Most of the objects here originated in the Iranian world in the Islamic period. A few are either from Achaemenid Persia or at least reflect the artistic influences of the Achaemenids. Of course there are a great many other objects from the Iranian world in the Hermitage collections, notably Sasanian and Central Asian (Sogdian); in addition, some circulated in the territories of the Golden Horde. Such objects will be found in other sections of our display under the appropriate headings. I have chosen to include here one object definitely not in the Hermitage (it is in the Museum für Islamische Kunst, Berlin) for convenience of comparison and the fact that it was found in Russia.
Here are select portions of the maps in Smirnov showing some of the heaviest concentrations of the finds of Eastern metalwork in the former Russian Empire. The captions are in Russian; the numbers are those of the Smirnov portfolio.
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Rhyton.
Acaemenid. Silver. L. 50 cm., H. 36 cm.Found 1876, Varenikovskaia, Kuban prov.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 15.
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Rhyton.
Achaemenid. Silver. L. 14.2 cm (?) Found Siberia (?) prior to 1727.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 17.
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Bowl with zoomorphic handles.
Achaemenid, 5th-4th c. BCE. Gold. H. 10.2 cm., W. (incl. handles) 22 cm. Siberian collection of Peter I. Acq. from M. P. Gagarin, 1716.
Inv. no. Si 1727, 1/71
Pub.: Smirnov no. 19; From the Lands of the Scythians, no. 97, pl. 22, p. 115.
S. I. Rudenko, Sibirskaia kollektsiia Petra I (M.-L., 1962), p. 46, pl. XIX/3.
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Bowl.
Achaemenid (?). Gold. Found 1896, Novo-Petrovka, Kherson Prov.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 279 (NB: photo labeled, apparently in error, no. 278).
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Bowl with zoomorphic decoration.
Late centuries BCE (?). Gold. Dia. 15.75 cm. Stylistic analogies to near Eastern work (e.g., Assyrian palace reliefs). Found 1903, Kelermeskaia, Kuban prov.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 278.
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Figurine of wild boar.
Gold. Dia. 22 cm. Found 1892, Bukon, Semipalatinsk prov.
Pub.: Smirnov fig. 35.
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Tray.
Syria or Egypt, 7th-8th c. CE.
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Dish, showing soldiers in combat.
Iran, post-sasanian. Silver. Dia. 22 cm. Found 1893, Kulagysh, Perm prov.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 50.
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Dish with image of camel.
Iran, probably post-sasanian.. Silver. Dia. 12.7 cm. (??). Provenance unknown but found in Russia.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 94.
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Dish with image of peacock.
Iran, post-sasanian. Silver. Dia. 17.4 cm. Prov. unknown but found in Russia.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 98.
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Dish.
Silver. Dia. 20.3 cm. Iran, post-Sasanian. Found 1892, Onoshat, Perm prov.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 105.
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Dish with gryphon and snake.
Iran, post-sasanian. Silver. Dia. 19 cm. Found Ukan, Viatka prov.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 132.
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Dish showing stag attacked by snake.
Iran, post-Sasanian. Silver. Dia. 18.2 cm. Found 1886, vill. of Ukan, Viatka prov.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 133.
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Ewer.
Iran, 9th-10th c. CE.
Brass. H. 38 cm. Acq. 1925 from Academy of the History of Material Culture (coll. of A. A. Bobrinskii).
Inv. no. IR-2315.
Pub.: Zemn. isk., no. 146, p. 212.
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Iran (?), 9th-10th c. CE. Brass.
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Figure of a Horse.
Iran, 10th c. CE.
Bronze. H. 36 cm., L., 42 cm. Acq. 1925 from State Academy of Material Culture (A. A. Bobrinskii coll.).
Inv. no. IR-1984.
Pub.: Zemn. isk, no. 118, p. 189.
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Flask.
Iran (Khorasan), 10th c.
Silver, gilding. H. 16 cm. Inscr.: "Abu (?) Said Arak ibn al-Husein, client of the Ruler of the Faithful."
Probably found Perm prov. Purchased at Nizhnii Novgorod fair ca. 1870. Acq. 1911 from coll. of S. G. Stroganov.
