بررسي و معرفي پيكرك هاي انساني اشكاني موجود در موزه آثار باستاني «لايدن» هلند

Introducing Parthian Figurine Stored at Leiden Antiquity Museum, Holland

در پی بازدید از موزه‌ی آثار باستانی شهر «لایدن» در «هلند»، مشاهده گردید كه در بخش خاور نزدیك، قسمت ایران، درون یك ویترین كوچك، پیكرك‌های اشكانی جلب توجه می‌كنند. بنابراین نگارنده بر آن شد تا گزارش و معرفی كوتاهی از این آثار تهیه گردد. در این پژوهش 18 پیكرك انسانی اشكانی (5 عدد مرد و 13 عدد زن) در 6 گروه، شامل: نوازندگان، مادر و كودك، ایزد بانوان برهنه، بانوی لمیده، نیم‌تنه‌ها، جنگجو با سپر، معرفی و مورد بررسی قرار گرفته‌اند. بیشتر این پیكرك‌ها سفالی و از مناطقی چون ایران (شوش)، سلوكیه، آشور و تركیه به‌دست آمده‌اند. وجود این حجم زیاد از پیكرك زنان مباحث مختلفی را برانگیخته است كه مهم‌ترین آن‌ها مربوط به مقدس بودن پیكرك‌ها و احتمالاً منسوب بودن آن‌ها به الهه آناهیتا می‌باشد. نتایج نشان می‌دهد كه این آثار به سبك‌های مختلف از واقع‌گرا تا انتزاعی و ساده ساخته شده و تعدادی نیز، در حدفاصل این دو گونه قرار دارند. پیكرك‌های سفالی یا سنگی (مرمری) با لایه‌ای از رنگ پوشانده شده و دست‌ها آزادانه با اتصال ریسمانی به بدن در حال حركت بوده‌اند. در پرداخت تعدادی از آن‌ها سادگی، خامی و عدم توجه كافی به سر، دست یا پاها دیده می‌شود. این پیكرك‌ها، گاهی با لباس و گاهی برهنه هستند. نكته بارز و قابل توجه، وجود سازهای موسیقی بادی در بین آن‌هاست. با مقایسه این آثار با نمونه‌های مشابه دیگر، می‌توان دریافت كه نمایش زنان در حال نواختن این نوع ساز به احتمال زیاد، تنها در طول دوره اشكانی و سپس ساسانی مورد توجه قرار گرفته است. هنوز به‌درستی، نمی‌توان گفت كه كاربرد این نوع پیكرك‌ها چه بوده است. آیا ساخت این نوع پیكرك‌ها صرفاً جهت اهداء آن‌ها به معابد، به‌عنوان نذورات بوده یا هنرمند و سازنده آن صرفاً برای سرگرمی و خلق اثر هنری و تنها به‌عنوان اشیایی تزئینی به ساخت آن‌ها مبادرت ورزیده است؛ امری كه تاكنون به درستی روشن نشده است.

Last year when I visited Leiden Museum of Antiquity (Rijksmuseum van Oudh Eden) for the first time, Parthian figurines, displayed at a small window in the Near East section and the part related to Iran, attracted my attention. To my eyes, they seemed very unique and of importance, therefore, I decided to introduce them briefly and write a report on them. In the present research, I will introduce 18 anthropomorphic Parthian figurines (five male, thirteen female) in six groups, including musicians, laying women, nude goddesses, mother and child, men bust and warriors with shields. They were mostly recovered from regions such as Iran (Susa), Seleucia, Assyria, and Turkey. The considerable quantity of female figurines has caused speculations and debates, the most prominent of which being the probability of their sacredness and their subsequent affiliation to Anahita, the goddess of the Waters and associated with fertility, healing and wisdom. The results of the previous examination of the similar works indicate that figurines were created in various styles and shapes, from abstract to realistic and plain while some of them have a mixed appearance. The clay or stone (usually marble) figurines are covered with a layer of color, while the hands are attached to the body with an string. The hands, interestingly, can move freely. All the figurines are in upright position and only one of them has a leaning posture. Some of them are made in a primitive way, with a sense of nativity in performing the heads, the hands and the feet. Some of these figurines have clothes on; some others are naked which probably represent their role in a ritual or royal performance. The outstanding peculiarity of these figurines is the many musical instruments accompanying them. Among the most interesting items are musicians with wind instruments. The comparison with the other similar works leads us to speculate that depicting female musicians were most probably taken into consideration only at Parthian and Sassanid eras. Nothing can be said, with certainty, about the function of these figurines. Are they made just to be dedicated to a temple as a vow or are they made as a decorative object by an artist or an artisan to nurture his or her own creativity and craftsmanship? These are the questions that deserve more investigation and speculation and haven’t been answered yet. The results of the previous examination of the similar works indicate that figurines were created in various styles and shapes, from abstract to realistic and plain while some of them have a mixed appearance. The clay or stone (usually marble) figurines are covered with a layer of color, while the hands are attached to the body with a string. The hands, interestingly, can move freely. All the figurines are in upright position and only one of them has a leaning posture. Some of them are made in a primitive way, with a sense of nativity in performing the heads, the hands and the feet. Some of these figurines have clothes on; some others are naked which probably represent their role in a ritual or royal performance. The outstanding peculiarity of these figurines is the many musical instruments accompanying them. Among the most interesting items are musicians with wind instruments. The comparison with the other similar works leads us to speculate that depicting female musicians were most probably taken into consideration only at Parthian and Sassanid eras. Nothing can be said, with certainty, about the function of these figurines. Are they made just to be dedicated to a temple as a vow or are they made as a decorative object by an artist or an artisan to nurture his or her own creativity and craftsmanship? These are the questions that deserve more investigation and speculation and haven’t been answered yet.