Journal of Archaeological Studies

Abstract Abstract
Cooperation of skilled Sassanid painters and metal workers led to the creation of masterpieces in the collections and museums and around the world, especially the silver plates that were decorated by augmentation, hammering, engraving, gilding, and other techniques. On the one hand, noble tastes led to creation of these artifacts, whereas forgers take the opportunity to produce fakes similar to the original artifacts. Therefore, due to the high rate of discoveries from smugglers, the objects must be studied and authenticated more deeply. The present paper studies a silver plate with a ram design that was produced during the Sassanid period and which was discovered by smugglers in Mazandaran province. The plate is registered in the historical list of Sari Collection, however, the author hesitated to confirm the authentication of the same object. Through study, the author recognized the original plate, which led to present paper as the authentication and comparison of both. The present paper points to the authentication methods of the Sassanid silver plate, while introducing motifs that reflect a powerful government with royal requisites and religious rites, however, in the end, while the plate expresses the skillfulness of a master who created the most appropriate composition, the authentication of the plate denied and has been listed as a forgery. 
Keywords: Silver Plate, Sassanid, Ram, Composition, Forgery, Collection of Sari.
 
1. Introduction
The Sassanid kingdom was of the most powerful Iranian dynasties that deeply influenced the artistic and cultural evolution of Iran. Roman Ghirshman explains art of the period as having “a mixed composition, combining influences from east and west, presenting a national Iranian melting pot, aimed at reclaiming ancient Achaemenid honor and credit” (Ghirshman 1350: 134). Metal works are highly regarded among contemporary artists. The objects that reveal skill of the contemporary artists and highly regarded across world (Ehsani 1382: 104), especially silver vessels that were manufactured using several techniques including engraving, augmentation, molding, embossment, and gilding (Ganter & Jet 1383: 360-362). 
The cooperation of skillful painters, metal workers, and engravers led to manufacturing unique masterpieces in the collections across the world. Yet the renown of this type of object has led to forgeries, in which fake objects are produced following a contemporary style.
Therefore, it should be noted that the analysis and authentication of objects obtained from looters is a necessity. The present paper involves in study of a silver plate with ram design that was manufactured following Sassanid style and seized from looters in Mazandaran in the year 1389 (2010/11) (Fig. 1). The curator of the Sari Collection registered the plate as an original object, however, the author revisited the plate and doubted its authenticity. Through investigation, the original plate was recognized and is presented in the present paper. There was an opportunity to study the artistic composition of the plate, considering the aesthetic and artistic skill of the Sassanid metalworker. Additionally, the present paper introduces the iconology of motifs, considering orientation of design and type of engraving. 
 
2. Methodology
Bibliographic research and the examination of credible sources, along with digital comparative analysis of similar images, constitute key methodologies for the study and authentication of the plate. Sassanid plates have generally been discovered of mountainous regions of Caucasia, Mazandaran, Susa, Qasr-e Abu Nasr, Tal-e Malyan, and other regions in Iran (Chegini 1367: 17-22). The vessel is sometimes gilded with various designs (Bosili and Scheratto 1383: 85). Contemporaneous artists were always supported by high-ranking nobles (Pope 1338: 57). The artists were inspired by nature and tried to present royal and ritual demands (Harrper 1986: 592). The most significant studied Sassanid silver plates are the gilded vessel with Khosrow II’s figure in the Hermitage (Harper-Meyers 1981: 220) (Fig. 2), the gilded plate from Russian Cherdin (ibid: 228) (Fig. 3), the gilded plate from Russian Preshchina (ibid: 229) (Fig. 4), the silver plate in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Pope 1945: 229) (Fig. 5), the gilded plate with figure of Piruz or Ghobad I (Harper-Meyers 1981: XII) (Fig. 6), the gilded plate with a royal hunting scene and a king with a horned helmet hunting a boar (ibid: XIV) (fig. 7), the gilded bowl with a scene of vine, birds, and four leg animals (Holmes 1968: 23) (Fig. 8), the gilded plate in Arthur Sackler Gallery with a middle Persian inscription (Grabar 1967: 125) (Fig. 9), a plate with ram design that has a ribbon on the back of its neck (Harper 1978: 127), the gilded plate from Arthur M. Sackler Gallery (Ganther and Jet 1383: 188) (Fig. 11), two gilded plates with a scene of a ram and tulips, in the Metropolitan Art Museum of New York (Brunner 1978: 116-117) (Figs. 12-13). 
 
3. Introduction to the case study
The vessel is a silver plate with a diameter of 21.6 cm. It is composed of two joined shells formed using a hammering technique, while the decorative elements were created using the toreutic method. The upper shell features a scene depicting a ram facing left, adorned with a ribbon; the background includes a vine and mountainous landscape with vegetation (Fig. 14). The outer shell displays a plain design with a shallow groove.
 
