Sassanian stucco decorations from the Ramavand (Barz Qawaleh) excavations in the Lorestan Province of Iran

Abstract

Barz Qawaleh (also known as Bard Qawela or “Barz-Q” town) is an ancient site located in the vicinity of the village of Ramavand in Iran, in the Kounani region of the Seymareh river basin. The ancient site should be considered as one of the largest and most important Sassanian settlements in Lorestan, Iran. The present paper and accompanying photographs introduce some elements of the stucco decorations discovered at Barz Qawaleh, which constitute remarkable evidence of Sassanian art. Apart from introducing the findings from archeological, this paper offers some interpretations of the motifs and designs represented by the stuccos, some of which may be found also in materials from other Sassanian sites in Iran and Mesopotamia.