The Analysis of " Winged Bull-Human" Motif and Paradigm in Persepolis and Khorsabad Palace

The motif of winged bull- human is a reflective motif many examples of which exist in western Asia. Regarding this motif in Persepolis, it is generally said that such motif in Persepolis might have been influenced by Khorsabad based on formal similarities. This research not only compares the appearance of these two motifs but also compares their identity and function. The questions of this research are as following: what is the primary theme of the motif generally preserved without change and what changes took place in the secondary theme due to borrowing the motif in Assyria and Achaemenid civilizations? The main aim of this research is to specify the identity and function of winged bull- human in Assyria and Achaemenid civilizations. For this purpose, a comparative study of mentioned motif was done in the palace of Khorsabad and Persepolis. Accordingly, a three-stage method was used for studying the two buildings separately. These stages or strata are represented by titles like “pictorial data”, “cultural and historical data”, and “the analysis of the motif and Paradigm”. After the analysis of the motif and Paradigm in the two places, there are comparisons based on similarities and differences. Main results of this study are as following: winged bull- humans are protectors of life symbols. In Khorsabad, they protect the king’s life, the best symbol of life, and in Persepolis they protect the blessing. Winged bull- humans of gateways have more dignity than the king. There is no need to the protection by the human - winged bulls around the temples. The Assyrian winged bull- human with three pairs of horns is stronger than the one with two pairs of horns in Khorsabad. They are accompanied by semi-divine creatures and the high priest in Khorsabad.