Persiana

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Tomb Raiding 101
(one-faced or two-faced?)




How did it end up in the UK and eventually in that man's possession? His story does not sound credible. If his grandfather recommended it would possibly worth a fortune some day (video), why did himself use it for target practice? How come he had not have it appraised for that long? Is it believable that a metal dealer who "had a good eye for antiques" couldn't distinguish gold from brass? I think after the Barakat Gallery court case that Iran won, dealers of looted treasures are going to concoct all sorts of stories to avoid the fate of Barakat.

I think this case, as in the previous instances, should also be pursued by Iran's cultural heritage organization. UNESCO Convention leaves no ambiguity in such instances for all the signatories.


"given what we know about the antiquities trade and faked provenance this seems a bit suspicious, though that is mere speculation on my part." - quoted from Illicit cultural property which points to another interesting article on the issue: The Midas Touch.

"Art of the Hunt"



From the page:
The Shahnameh (Book of Kings), completed by Ferdowsi in 1010, is an account in verse of Iran's glorious history, a national epic. This painting, Kay Khusraw Reviews His Army--of ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper, measuring 14 2/3 by 9 1/2 inches--is from a manuscript copy of the Shahnameh made in Shiraz in the Fars province of Iran in 1561-62. The poem is much concerned with themes of heroism, courage, and royal legitimacy, and hunting narratives are frequent. In a composition full of animation, the painter added elements not in Ferdowsi's text to illustrate the complementary nature of hunting and warfare because both confirmed the legitimacy of Kay Khusraw, an exemplar of a just leader. Atop his white elephant, he reviews his troops before they depart for battle. The whiteness of the elephant .. is allegorical, "but light-colored elephants were the highest prize in the royal stable."




[...] a falcon carried by the falconer (above, left) on his delightfully dappled horse, a hound, and a cheetah wearing a green cape (above, right). Hounds and falcons often hunted in concert. The falcon would select and stoop onto the quarry and the hounds would bring it down.

"This book is the result of years of research in the field of [ancient] Iranian arms and armor, illustrating for the first time a selected array of Iranian arms and armor from ten Iranian museums."

Minakari; an ancient Iranian art

Photos of Minakari in Isfahan city on the page. Texts from another site*

Minakari or Enamelling is the art of painting, colouring and ornamenting the surface of metals [and dishes] by fusing over brilliant colours that are decorated in an intricate design.




The Iranians invented the art of enamel or minawork metalcraft and Mughals spreaded it to India and other countries. Gold has been used traditionally for minakari jewellery as it holds the enamel better, lasts longer and its lustre brings out the colours of the enamels.




Silver, a later introduction, is used for artefacts like boxes, bowls, spoons, and art pieces while Copper which is used for handicraft products were introduced only after the Gold Control Act, which compelled the minakars to look for a material other than gold, was enforced around the world.

Apadana (~500 BCE), Susa, south-west Iran

(Images and a few notes on the page.)

(Related Post)

May her soul rest in peace.

TILE PANEL WITH PICNIC SCENE: Iran (Safavid), Isfahan,
17th-century fritware with decoration in enamel colors, 40-1/2 by 86-3/8 in.