SASSANIAN MOTIFS IN ARCHITECTURE AND FINE ART OF THE KINGDOM OF KARTLI (IBERIA)

Abstract

For centuries, Georgian states retained close links with the pre-Islamic Iran. In addition to the economy and politics, Georgia and Iran developed strong ties in the cultural sphere as well. Territory of the East Georgia has been under the sphere of influence of the Sassanian Empire in the periods of Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. Iranian culture and Zoroastrianism had strong impact on the Georgian art from these historical periods that is evident in architecture, reliefs, glyptic and other objects of fine and applied arts. Sometimes we can notice also Zoroastrian reminiscences in the first stage of the development of the Christian art in Georgia. Eastern Georgia (especially regions of Lower an Inner Kartlii, and cities like Mtskheta, Tbilisi, Ujarma and others) had Iranian, Zoroastrian population in these periods. Therefore, the map of Georgia is enriched with Iranian toponymics. From the ancient times, there have been fire temples of the different type as well (Samadlo, Tsikhiagora, Dedoflis Mindori etc.). Iranian population, Zoroastrian communities, fire temples and altars are mentioned in many Georgian written sources. Such communities were often multi-ethnic – along with Iranians, they had Georgian members as well. In a similar vein, we can delineate the group of churches of the early Middle Ages, that has strong influence of Zoroastrian temple architecture – e.g. Tcheremi, Tskhrakara of Matani, Nekresi, Uplistsikhe etc. In addition, article covers the objects of fine and applied arts, such as reliefs, silverworks, gemstones etc. Such samples possess extremely interesting synthesis of local Georgian art and Sassanian iconographic and decorative motifs: the ways of depiction of characters, their clothes and accessories, Zoroastrian and Christian religious symbols, stylistic peculiarities, ornaments etc.