Golden bowl of Hasanlu
| Golden cup of Hasanlu | |
|---|---|
| Material | gold |
| Size | height:21 cm diameter:21 cm |
| Created | 800BC |
| Period/culture | civilization before Medes |
| Discovered | 1958 |
| Place | Teppeh Hasanlu, Iran by Robert Dyson |
| Present location | National Museum of Iran |
The Golden bowl of Hasanlu (Persian: جام طلای حسنلو) is an ancient artefact, a cup or bowl in gold, decorated in relief, and now in the National Museum of Iran. It was discovered by Robert H. Dyson in 1958 while excavating the site of Teppeh Hasanlu, near the city of Naghadeh, in northwest Iran. The bowl is estimated to date from about 800 BC.[1]
Decoration
The reliefs show a complicated scheme with many figures, including several gods, various animals, sacrificing, and combat. It is mostly divided into two registers, with the gods, riding chariots and with winged heads, at the top.[2] Assyriologist Stephanie Dalley has shown that each of the motifs can be related to an episode in the Epic of Gilgamesh. As the style of the decoration is not Mesopotamian, and the episodes are not consistent with any single known version of the Epic, she concludes that the Epic had a wide circulation outside Mesopotamia.[3] She points out that the existence of a precious-metal bowl carrying mythological scenes may have a bearing on the development of Greek pottery of the 5th C BC [4]
References
- ^ "The Hasanlu Gold Bowl". Penn Museum. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- ^ Dyson, Robert H. Jr. (2003). "ḤASANLU TEPPE ii. THE GOLDEN BOWL". Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. XII, Fasc. 1. pp. 45–46.
- ^ Narrative and the Hasanlu Beaker. Dalley, Stephanie. in "Ivories, Rock Reliefs and Merv" ed Wicke, Dirk and Curtis, John.pages 107-125. Zaphon ISBN 978-3-96327-209-7
- ^ Artful Crafts, Ancient Greek Silverware and Pottery. Vickers, M and Gill, D Oxford, 1964