Inv. no. VZ-795.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 127; Darkevich no. 77, pl. 28/2-4, p. 43; Ettinghausen et al., fig. 196, p. 122; Zemn. isk., no. 111, p. 185.
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Flask depicting birds.
Iran, probably Khorosan, 10th-beg. 11th c. Silver, gilding. H. 17 cm. Inscr.: "Blessing of Allah and good fortune and satisfaction to al-Husein ibn Ali." Found prob. 1880 near vill. Lys'ev, Pyskorskaia volost', Solikamskii uezd, Perm prov. Acq. 1896 from Imperial Archaeological Commission.
Inv. No. VZ-796.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 128; Darkevich no. 39, pl. 27, pp. 25-26; Ettinghausen et al., fig. 197, p. 123. Zemnoe iskusstvo, cat. no. 110, p. 184.
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Bottle with kufic inscriptions.
Bottle with kufic inscriptions. Iran or Central Asia, 11th-beg. 12th c. Silver, H. 25 cm. Found before 1889, Berezovskii u., Tobolsk prov.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 147; Darkevich no. 86, pl. 30, pp. 46-47.
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Bottle with kufic inscriptions.
Iran or Central Asia, 11th-beg. 12th c. Silver. H. 21 cm. Found 1850s, Sos'vinskoe, Berezovskii u., Tobolsk prov.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 148; Darkevich no. 85, pl. 31, p. 46.
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Cup with image of royal feast.
N or NE Iran, 2nd half 12thth- 1st half 13th c. Silver, gilding. Dia. 11.5 cm., H. 2.2 cm. Arabic and Persian inscriptions with anonymous wishes for good fortune. Found 1858 Melken, Ufa prov. along with six other silver dishes. In 1870 belonged to V. S. Skariatin in Menselinsk; in 1909 in Museum of the Society for the Promotion of the Fine Arts, SPb. Current location not known.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 141; Darkevich, no. 15, pl. 38/1-4, fig. 15/8, pp. 14-15.
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Flask with kufic inscr. and rabbits.
Flask with kufic inscr. and rabbits. Iran, 2nd half 12th-1st half 13th c. Silver, gilding. H. 9 cm., max. dia. 5.5 cm. Found 1898 vill. of Selianino Osero, Kungurskii u., Perm prov.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 142; Darkevich no. 19, pl. 34/5-8, pp. 16-17.
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Cup with kufic inscription.
Cup with kufic inscription. Iran (?), 2nd half 12th-1st half 13th c. Silver. Dia. 8 cm., H. 4.9 cm. Found 1901 in grave at Selianino Ozero, Middle Kama R. region, Perm prov. Ex-Archeological Commission.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 143; Darkevich no. 20, pl. 33/6-8, p. 17.
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Dish with feasting ruler.
Dish with feasting ruler. Iran or Central Asia, 2nd half 12th-first half 13th c. Dia. 36 cm. Found 1780-1781 vill. of Sludka, Permskii u., Perm prov.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 151; Darkevich no. 27, pl. 35/1-4, p. 20.
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Flask with hunting scenes.
N or NE Iran, 2nd half 12th-1st half 13th c. Silver, gilding. H. 19 cm. Acq.1776 from Tobolsk by Kunstkamera; then in Asiatic Museum.
Pub.: Smirnov no. 316; Darkevich no. 88, pl. 37, pp. 47-48.
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Ewers.
11th-13th c. Silver. H. 39 cm., 37 cm. respectively. Ex-treasury of Church in Seti, Kutais prov.; current location?
Pub.: Smirnov nos. 129, 130.
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Vessel.
Silver. H. 20.4 cm. Ex-treasury of Monastery of the Dormition, Pechory, Pskov prov.; current location?
Pub.: Smirnov no. 324.
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Brass vessels. Northern Iran, 13th-14th c. CE.
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Vessel.
Brass, gilding and silver inlay.
Iran (Khorasan), end 15th c.
Master Dzhavanbaht ibn Husain. Inscr. quotes ghazel of Kisim-i Anvar Tabrizi. Acq. 1923.
Inv. no. IR-2044.
Pub.: Zemn. isk., no. 136, p. 205.
