundless-concept\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" data-global-id=\"gid:\/\/boundless\/Image\/13945\">\r\n<div class=\"figure-cont\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-nocaption \">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"576\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1849\/2017\/05\/31155244\/ffins-frieze-louvre-sb3323.jpeg\" alt=\"Photograph of frieze on the brick wall at the Palace of Darius.\" width=\"576\" height=\"383\" \/> <em><strong>Decorative frieze from the palace of Darius the Great at Susa, ca. 510 BCE:<\/strong> Decorative panels from the terra-cotta griffins\u2019 frieze. The vivid colours were preserved, thanks to the ruins being buried underground and protected from the elements.<\/em>[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nThe Achaemenid Persians were particularly skilled at constructing complex [pb_glossary id=\"1018\"]frieze[\/pb_glossary] reliefs; crafting precious metals into jewelry, vessels, statuettes, and a myriad of other shapes; glazed brick masonry; decorating palaces; and creating gardens. They also constructed spectacular cities for governance and habitation, temples for worship and social gatherings, and mausoleums honouring fallen kings. The quintessential characteristic of Persian art and architecture is its eclectic nature, combining elements of Median, Assyrian, and Asiatic Greek styles.\r\n<h3>Persepolis<\/h3>\r\nThe extraordinary architectural legacy of the Achaemenids is best seen in the ruins of the opulent city of Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire. Located about 70 kilometres northeast of the modern Iranian city of Shiraz, Persepolis is a wide, elevated complex 40 feet high, 100 feet wide, and a third of a mile long.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" data-global-id=\"gid:\/\/boundless\/Image\/13913\">\r\n<div class=\"figure-cont\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-nocaption \">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"671\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1849\/2017\/05\/31155246\/x-2009-11-24-persepolis-02.jpeg\" alt=\"Photo depicts the ruins of Persepolis. It shows a raised foundation with steps on either side. On the foundation, there are various structures that look like doorframes.\" width=\"671\" height=\"220\" \/> <em><strong>Persepolis<\/strong>: A panoramic view of its ruins.<\/em>[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nIt consists of multiple halls, corridors, a wide terrace, and a symmetrical double stairway providing access to the terrace, decorated with reliefs depicting scenes from nature and daily life. The largest hall in the complex is the audience hall of Apadana. This hypostyle hall has a total of 36 [pb_glossary id=\"1676\"]fluted[\/pb_glossary] columns with [pb_glossary id=\"1154\"]capitals[\/pb_glossary] sculpted into unique forms. It famously features the exquisite <em>\u201c<\/em>Treasure Reliefs\u201d\u2014[pb_glossary id=\"1018\"]friezes[\/pb_glossary] emphasizing the divine presence and power of the king and depicting scenes from all across his vast empire and his army of Persian immortals.\r\n\r\nThe construction of Persepolis was initiated by Darius I (550\u2013486 BCE), who also commissioned the construction of a grand palace in the city of Susa. The palace featured imperial art on an entirely unprecedented scale. Materials and artists were drawn from all corners of the empire to work on it. Styles, tastes, and motifs intermingled in a lavish expression of the hybrid art and architecture that was characteristic of the Persian Achaemenid style. This attention to diversity also appears in the reliefs from the hall of Apadana, in which leaders and dignitaries from various provinces appear in regional fashions beneath a frieze punctuated by male lamassus adopted from previous Mesopotamian cultures.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" data-global-id=\"gid:\/\/boundless\/Image\/13915\">\r\n<div class=\"figure-cont\">\r\n<div class=\"wp-nocaption \">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"613\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1849\/2017\/05\/31155249\/polis-the-persian-soldiers.jpeg\" alt=\"Photograph of a relief found inside the ruins of Persepolis.\" width=\"613\" height=\"412\" \/> <em><strong>Relief from Apadana Hall, Persepolis:<\/strong> Features 5th century BC carving of Persian and Median soldiers in traditional costume. Note the subtle differences in the clothing and style of the soldiers on each side. The Medians are wearing rounded hats and boots.<\/em>[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nThe palace at Persepolis stood for nearly 200 years. In 330 BCE, the Macedonian emperor Alexander the Great (356\u2013323 BCE) captured the city and allowed his troops to loot the palace. Inscriptions describe a great fire that engulfed \u201cthe palace\u201d but do not specify which palace. Scholars believe these writings describe the destruction of Persepolis, based on the condition of the ruins found there. The fire likely started in the living quarters of the former emperor Xerxes I (518\u2013465 BCE) and spread throughout the rest of the city. This event brought an end to the Achaemenid Empire and made Persepolis a Macedonian province.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--key-takeaways\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Summary<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>The quintessential characteristic of Persian art and architecture is its eclectic nature, with influences from the visual culture of Assyria, ancient Egypt, and Mycenae.