A Comparative Study of Stone Lions in two Regions of Ardal and Bazoft in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari

The stone lion (Bardshir) is one of the cultural symbols of the Bakhtiari tribe, and as a sign of courage, they are placed on the graves of young people, athletes, and great and famous people. These statues were built in the Zagros mountains and outside this domain in a vast area called Bakhtiari, which today includes several provinces, over several centuries. These statues, which have been made from the past to the present, with different forms and modes, are decorated with motifs that originate from the cultural, social, and religious history of the people of these regions. With the aim of knowing the periods of the stone lion, this article attempts to investigate the similarities and differences between the stone lions in Ardal and Bazoft regions in terms of the form and carved motifs and examine the concepts which these forms and motifs represent. The present research used the descriptive-analytical method and employed the comparative approach Library and field studies were conducted to evaluate and compare the stone lions of these regions. The results of the investigations show that the forms and motifs of stone lions are different in every family and clan. Also, the results show that the stone lions in Ardal region are older than the stone lions in Bazoft region, and the carved motifs on them are more detailed. Repetition of motifs carved on stone lions shows that a specific pattern dominates the decoration of stone lions. Also, the theme of these motifs and the forms of stone lions reflect the spirit of Bakhtiari people and their cultural and religious values.