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Spiral-end belts in Iran:
Cultural Transformation with the Southern Caucasus
Zahra kouzehgari
PhD
Tarbiat Modares University
Abstract:
The archaeological studies in the southern and western Caspian Sea region attest vast cultural and social
transformation with the southern Caucasus region during the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages. The
archaeological finds from these studies are the basis our main understandings of this cultural contact. In
this regard analysis of these material within a vast geographical and cultural area would shed light on
the image of the ancient history of the region. One group of these material culture are metal belts which
appeared by the first millennium BC in western Iran, Caucasus and Anatolia. This region had a great part
in the emergence and development of different types of belt groups in the Middle East. The belt groups
recovered from this region demonstrate various manufacturing techniques, decorative and wearing
styles, each representing different geographical and social groups. A group of these belts have peculiar
forms, ending to a double opposing spiral, and forming a quadruple-spiral while fastened at the front.
These belts are mainly recovered from tombs, associated to warriors regarding the abundance of metal
weaponry. It is while the identity of the group which were using these belt style is not known yet. This
article aims to study these belts from a typo-chronological perspective, regarding the iconographical
features on them and their manufacturing techniques. The results demonstrate that the belts could be
associated to a specific group of warriors in southern and western Caspian Sea region and the Caucasus
as well.
Key Words: Spiral-end Belts, First Millennium B.C., Spiral-end/Part Culture, Southern Caspian Sea,
southern Caucasus
Introduction
Our knowledge of belts’ history in Iran is mainly restricted to two articles by Moorey and Ryder (Moorey
and Rydner 1967) and Calmeyer (Calmeyer 1989) who have provided an overall history of their
development and distribution in Iran. Their work included early depictions of belts
on artworks as well as
introducing various complete and fragmented examples, either from controlled excavations or from
unknown provenances. These belts are scattered in various museums and collections all over the world
(Amiet 1984; Pittman 1984). However our information on metal belts, their development and evolution
are rather restricted and a comprehensive study on them is still lacking. It is while according to
archaeological findings metal belts were widespread during Iron Ages, late second millennium to mid-first
millennium B.C. in western half of Iranian Plateau.
Among archaeological findings, metal belts are generally broad and long strips with various decorations
rendered horizontally on them. These decorations are executed in different techniques. It must be noted
that these findings could be confused by some other strips such as chariot strips or furniture decorations.
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However, in some cases, the most prominent characteristic which distinguishes belts with other metal
strips is their pierced borders to be sewn on a leather back or textile lining.
Regarding the archaeological findings the very early examples of metal belts in Iran have been introduced
during early Iron Ages (Calmeyer 1989). As most of existing metal belts are coming from uncontrolled
excavations it is somehow impossible to propose a chronological framework for them. While the late
second and early first millennium seem to be the time span they were videly in use in Iran. Apparently,
the process of production and use of metal belts was abolished completely by the middle of first
millennium B.C. subsequent to the introduction of Achaemenid new costume style (Ibid). Although the
period was rather short, during this time various metal strips have been recovered from archaeological
excavations and there are many belts in the market which are attributed to Iran.
The belts are produced in different forms and techniques. An overall look at the existing belts would
demonstrate various morphological, technical, decoration as well as wearing style groups among them.
The Present study is going to date with a specific group among them, the belts with a totally different
appearance, the belts ends in a double opposing spiral at both ends in the front. Regarding their terminals,
this group would be referred to as “
spiral-end belts” in this article. The questions addressed in this study
are, whether there is a relation between these belts' morphological changes and their geographical
distributions in Iran? Whether these belts are the characteristic of a specific geographical region in Iran or
are imported objects from adjacent regions? In particular, this article aims to explore whether there is a
relation between the emergence of these belts in southern and western Caspian Sea and the existence of
the women warriors in the southern Caucsus? To do this the general characteristic of these belts has been
presented and then the examples have been introduced according to their decorating techniques and
geographical distributions based on existing examples. Then these betls have been studied within the vast
group of double/quedrupl-spiral style objects. It is while for a better understanding and interpretation of
this
research questions, more stratified samples and reliable data are needed.
General Characteristics
The belts are rectangular metal strips with their endings cut into a double opposing spiral. The small
pierced holes at the base of the spirals are representing their wearing style. The material used to produce
these belts is mainly bronze. Although it’s rather difficult to determine their exact manufacturing
techniques without comprehensive studies, it’s more likely that at the very first the metal was hammered
flat into the shape of a continuous strip and then the ends were cut into the shape of a double spiral with
their tips turning their backs.
Attribution of these metal strips to metal belts is evidenced in two forms, the complete belts or in
fragments found in situ on skeletal remains from archaeological excavations and their probable artistic
representations on status’s waist from Marlik.
Unlike highly decorated belts from Iran during Iron Ages (Moorey & Rydner 1967: 86), these belts are less
decorated. Decorations on them have mainly included geometric and floral patterns and in some cases
human and animal figures. These designs are executed in various techniques. The most current technique
used to decorate these belts is in dotted technique, which is composed of an accumulation of small
projections or big/ middle size blobs. There are some others decorated with incised lines by a chisel and
in one case the belt is decorated by small stud projections.
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