Newly Found Stucco with Human Figures from Bishapour

Archaeological activities during the past two decades at Bishapour have revealed architectural structures, plaster-molding, seals and other objects from this valuable site. This city, which is one of the first Sasanian cities and capitals, has its own documented historic urban planning. Excavations in the city began in 1935 and archeological activities are still continuing. During archeological excavations at Bishapour, a few pieces of plaster-molding with human motifs were found. Stucco of this type has not reported from other Sasanian sites as yet. These pieces are mostly found in the ninth season of excavations at Bishapour that was conducted on the south of the mosaic porch and the cross-shaped hall of the royal residence. It appears that the plaster-molding embellishments were drawn on the walls all at once, and then the artist created the desired designs on the plasters with a tool like the relief drawknife or it was prepared in the form of molding and then installed in its place. In this paper, the data collection method was based on two paths: fieldwork and library sources. The present paper analyzes and introduces these findings in the context of the Sasanian plaster-molding art of the acient town of Bishapour. The article demonstrates that the Sasanian plaster-molding art was inherited from the Iranian past.