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Gold and silver objects demonstrate advanced skill in metalworking among artists living in the Persian Empire.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Multilingual inscriptions, such as those on a relief of Cyrus the Great, demonstrate the diversity of those living in the Persian Empire.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The Achaemenid Empire stretched across western Asia from the Indus Valley in the east to Thrace and Macedon in the west.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The Achaemenid Persians were particularly skilled at constructing complex frieze reliefs, crafting precious metals, and glazed brick masonry. They also constructed spectacular cities for governance and habitation, temples for worship and social gatherings, and mausoleums honouring fallen kings.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire was Persepolis, which preserves the best of ancient Persian architecture. It is best known for its pillared Apadana Hall, decorated with complex sculptural reliefs depicting the king and his subjects.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The palace at Persepolis stood for nearly 200 years until it was looted and burned by the armies of Alexander the Great in 330 BCE.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nAdapted from\u00a0<strong>\"Boundless Art History\"<\/strong> https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/boundless-arthistory\/chapter\/persia\/\u00a0<strong>License: <span style=\"color: #993300\"><em><a style=\"color: #993300\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license noopener noreferrer\">CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/strong>\r\n\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<p><span style=\"text-align: initial;font-size: 1em\">The art of the Persian Empire combined a diversity of styles from other cultures to create a unique Persian style.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"boundless-concept\">\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">By the end of this module you will be able to:<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ul>\n<li>Identify and describe the form, content, and context of Persian art<\/li>\n<li>Define critical terms related to Persian art<\/li>\n<li>Describe the art produced at the beginning of the Persian Empire<\/li>\n<li>Discuss Achaemenid art and architecture in the Persian Empire<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"boundless-concept\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Persia, centred around present-day Iran, was the site of a vast empire that existed in three general phases. The Achaemenids (550\u2013330 BCE) established the first Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great, who quickly expanded the empire\u2019s borders. Zoroastrianism, an ancient monotheistic religion, dominated the Persian Empire until Islam supplanted it in the seventh century CE. While the religion was unique, the art of the empire was largely syncretic, combining the styles of diverse conquered and neighbouring peoples. The result was a new, unique Persian style.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" data-global-id=\"gid:\/\/boundless\/Image\/32968\">\n<div class=\"figure-cont\">\n<div class=\"wp-nocaption\">\n<figure style=\"width: 454px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1849\/2017\/05\/31155241\/hrykw4wtrron8o31hejg.png\" alt=\"Map renders the Persian Empire in green. The colored area includes modern-day Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and small portions of Egypt and India.\" width=\"454\" height=\"454\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><strong>Early Persian Empire:<\/strong> In the Achaemenid period, the Persian Empire stretched across a vast swath of the Middle East into northern Africa and southern Europe.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Metalworking<\/h3>\n<p>One artistic technique incorporated from other cultures involved the smithing and hammering of gold, possibly adopted from the Medes. The most common surviving metal objects are ceremonial drinking cups called rhyta made of gold and silver. Rhyta were used in prehistoric Aegean and Greek cultures, most notably the Mycenaeans in the sixteenth century BCE. The gold <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_839_1675\">rhyton<\/a> below, which bears a stylized ram\u2019s head in relief, dates to the Achaemenid period.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" data-global-id=\"gid:\/\/boundless\/Image\/32969\">\n<div class=\"figure-cont\">\n<div class=\"wp-nocaption\">\n<figure style=\"width: 439px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/textimgs.s3.amazonaws.com\/boundless-art-history\/vmwrukv0qhyju7tonaan.jpe#fixme\" alt=\"Photo depicts a gold cone-shaped drinking cup with a relief of a bull's face and horns.\" width=\"439\" height=\"273\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><strong>Gold rhyton:<\/strong> ram&#8217;s head rhyton (550\u2013330 BCE)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Better known than ceremonial rhyta is the Oxus Treasure, a 180-piece trove of reliefs, figurines, jewelry, and coins made of gold and silver. The treasure is important because it demonstrates the variety of forms in which metal was worked during the early Persian Empire. The gold chariot below demonstrates the precision possible with small sculptures and includes a small <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_839_995\">votive<\/a> based on the Egyptian god Bes.