4. Authentication of the vessel
The plate is an imitation of the Sassanid artistic style, firstly, registered as an original object the collection of Museum of Sari, where the author doubted the authenticity following characteristic criteria including orientation of the design. Most importantly, animal figures on Sassanid plates never face to left. Following written sources, the author recognized the plate of Museum of Boston as the forgery template (Fig. 17), however, they have both general and specific differences. 
 
5. Composition of the original plate
Composition presents both integrity and appropriation through parts of a piece (Rankinpour 1382: 4). A Sassanid artist balanced the visual heaviness of the ribbon on the neck of the ram with a vine within a hypothetical triangle. He/she designed the vine on the chest of the ram to fill the scene and direct the audience look from right of the image to the ribbon, or vice versa. The artist used various symbols designed the highest vine on the tip of the triangle, with two birds at the most appropriate place.   
 
6. Conclusion
The plate of the collection of the Sari Museum is a forgery of Sassanid designs and technology, without observance of primary decorative principles of the period. The designs of Sassanid plates face to the right, while contemporary toreutics, under the Isfahan school, differ from the Sassanid techniques. The original plate contains several symbols of ancient Iran and Zoroastrianism: a ram with curved horns symbolizes God and points to victory, and a raised ribbon relates to monarchy; a vine implies emergence of the spring season and means productivity and farewell; and finally, the bird is a profitable bird for farms. The Sassanid artist was so skilled as to compose triangle with different symbols to create a valuable piece. Consequently, the plate of the Collection of Sari is rejected as authentic, and has been reregistered as a forgery, no. 181-2.

Abstract Archaeobotany is one of the interdisciplinary sciences in archaeology. Archaeobotany studies plant remains in archaeological contexts. Based on plant findings, it discusses topics such as people's livelihood, agriculture, vegetation, climate changes, dating, etc. So, this course can reply to many questions archaeologists face about an ancient site and people. In recent years, archaeologists have paid a lot of attention to this field and tried to use experts in excavations. One of the excavations that has paid a lot of attention to archaeobotany, is Feyzabad site. This site has Islamic periods. During the excavation in 2022 in this site, some ovens were found, as well as some samples from them. In this research, we intend to answer questions such as the functioning of the sampled ovens and the identification of plant remains in the ovens. Finally, by combining the information found, we will shed light on the lives of the people of this period. By doing this research, our information about the life of the people belonging to this area, their livelihood and the common types of plant remains used in this area will increase. Also, micro information about climatic conditions will be obtained. After carrying out the necessary investigations and research, it was found that the ovens found in the trench D8 are related to cooking to the inner part of the royal citadel. Besides the more specialized work that is being done, animal husbandry and agriculture are popular. Some climate changes such as warmer weather and less humidity were also identified

Abstract The present paper involves the investigation and identification of the insignia of 240 Achamenid shekels, from the collection of the Mazandaran Museum. Investigation of law enforcement indicates that the collection was seized from looters in the Asalooyeh region (ambiguous locality). Subsequent preliminary work suggests these are typical coins of seven kings who reigned for around 184 years between 522 BC to 338 BC. Some 195 coins of the total 240 have signs, mostly with one sign, while rare samples present up to 9 signs. Numismatists and archaeologists have assigned them various functions, including mint sign, finesse, and weight affirmation. Do the definitions include the studied collection? Why do some of the coins have no signs? The investigations led to the discernment of 567 signs, typically from plain to geometrical and zoomorphic ones. There are many signs in the collection that are similar to known samples in many ways, however, there are unique signs unsimilar to any other marks thus far identified, which are not necessarily mint marks, because they are more obvious than the king’s figure that is eroded in most of the cases. Obviously, they are later engravings, whereas, 45 coins lacks any signs. The other conclusion is the transition of concepts of the signs as hidden mysterious messages such as a king death and reign of a new king.  

