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CAIS ARCHAEOLOGICAL & CULTURAL NEWS OF IRANIAN WORLD© |
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Parthian Swords Found In National Museum
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08 February 2005 |
LONDON, (CAIS) -- Four swords dating back to the Parthian dynastic era (248 BCE- 224 CE) have been identified in the depository of Iran National Museum.
An Iranian archeologist residing in Germany who specializes in ancient
armaments, Manuchehr Moshtaq said that in the last eight years, he conducted a
thorough study of weapons used by ancient Iranians which are maintained in major
world museums including Louvre, Metropolitan and Armitage and found the four
swords at the depository of Iran National Museum.
He told Persian service of CHN that these are the only Parthian swords to have
been identified so far. Historical records indicated that the Parthians were
well equipped in terms of weapons and armors given the victories in the wars
they fought with the help of exemplary strong warriors.
While looking for the swords at the National Museum of Iran, I came across the
four swords which were different from those used during the Achaemenid and Sasanid
dynastic eras. And since the cavalry needed longer swords in the combat and that
the Parthians are well-known for cavalry divisions of troops. I came to the
conclusion that they belonged to the Parthian (Aresacid) warriors, Moshtaq said.
He said that the discovery is a breakthrough in classification of the swords in
the museums of the world.
Fortunately, the record of the swords indicated that they were unearthed from
the historical site of Rashi and Norouz Mahalleh, supporting the originality of
the swords in the Arsacid dynasty the expert said.
On the quality of the swords, he said that it was very difficult to determine
the quality accurately and it needs more time. The first perception is that the
swords are made of iron, but, a German expert on ironware Anne Feuerbach
believes that Parthians had access to steel and the swords may have been made of
steel.
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"History is the Light on the Path to Future" |
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Encyclopaedia Iranica
The British Institute of Persian Studies "Persepolis Reconstructed"
The British Museum
The Royal Asiatic Society
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