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" data-global-id=\"gid:\/\/boundless\/Image\/32970\">\n<div class=\"figure-cont\">\n<div class=\"wp-nocaption\">\n<figure style=\"width: 488px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/textimgs.s3.amazonaws.com\/boundless-art-history\/qqbff2f3tbg59nhyktja.jpe#fixme\" alt=\"Photo depicts gold figurine of a chariot pulled by three horses. Inside the chariot are a driver and passenger.\" width=\"488\" height=\"371\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><strong>Gold chariot from Oxus Treasure:<\/strong> amalgamated from fragments of other objects in the trove<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The griffin-headed bracelet also found in the treasure was once inlaid with enamel and precious stones. Once thought to have originated with the ancient Egyptians, the manner of goldsmithing evident in the amulet was later found in Assyrian art. The style of the animals originated with the Scythians, who inhabited the Steppes of Russia.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" data-global-id=\"gid:\/\/boundless\/Image\/32971\">\n<div class=\"figure-cont\">\n<div class=\"wp-nocaption\">\n<figure style=\"width: 422px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/textimgs.s3.amazonaws.com\/boundless-art-history\/nnm5r3zptlqcbsu7cckk.jpe#fixme\" alt=\"Photo of a gold cuff-style bracelet with two griffin heads.\" width=\"422\" height=\"422\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><strong>Bracelet from the Oxus Treasure:<\/strong> Indentations show where the bracelet once held enamel and stone inlay.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Cyrus the Great<\/h3>\n<p>Persian art incorporated not only the styles of conquered peoples but also their languages. A large\u00a0<em>bas<\/em>\u00a0relief representing Cyrus the Great as a four-winged guardian figure proclaims his rank and ethnicity as an Achaemenidian in three languages. The <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_839_1010\">stylized<\/a> profile pose in which the king stands recalls the dominant Egyptian style of depicting the human body in art.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" data-global-id=\"gid:\/\/boundless\/Image\/32972\">\n<div class=\"figure-cont\">\n<div class=\"wp-nocaption\">\n<figure style=\"width: 323px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/textimgs.s3.amazonaws.com\/boundless-art-history\/xxdmnt7ks0uqeiqpg5da.jpe#fixme\" alt=\"Photograph depicting bas-relief described above.\" width=\"323\" height=\"431\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><strong>Cyrus the Great as a winged guardian figure:<\/strong> This stylized relief of Cyrus borrows from the Egyptian style of depicting the human body and proclaims the king\u2019s ethnicity and rank in three languages.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Cyrus is believed to have died in December 530 BCE and was interred in a tomb that further demonstrates the <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_839_1238\">syncretism<\/a> of Persian art. The load-bearing tomb, pyramidal-roofed, sits atop a geometric mound that resembles a stepped pyramid of Pre-Dynastic Egypt. Despite the razing of the original city centuries ago, the tomb remains largely intact.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" data-global-id=\"gid:\/\/boundless\/Image\/32973\">\n<div class=\"figure-cont\">\n<div class=\"wp-nocaption\">\n<figure style=\"width: 281px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/textimgs.s3.amazonaws.com\/boundless-art-history\/iei3n4w7rm6mrzz9gok9.jpe#fixme\" alt=\"Photo depicts tomb of Cyrus the Great, the lower part is built of stones cut square and was rectangular in form. Above, there was a stone chamber with a roof and a door leading into it. The main decoration on the tomb is a rosette design over the door.\" width=\"281\" height=\"422\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><strong>Tomb of Cyrus the Great:<\/strong> Syncretic attributes include the pyramidal base of the tomb.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"boundless-concept\">\n<h2>Art and Architecture of the Achaemenid Empire<\/h2>\n<p>The Achaemenid Empire was known for its eclectic style of art and architecture synthesized from many foreign influences between 550 and 330 BCE. Ancient Persian art developed and flourished under the Achaemenid Persian Empire (550\u2013330 BCE), an Iranian empire in Western Asia, which eventually came to rule the ancient world from the Indus Valley in the east to Thrace and Macedon in the west.<\/p>\n<p>Not only was the Achaemenid Dynasty militarily and politically influential, but it also left a long-lasting social and cultural legacy throughout its vast realms. Among its greatest cultural achievements was the development of Achaemenid art and architecture, which were intimately intertwined, reflected techniques and influences from the many corners of its huge empire, and synthesized different styles to develop a unique Persian style.