Investigating the Role of Tassels on the Plates of Sassanid Era

A common motif in Sassanid art is the king on horseback often accompanied with royal symbols and glory. On the remained images of the Sassanid kings’ horses, a pair of conical form, in some cases circular (tassel) is hanging on the back of the horse. These tassels are attached by a chain to the horse-cloth or crupper of the horse. Many believe that the tassels were used to decorate the Sassanid horses. Due to the frequent use of these motifs on the king’s horses, it could be hypothesized that the reason for using them in Sassanid art was more than decoration. It had a symbolic and royal meaning in Sassanid art. The aim of this study is to identify the meaning and function of such tassels in Sassanid art, specially the plates’ motifs. Accordingly, the tassel motifs have been examined in several works including Sassanid silver and gold plates and petroglyphs. These pictures were examined using descriptive-analytical method. It was concluded that probably these tassel motifs have been adapted from various flowers, particularly the lotus, of Sassanid era and since lotus was a symbol of glory these tassels were also a symbol of the royal charisma. They were believed to increase the king’s chances of winning the wars and legitimize his power.