Study and analysis of symbolic motifs of Parthian Bronze coins (Based on Parthian coins in Sari museum

Understanding the elements and motifs is very essential in archaeology. The motifs on the coins play an important role in the knowledge of ancient religion, sects, and myth and illuminate the history of many religious events. Coins have a significant impact on the knowledge of art and, studying can help, how art progresses and degenerates in different eras and ethnicities. The study of coins is of great importance in archaeology, especially in historical times. Because by using the motif elements of coins, can be achieved of government, ideology and economic system in the past societies. The primary purpose of this study, to identify the symbolic motifs of 405 Parthian Bronze coins in the Kolbadi museum of Sari, which these coins discovered in 2011 in Babol. The main point is the unique motifs of these coins, mainly geometric and symbolic motifs, discovered in several Parthian coins. most motifs on Parthian coins have been symbolic and human motifs and, religion had a significant impact in creating symbolic motifs of these coins. This research has been using analytical – experimental and using expert and observation of these coins in the Sari museum. The result shows that the prominent motifs of these coins are symbolic especially, the moon, star, anchor, royal ring and, wheat, which these motifs related to the religion of the Parthian period. The symbolic crescent moon is one of the elements of light and fire, which these motifs related to the religion of the royal ring are one of the sun symbols.