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"boundless-concept\">\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" data-global-id=\"gid:\/\/boundless\/Image\/13945\">\n<div class=\"figure-cont\">\n<div class=\"wp-nocaption\">\n<figure style=\"width: 576px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1849\/2017\/05\/31155244\/ffins-frieze-louvre-sb3323.jpeg\" alt=\"Photograph of frieze on the brick wall at the Palace of Darius.\" width=\"576\" height=\"383\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><strong>Decorative frieze from the palace of Darius the Great at Susa, ca. 510 BCE:<\/strong> Decorative panels from the terra-cotta griffins\u2019 frieze. The vivid colours were preserved, thanks to the ruins being buried underground and protected from the elements.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Achaemenid Persians were particularly skilled at constructing complex <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_839_1018\">frieze<\/a> reliefs; crafting precious metals into jewelry, vessels, statuettes, and a myriad of other shapes; glazed brick masonry; decorating palaces; and creating gardens. They also constructed spectacular cities for governance and habitation, temples for worship and social gatherings, and mausoleums honouring fallen kings. The quintessential characteristic of Persian art and architecture is its eclectic nature, combining elements of Median, Assyrian, and Asiatic Greek styles.<\/p>\n<h3>Persepolis<\/h3>\n<p>The extraordinary architectural legacy of the Achaemenids is best seen in the ruins of the opulent city of Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire. Located about 70 kilometres northeast of the modern Iranian city of Shiraz, Persepolis is a wide, elevated complex 40 feet high, 100 feet wide, and a third of a mile long.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" data-global-id=\"gid:\/\/boundless\/Image\/13913\">\n<div class=\"figure-cont\">\n<div class=\"wp-nocaption\">\n<figure style=\"width: 671px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1849\/2017\/05\/31155246\/x-2009-11-24-persepolis-02.jpeg\" alt=\"Photo depicts the ruins of Persepolis. It shows a raised foundation with steps on either side. On the foundation, there are various structures that look like doorframes.\" width=\"671\" height=\"220\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><strong>Persepolis<\/strong>: A panoramic view of its ruins.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>It consists of multiple halls, corridors, a wide terrace, and a symmetrical double stairway providing access to the terrace, decorated with reliefs depicting scenes from nature and daily life. The largest hall in the complex is the audience hall of Apadana. This hypostyle hall has a total of 36 <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_839_1676\">fluted<\/a> columns with <a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_839_1154\">capitals<\/a> sculpted into unique forms. It famously features the exquisite <em>\u201c<\/em>Treasure Reliefs\u201d\u2014<a class=\"glossary-term\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-describedby=\"definition\" href=\"#term_839_1018\">friezes<\/a> emphasizing the divine presence and power of the king and depicting scenes from all across his vast empire and his army of Persian immortals.<\/p>\n<p>The construction of Persepolis was initiated by Darius I (550\u2013486 BCE), who also commissioned the construction of a grand palace in the city of Susa. The palace featured imperial art on an entirely unprecedented scale. Materials and artists were drawn from all corners of the empire to work on it. Styles, tastes, and motifs intermingled in a lavish expression of the hybrid art and architecture that was characteristic of the Persian Achaemenid style. This attention to diversity also appears in the reliefs from the hall of Apadana, in which leaders and dignitaries from various provinces appear in regional fashions beneath a frieze punctuated by male lamassus adopted from previous Mesopotamian cultures.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" data-global-id=\"gid:\/\/boundless\/Image\/13915\">\n<div class=\"figure-cont\">\n<div class=\"wp-nocaption\">\n<figure style=\"width: 613px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1849\/2017\/05\/31155249\/polis-the-persian-soldiers.jpeg\" alt=\"Photograph of a relief found inside the ruins of Persepolis.\" width=\"613\" height=\"412\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><strong>Relief from Apadana Hall, Persepolis:<\/strong> Features 5th century BC carving of Persian and Median soldiers in traditional costume. Note the subtle differences in the clothing and style of the soldiers on each side. The Medians are wearing rounded hats and boots.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The palace at Persepolis stood for nearly 200 years. In 330 BCE, the Macedonian emperor Alexander the Great (356\u2013323 BCE) captured the city and allowed his troops to loot the palace. Inscriptions describe a great fire that engulfed \u201cthe palace\u201d but do not specify which palace. Scholars believe these writings describe the destruction of Persepolis, based on the condition of the ruins found there. The fire likely started in the living quarters of the former emperor Xerxes I (518\u2013465 BCE) and spread throughout the rest of the city. This event brought an end to the Achaemenid Empire and made Persepolis a Macedonian province.