Abstract This article is the result of theoretical and preliminary studies of 240 Shekel (Siglo) coins of the Achaemenid Empire. This valuable collection was obtained by the police of Mazandaran province in 2010 from antique smugglers in Amol city. Currently, these very diverse and valuable coins, which were discovered from a place in the south of Iran and near the port of Assaluyeh, are kept in the Museum in Sari city. Because documenting coins in museums was limited to basic recordings, we had the opportunity to document all the coins in the collection for library studies and comparisons. Documentary of coins was done by measuring, weighing, hand drawing, computer drawing, photography and scanning. After this stage, the main questions and objectives of research were posed. Preliminary studies and comparisons confirmed the attribution of coins to the Achaemenid period. Also, the initial results of the documentation, that's mean examining the details of the image of the coins, including the crown, clothes, weapons, body shape and face details, showed differences in their minting and made it possible to compare them with referable samples. Although in this study, some materials have been proposed to confirm the authenticity and dating and identify the time range of the studied coins, nevertheless, accurate determination of their authenticity and scientific chronology will be possible after more accurate experiments.Coins were invented as a result of the development of societies and the economic needs of human beings. The first coins were minted by the Lydia government. Cyrus the Great, recognized the need to use it, but Darius I minted gold and silver coins for the first time in Iran. The gold coins were called "Darik" and the silver coins were called "Shekel" ) Siglo (. Shekel is a silver coin weighing 5.60 grams. During the Achaemenid period, four types of coinage were minted: 1- Imperial coin 2- Satrap coinage 3- State coins with the image of the emperor 4- Local coins or non-Iranian lands that were under Persian rule. Imperial coinage have no writing; Therefore, their classification needs to be carefully studied and compared with similar samples. The collection studied (Shekel), are under the group of Achaemenid imperial coins. Since the preliminary studies of this collection were very necessary to introduce it to the scientific community, so an attempt was made to make a comparative study of the coins of the Mazandaran Museum with the most important coins found from the Achaemenid period. Coins were studied and documented by referring to reliable sources. In this regard, for comparative studies based on comparison, the characteristics of coins including the appearance of persons on the coin, decorative motifs, Type of clothing and individual symptoms, with similar cases were considered. This almost tedious process eventually led to the creation of a framework for classifying the coins in question. Since the method of documenting these coins in the museum was limited to the initial recordings, due to the importance of the subject, we had the opportunity to conduct detailed studies to address the main questions and objectives of this study. The comparisons made on the coins of this collection confirmed their authenticity and attribution to the Achaemenid period, and the work of documenting showed the difference in their minting.At first, all the study documents, including the history and economic system of the Achaemenid kings, as well as sources about their cultural works, such as reliefs and seals, were collected. The oxide-coated sample was then purged. The oxide layer was then removed from the surface of a number of coins. After this step, the weight of the coins was measured with a digital scale and their diameter and thickness were measured with a caliper. In the next step, the back and front of the coins were photographed with a digital camera and scanner, and then they were technically drawn manually with the help of a computer. If the coin shapes were not obvious due to wear and tear, clear images were created with the help of Photoshop and inverter software for more accurate design. (Figure‌1). These coins are very simple and the main focus is on the image of the king. The king is armed with a bow, spear or dagger in these coins. With the exception of rare cases, there are depressions on the back of the coins. Sometimes signs and symbols are engraved on the back and on the coins (Figure 8).Achaemenid coins, while simple and similar, have a great variety. Different sources have dealt with their different types and forms as much as possible, but considering that a number of coins in the collection of the Mazandaran Museum in the city of Sari did not have known and completely similar examples, Therefore, they were studied, separated and compared with samples that had the least details in common. From the studies and comparisons made with the samples of other Achaemenid coins, results were obtained that created suitable grounds for identifying and classifying the coins of the Mazandaran Museum. Summary table attached, Comparison of Achaemenid coins of the collection with other coins discovered (Table 1). According to this research, 240 coins belonging to Achaemenid kings have been identified. Recognition of the amount and purity of coins, which is a good criterion for determining the authenticity of coins, was not tested in this study, but the weight of coins, which is usually the standard for mints, was tested. The weight of coins of Mazandaran collection is determined with an average of about 5.60 grams, which is the standard weight of Achaemenid coins. The results of studies have shown that among this collection, there are coins that are similar to known examples. Also, there are coins that do not have similar patterns. This study provided an opportunity to examine the details of the image of coins and compare them with other samples, to classify them and attribute them to one of the kings who owned the coin. shekel coins have a great variety in terms of the image. In other words, the coin of a king has been in different details, which has created different types. The reason for this diversity may have been the existence of multiple mints or the lack of oversight of coin makers. A number of these different species have been identified and introduced in the study collection in Mazandaran Museum One of the reasons for the value of the silver coins studied is that they are a collection. This collection, as a time capsule, introduces a time range with a specific beginning and end. In total, the coins of the seven kings have been identified from the coin-owning kings in this period. In this collection, from Darius I, which basically has three species, one species (Figure 8), from Xerxes, which has two different species, one species (Figure 11), from Artaxerxes I (Figure 14), Darius II (Figure 16) and Young Cyrus, one species (Figure 18), from Artaxerxes II, three species (Figure 22, 23, 24) and in Finally, two types of coins have been identified from Artaxerxes III (Figure 25, 26). According to the information obtained, the period of the study complex was related to the years 522 to 338 BC, which covers about 184 years of the Achaemenid Empire.