The "Path of Kāvusan" on the Lorestan Iron Age bowl

Articles in Press

Authors

1 PhD student. The Art Research Department. University of Art. Tehran. Iran.

2 Associate Professor. The art Research Department. University of Art., Tehran, Iran

3 Assistant Professor. The department of Philosophy of Art. University of Art. Tehran. Iran.

Abstract

The religion and rituals of the bronze producers of the Iron Age in Lorestan have always been accompanied by contradictory opinions. Among these artifacts, there is a bronze bowl featuring celestial motifs and seven Aramaic inscriptions arranged meaningfully alongside each other. The hypothesis of this research is that analyzing the celestial motifs on this object and other bronzes from Lorestan can clarify some of the ambiguities regarding the religion of these people. Therefore, for the first time, the celestial motifs in sections 2 and 6 of the bowl were analyzed based on the narrative and mythological concepts of Indo-Aryan religions and in relation to the motifs on other bronzes from Lorestan. The research is qualitative in nature and employs a "descriptive-analytical" method, with data collected from museum and library sources. According to the findings, the constellation of two figures in section 2 of the bowl (the monkey motif) symbolizes the head of the dragon, which is the cause of eclipses. The Pleiades cluster in section 6 of the bowl symbolizes the demons of Sabtu, which, according to Mesopotamian texts, were associated with Elam, the goddess Narvandi, and eclipses. The assumed axis between these two sections represents the Milky Way; a path that, according to the Bundahishn, was also known as the "Path of the Kāvūsān." The "Path of the Kāvūsān" was the route of kings who used the sign of divine glory for their wicked intentions, leading to the downfall of their reigns. It appears that the representation of the "Path of the Kāvūsān" on the bronzes of Lorestan depicts a man or a goat-demon, who controls two star-marked serpents with his own hands to exert the will of the gods in altering destinies and punishing tyrannical kings.
Journal of Iranian Handicrafts Studies

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 06 October 2024

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