An Investigation into the Sassanian Glassware Kept in the Sanandaj Archaeological Museum

Glassmaking traces its history back to antiquity as is the case with several other crafts in Iran. The craft would culminate under the Sassanian rule, when an assortment of receptacles in different sizes, shapes, and functions came into popular use. The present study examines a sample of 29 pieces of Sassanian glass objects preserved in the Sanandaj Archaeological Museum. Deriving from clandestine excavations, no previous research has investigated these pieces. This descriptive and historical-analytical study draws upon comparisons with related museum objects and library research. The questions are: Which excavated sites in the Sassanian territory are to be examined for comparanda? What are the manufacturing techniques of the objects in question? To which part of the Sassanian time span do they date? What are the common forms as well as their functions and decorations? The sample appears to compare with the material from Mesopotamia (Tell Mahuz, Abu Skhair, Barghuthiat, and Kish) and Veh Ardashir, which were major centers of glass production at the time. The pieces were manufactured in free-blowing and mold-blowing techniques. Bowls are the common form, followed by bottles, unguentaria, juglets, and jars for ritual, cosmetic, and practical functions. The major decorations detected on the study sample include applied trails and facet cutting. The pieces can be assigned to two consecutive chronological extents: The first spans the onset of the Sassanian period (2nd century AD) to the 4th century AD, and the second encompasses the 4th century AD to the demise of the empire. Dispersion of such objects across the Sassanian Empire suggests that glassware represented a trade item at that time.