Unearthed nearly a century ago, a collection of clay sealings from Iran has finally yielded a fascinating secret. Archaeologist Mohammadreza Nasab-Abdollahi has identified the name “Shiraz” inscribed on a Sassanian-era sealing, offering a glimpse into the city’s ancient past.
The Sassanian Empire (224-651 CE) ruled a vast territory encompassing modern-day Iran, Iraq, and parts of Armenia, Afghanistan, Turkey, Syria, and Central Asia. This era is considered a golden age in Iranian history, marked by significant cultural and political influence.
The discovery sheds light on the history of Shiraz, a vibrant city located about 60 kilometers south of Persepolis, the once-grand capital of the Achaemenid Empire (c. 550–330 BC). The finding strengthens the case for Shiraz’s longstanding importance, suggesting the city thrived not only during the Sassanian era but potentially even earlier.
The sealings, currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, were unearthed during excavations at Qasr-e Abu Nasr, a Sassanian stronghold near Shiraz, conducted between 1932 and 1935. These clay discs, used for authentication and record-keeping purposes, were remarkably preserved due to a fortuitous fire that baked the clay, hardening the impressions.
One particular sealing bears the inscription “Mugh-e Shiraz” in Pahlavi script, the Middle Persian language used during the Sassanian period. This inscription, deciphered by Nasab-Abdollahi, directly translates to “Shiraz.”
The discovery aligns with archaeological evidence from Qasr-e Abu Nasr, which reveals a continuous human presence from the Achaemenid era to the Abbasid period (750–1258 CE), with the most prominent settlement flourishing during the Sassanian era. Excavations at the site have unearthed a wealth of artifacts, including administrative documents and defensive structures, hinting at a well-established urban center.
Furthermore, the presence of inscribed bricks from Persepolis at Qasr-e Abu Nasr adds another layer of evidence. The combined findings suggest a strong historical link between the two locations, potentially indicating that Shiraz served as a significant city even during the Achaemenid period, albeit under a different name.
Nasab-Abdollahi emphasizes the significance of this discovery: “Archaeological evidence from the Sassanid period, including such clay sealings, as well as artifacts from the Achaemenid era such as inscribed bricks from Persepolis, corroborates that the city known today as Shiraz bore the same name in antiquity and was among the significant cities of ancient Iran.”
The Sassanian clay seal is more than just a relic; it’s a whisper from the past, confirming the ancient roots of Shiraz and adding another chapter to the city’s rich and enduring story. Further research into the inscription and other archaeological finds from Qasr-e Abu Nasr promises to illuminate not only Shiraz’s history but also provide valuable insights into the administrative and social structures of the Sassanian Empire.