The Seals and signets of Sasanian Kings; identification of king and engraved motifs on them

Although the number of the seals and signets attributed to Sasanian Kings is small compared to the collection of the remaining seals from this period, they are distinguished from the other seals of the period due to their materials, embellishments, used in the structure and inscribed motifs on them. The Sasanian kings to whom a seal or signet is attributed include Ardeshir I, Shapur I, Narseh, Bahram IV, Bahram V, Peroz, Kavad I, Khosrow A, and Khosrow Parviz. The motifs on these seals are the kings’ portraits, the scene of victory over the enemy, and some animals. The base of our knowledge about these seals relies on the items remaining in the museums and sometimes, simply on the descriptions in the written resources. As there is a disagreement between the researchers about the identity of some kings inscribed on the seals and signets, this survey is going to identify the kings and illuminate the amount of Sasanians’ impressibility from their contemporaries and previous arts through studying the seals and signets of Sasanian kings existing in the museums and Islamic texts focusing on their motifs. The studies show that the theme of the Sasanian kings’ seals is influenced by the patterns of ancient Iran and eastern civilizations. Also, the impressibility of Sasanians from western patterns and the neighbors is seen in the external form and following their method; however, in most cases, Sasanians adjusted these patterns to their own standards. Other artistic works of this period and new findings can be used to remove the ambiguities about the kings inscribed on the seals