![[Flag of Marvdasht]](../images/i/ir-marvd.gif)
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Tomislav Šipek, 2 October 2018See also:
The flag of Marvdasht is white with logo and blue fringe.
http://marvdashtonline.ir/728.ir
Tomislav Šipek, 2
October 2018
Marvdasht (148,858 inhabitants in 2016), located in southern Iran, is one of
the five towns of Marvdasht County and its capital. The archaeological site of
Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid empire (c. 550-330 BC), is
located nearby.
The emblem features the enigmatic Persepolis stone
griffin double protome column capital.
One of the most impressive yet
enigmatic surviving capitals from Persepolis is an Achaemenid masterpiece: the
double griffin protome capital. On the one hand, there ought to be more than one
of these griffin capitals from before the 330 BCE destruction, although it seems
that only this extant one is intact. On the other hand, it is possible that only
one was sculpted, since no other griffin protome fragments exist from
Persepolis. A few archaeological accounts suggest its emplaced context at
Persepolis was from the Apadana, although this cannot be proven since only 13 of
the 36 (arranged 6 x 6) columns have survived, given the “conflagration and
catastrophic end” recorded under Alexander.[...]
Persepolis was first
begun by Darius around 518 BCE, the Apadana around 515 and structures like the
Treasury may have been begun around 510; some structures like the Unfinished
Gate and others may have been incomplete or possibly still underway in the
fourth century. The original excavation reports have not connected this griffin
protome capital with the Apadana of Darius and its correlation with any other
structure is equally ambiguous because this capital seems to have been found
only after the initial excavations between 1931-34 and up to 1939. Furthermore,
the majority of credible reconstructions suggest all the Apadana column capitals
were double bull protomes. Contextualizing this griffin protome capital to other
buildings is equally or even more difficult, although it is generally accepted
that it must be from Persepolis.
The somewhat darkened visual appearance
of this griffin protome might suggest its surface was burned like many of the
other protomes – although limestone also often naturally weathers darker – and
it was certainly chipped and broken in places, as can be easily seen from
comparanda of nearly all photos. Furthermore, the edge of the saddle between the
two griffin torsos where it would have been expected to hold a massive cedar
beam shows some expected wear, also easily seen from photos. Some credible
accounts, including that of Porada, suggest this griffin capital was never
actually used but merely experimental and abandoned before any emplacement.
[...]
The brilliant 2005 London exhibition, "Forgotten Empire: The World
of Ancient Persia: at the British Museum", in part the vision of Dr. John
Curtis, Keeper of the Middle Eastern Department and primary author of the
companion exhibition volume, showcased some of the glories of Achaemenid art.
There this Persepolis “griffin” (as John Curtis identifies it) protome capital
is described as a “homa bird” and one of the “four different types of column
capital at Persepolis arranged back to back to carry the gigantic cedar beams
that supported the roof“ as mentioned. Both Stronach and Curtis have suggested
the intended location of this griffin capital as the Unfinished Gate at
Persepolis. [...]
Geological material and provenance of the surviving
griffin capital protome is still not fully resolved. Most accounts identify the
griffin sculpture as “hard limestone” or “gray limestone” and “marble” and it
might even be partly metamorphosed limestone although not necessarily marble as
fully metamorphosed calcite mineral. [...] The weight of the massive stone
griffin capital may exceed 20 tons, as the typical Persepolis relief blocks are
usually smaller and weigh in around 15 tons. [...]
Patrick Hunt, Stanford
University.
Achaemenid Persian Griffin Capital at Persepolis, 21 October 2008
https://web.stanford.edu/dept/archaeology/cgi-bin/archaeolog/?p=225
Photos
https://avopix.com/premium-photo/559414066-shutterstock-sculpture-of-achaemenid-griffin-or-homa
https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-achaemenid-griffin-persepolis-iran-was-ceremonial-capital-empire-earliest-remains-date-back-to-bce-image60442264
https://es.123rf.com/photo_52458005_achaemenid-griffin-at-persepolis-iran.html
Ivan Sache, 6 October 2018
