Iran. Five millennia of art and culture. Catalogue of the exhibition of the Sarikhani Collection in the James-Simon-Galerie, Berlin, 6 December 2021 - 20 March 2022

Lying between deserts, mountain chains and seas, Iran developed a fascinating cultural landscape. Exquisite works of art from the time of the first advanced civilisations during the third millennium BCE until the early eighteenth century illustrate the outstanding significance of Iran as an initiator and centre of intercultural exchange. The great pre-Islamic empires of the Achaemenids and the Sasanians, the establishment of a Persian-Islamic culture, the supreme artistic achievements of the ninth to the fifteenth centuries and the Golden Age of the Safavids are just some of the highlights of this journey in time through the cultural heritage of Iran. Cover Contents Greeting Prelude Iran – Five millennia of art and culture Information on the catalogue I. Iran – A land between East and West II. First cities, early empires Elam – An old culture at the dawn of Iran’s history III. The era of petty kingdoms – Rivalries and alliances The Luristan bronzes Ziwiye – A mysterious hoard Hasanlu – A lost city Marlik – A ʻroyal cemetery’ near the Caspian Sea IV. The Achaemeneid empire The kings Cyrus II and Darius I The first world empire in history – Conquest and organisation The administration of a world empire – The infrastructure Linguistic diversity and a lingua franca Savoir-vivre – The elite Religion Persepolis ʻArtaxerxes, the Great King... says:’ An Achaemenid elephant goad In the saddle – The Persians as warriors and hunters Jewellery for protection and prestige ʻIn vino veritas’ – Carousing Persians ʻHorses... equipped most spendidly’ V. The Parthian and Sasanian empires The Parthian empire Not all that glitters is gold – Fire-gilding A ʻGreek’ bowl from Nihavand in Iran? Bright and clear – New glassmaking techniques Polytheim in the Parthian empire The Sasanian empire Sasanian royal and elite images Statue of a ʻsaint’ from the church in Veh Ardashir Sasanian courtly tableware Head of a fierce lion Two Sasanian silver-gilt plates with scenes of a hunt The Indian goddess Hariti on a lion throne with other celestial beings The art of glassmaking in the Sasanian empire Sasanian coinage Sasanian seal stones Scripts in the Persian empire VI. The Arab conquest of Iran Arabic script before calligraphy Calligraphy – The discovery of the curve Artistic inspirations and innovation The art of glassmaking from the eighth to the thirteenth century VII. The Iranian revival – From the late ninth to the early eleventh century Silver – Culture of the urban elites and economic driving force Urban elites along the Silk Road Aesthetic self-determination in the eastern Abbasid caliphate VIII. The age of the Saljuqs Silk robe with birds in medallions Masterful images – Damascened metalwork ʻSaljuq’ art? IX. The arrival of the Mongols – Genghis Khan and his heirs Gold brocade silk lampas Enlightenment through illumination The earliest manuscripts of Firdausi’s Shahnama Mongol Iran – Ceramics and China X. The Timurids – Conquest, decline an cultural flowering The well-balanced curve in illumination and calligraphy The illustration of classical Persian literature – Love and devotion The illustration of classical Persian literature – Faith and morality Qisas al-Anbiya (ʻStories of the prophets’) Two cenotaph posts decorated with inscriptions The ’Chinese look’ – The invention of Persian blue-and-white XI. The Safavid era – A sense of place Capital cities, elite patronage and centres of artistic production The illustration of classical Persian literature – Shahnama and history Arms and armour of the Safavids Silk textiles with figural motifs Young men reading in the garden Sleeveless overgarment of silk brocade with floral pattern Three silk tomb coverings The illumination of Safavid religious texts The give and take – Animal combat in a Safavid carpet fragment The Sarre Vase Carpet from Kerman Textile fragment with boat scene Wall hangings with garen idyll On non-illustrative Persian paintings and those who painted them Safavid tableware Isfahan – The image of an extraordinary world List of exhibits "Lying between deserts, mountain chains and seas, Iran developed a fascinating cultural landscape. 360 objects from the time of the first advanced civilisations during the 3rd millennium BC until the end of the Safavid Empire in the early 18th century illustrate the outstanding significance of Iran as the initiator and centre of intercultural exchange. Exquisite artworks from the Sarikhani Collection in London and the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin invite visitors to embark on a journey in time through the cultural heritage of Iran. The highlights include the great pre-Islamic empires of the Achaemenids and the Sasanids, the establishment of a Persian-Islamic culture, the masterly artistic achievements of the 9th to the 15th centuries and the Golden Age of the Safavids. They are brought together as in a multifaceted kaleidoscope in the copious illustrations and provide insight into the art of the courts and the urban elites."--Provided by publisher. "Lying between deserts, mountain chains and seas, Iran developed a fascinating cultural landscape. 360 objects from the time of the first advanced civilisations during the 3rd millennium BC until the end of the Safavid Empire in the early 18th century illustrate the outstanding significance of Iran as the initiator and centre of intercultural exchange. Exquisite artworks from the Sarikhani Collection in London and the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin invite visitors to embark on a journey in time through the cultural heritage of Iran. The highlights include the great pre-Islamic empires of the Achaemenids and the Sasanids, the establishment of a Persian-Islamic culture, the masterly artistic achievements of the 9th to the 15th centuries and the Golden Age of the Safavids. They are brought together as in a multifaceted kaleidoscope in the copious illustrations and provide insight into the art of the courts and the urban elites."-- Provided by publisher Zwischen Wüsten, Bergketten und Gewässern entwickelte sich im Iran eine faszinierende Kulturlandschaft. Exquisite Kunstwerke aus der Zeit der ersten Hochkulturen des 3. Jahrtausends v. Chr. bis zum frühen 18. Jahrhundert veranschaulichen die herausragende Bedeutung des Iran als Impulsgeber und Zentrum interkulturellen Austauschs. Die vorislamischen Großreiche der Achämeniden und Sassaniden, die Ausbildung einer persisch-islamischen Kultur, die künstlerischen Meisterleistungen des 9. bis 15. Jahrhunderts und die Glanzzeit der Safawiden bilden die Höhepunkte einer Zeitreise durch das kulturelle Erbe Irans