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--key-takeaways\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Summary<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ul>\n<li>The quintessential characteristic of Persian art and architecture is its eclectic nature, with influences from the visual culture of Assyria, ancient Egypt, and Mycenae.<\/li>\n<li>Gold and silver objects demonstrate advanced skill in metalworking among artists living in the Persian Empire.<\/li>\n<li>Multilingual inscriptions, such as those on a relief of Cyrus the Great, demonstrate the diversity of those living in the Persian Empire.<\/li>\n<li>The Achaemenid Empire stretched across western Asia from the Indus Valley in the east to Thrace and Macedon in the west.<\/li>\n<li>The Achaemenid Persians were particularly skilled at constructing complex frieze reliefs, crafting precious metals, and glazed brick masonry. They also constructed spectacular cities for governance and habitation, temples for worship and social gatherings, and mausoleums honouring fallen kings.<\/li>\n<li>The ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire was Persepolis, which preserves the best of ancient Persian architecture. It is best known for its pillared Apadana Hall, decorated with complex sculptural reliefs depicting the king and his subjects.<\/li>\n<li>The palace at Persepolis stood for nearly 200 years until it was looted and burned by the armies of Alexander the Great in 330 BCE.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Adapted from\u00a0<strong>&#8220;Boundless Art History&#8221;<\/strong> https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/boundless-arthistory\/chapter\/persia\/\u00a0<strong>License: <span style=\"color: #993300\"><em><a style=\"color: #993300\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license noopener noreferrer\">CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"glossary\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\" id=\"definition\">definition<\/span><template id=\"term_839_1675\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_839_1675\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>A large ceremonial drinking cup fashioned in the shape of an animal\u2019s head.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_839_995\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_839_995\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>An object left in temples or other religious locations for a variety of spiritual purposes.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_839_1010\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_839_1010\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>Art that is not naturalistic, yet not distorted enough to be abstract.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_839_1238\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_839_1238\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>Describing imagery or other creative expressions that blends two or more religions or cultures.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_839_1018\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_839_1018\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>Any sculptured or richly ornamented band on a building.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_839_1676\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_839_1676\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>Having semi-cylindrical vertical grooves, either for decoration or to trim weight.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><template id=\"term_839_1154\"><div class=\"glossary__definition\" role=\"dialog\" data-id=\"term_839_1154\"><div tabindex=\"-1\"><p>The topmost part of a column.<\/p>\n<\/div><button><span aria-hidden=\"true\">&times;<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close definition<\/span><\/button><\/div><\/template><\/div>","protected":false},"author":961,"menu_order":9,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-839","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":823,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/cavestocathedrals\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/839","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/cavestocathedrals\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/cavestocathedrals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/cavestocathedrals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/961"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/cavestocathedrals\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/839\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2186,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/cavestocathedrals\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/839\/revisions\/2186"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/cavestocathedrals\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/823"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/cavestocathedrals\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/839\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/cavestocathedrals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=839"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/cavestocathedrals\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=839"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/cavestocathedrals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=839"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/cavestocathedrals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=839"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}