The Hellenistic bassorilievo discovered in Iran's Fars Province

Press TV -- Archeologists discovered a 2,200-year-old bassorilievo with two back-to-back faces carved on tusk in Iran's southern province of Fars.

Iranian archeologists succeeded in unearthing the tusk bassorilievo, which is presumed to postdate the Achaemenid era, behind Salman-e Farsi Dam in Iran's southern city of Yarj.

"The design and emotions of the two faces on the bassorilievo obviously reveal the influence of Greek culture and Hellenistic art on the Arsacid culture," Alireza Jafari-Zand, head of the archeological team in the city of Yarj said.

"We observed differences between this particular relic and other Achaemenid relics, which proves that the tusk bassorilievo postdated the Achaemenid era," Jafari-Zand added.

Previously archeologists believed Yarj city was part of the Achaemenid dominion. However, the clothing carved on the tusk shows that the customs of Achaemenid era was still maintained.

Further studies on the relic are expected to reveal more details on the subject.

... Payvand News - 04/21/08 ...