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Medal depicting Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II. 1481. By Constanzo da Ferrara.
Pub.: Blair and Bloom, ill. 292, p. 231 (a different copy).
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Pitcher.
Ottoman? or Russian imitation? Illustrates cultural contacts between Russia and Ottoman Empire in 17th-18th centuries.
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Cup, glazed pottery.
Iran, beg. 13th c.
Pub.: Zemn. isk., p. 35, ill. 18.
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Dish depicting rider. Central Iran, 12th-13th c. CE.
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Bowl. Iran (Kashan), 13th c. CE.
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Vase.
Iran, mid-13th c. CE.
Lustre-glazed pottery. H. 80 cm. Acq. 1885 from coll. of A. P. Bazilevskii.
Inv. no. IR-1595. Zemn. isk., no. 164, p. 224.
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Panels of glazed lustre-ware tiles.
Iran (Kashan), 1262-1263 CE.
227 x 68 and 226 x 32 cm.
Inscriptions include Quranic verses, fragments from the Shah-name and from poem of Nizami, “Leili and Majnun.” Tiles at one time decorated mausoleum of Imamzada Yahya in Veramin near Tehran. Acq. 1925 from Museum of A. L. Shteiglitz School of Technical Drawing.
Inv. nos. IR 1026-1062, 1097-1118.
Pub.: Blair and Bloom, ill. 19, p. 16; Zemn. isk., nos. 213, 214, pp. 256-257.
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Three tiles with inscriptions from Quran sura 76.
Iran, 13th c.
37x36, 36.5x36, 37x36.5 cm. Acq. 1925 from Museum of A. L. Shteiglitz School of Technical Drawing.
Inv. nos. IR 1363-1365. Note heads of birds broken by an iconoclast.
Pub.: Zemn. isk., no. 215, p. 258.
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Tiles from mihrab of mosque.
Iran (Kashan), 1305.
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Tile.
Iran (Kashan), ca. 13th-14th c. CE.
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Panel of glazed tiles.
Iran, beg. 14th c. CE.
69.5 x 57.5 cm. Acq. 1925 from Museum of A. L. Shteiglitz School of Technical Drawing.
Inv. nos. IR 1390-1419, 1621-1665.
Pub.: Zemn. isk., no. 179, p. 234.
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Tiles.
Iran, probably beg. of 14th c.
Cf. Zemn. isk., no. 178, p. 233.
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Tiles.
E. Iran, end of 14th-beg. of 15th c. CE.
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Islamic ceramics.
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Beakers. Glass, enameled.
Syria, 14th c. CE.
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Lamp.
Egypt, 1346-1347 CE (reign of Sultan al-Malik al-Muzaffar Hadji, as attested in inscriptions). Glass, enamel, gilding.
H. 36.2 cm. Acq. 1885 in coll. of A. P. Bazilevskii.
Inv. no. EG-883.
Pub.: Zemn. isk., no. 11, pp. 104-105.
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Flask and bowl with underglaze painting.
12th-13th c. CE.
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Ceramic fragments of imitations of Chinese celadons.
14th-15th c. CE.
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Bowl depicting pears.
Iran, 15th c. CE
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Plate depicting pomegranates.
Iran, 15th c. CE.
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Dish.
Iran, 16th c. CE.
Glazed pottery, underlaze painting.
Dia. 37 cm. Acq. 1929.
Inv. no. UG-732.
Pub.: Zemn. isk., no. 260, pp. 284-285.
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Iran.
Blue and White ware ceramics, 16th c. CE (and earlier?).
Imitations of Chinese porcelain.
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Dish.
Iran, 16th c. CE (?).
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Ceramics.
Iran, 16th-17th c. CE.
Imitations of Chinese porcelain.
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Carpet.
Iran, 17th c. CE.
Wool 487 x 277 cm. Acq. 1929.
Inv. no. VT-1043.
Pub.: Zemn. isk., no. 81, p. 164.
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Dancing girl.
Iran, 1st quarter 19th c.
Painting on canvas. 158 x 90 cm.
Formerly in Gatchina Palace Museum; acq. 1932.
Inv. No. VP-1113.
Pub.: Zemn. isk., cat. no. 329, pp. 328-329.
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