The repertoire of zoomorphic and mixomorphic images on the metallic monuments from northwestern Iran XII–VII centuries BC (Guilan and Luristan)

The article defines the basic repertoire of zoomorphic and mixomorphic images as the most characteristic for the monuments of artistic metal from Luristan and Guilan (North-West of Iran) in the period from XII to VII centuries BC. The author first considers the monuments together of two Iranian provinces in identifying similar pictures as well as individual artistic traits. The work notes that some images show parallels with the “Scythian Animal Style”, and also it provides additional visual analogy of zoomorphic motifs that exist in other cultures outside of Iran. The article recites the zoomorphic and mixomorphic images, which date back to the Early Mesopotamian art, as well as it indicates a circle of “new” images that appeared in local art at the turn of the millenniums. The author reveals the specifics of images, highlights its most typical scenes and visual compositions, defines the most “cited” images presented on the monuments of artistic metal. The study also focuses on technical methods of works. The author considered the correlation between the object and a depicted scene, reviewed and analyzed the categories of time and space in the images, as well as the main types of their symmetry. In the absence of written sources, these images are the primary historical documents that shed light on the outlook and aesthetics of ancient society of Luristan and Guilan