Rhyton as One of the Factors Underlying the Knowledge of Parthian Art and Religion

The knowledge of Parthian rhytons is one of the elements necessary for gaining a thorough knowledge of the arts and religion of the Parthian era. Accordingly, they can be divided into two general groups: the first includes horn-shaped and ornamented rhytons discovered in the ancient city of Nisa (Mithradatkirt) in the suburbs of today’s Ishqabad, and the second includes the rhytons found in other Parthian regions. The place of discovering the rhytons of this era and their designs show the stylistic variety and religious laxity of Parthian art. They also indicate the effect of Greek art on the art of this period, which eventually led to the development of a native artistic style at that time. Therefore, given the archeological limitations of the Parthian period, the rhytons of this time can be one of the distinctive factors underlying the knowledge of Parthian art and religion. In this paper, following a descriptive-analytic method, the writers have examined some samples of discovered Parthian rhytons while conducting a thorough study of the data in the pictorial and written sources on the findings related to this era.