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Source Description
Lion hunting was a traditional royal sport in ancient Near Eastern cultures and was frequently incorporated into artwork, such as Assyrian (about 912–612 BCE) palace reliefs. Thematically, depictions of the hunt in royal artwork bridge the pre- and post-Islamic worlds. This dish features the Sasanian ruler Hormizd II (reigned 303–309 CE), identifiable by his distinctive crown. The style of the king’s and horse’s equipment suggest that this dish was made long after he died, perhaps as a commemorative work by a much later successor, Hormizd III (reigned 457–459 CE).
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
137194
label
Dish with King Hormizd II or Hormizd III Hunting Lions
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
137194
contentType
object
title
Dish with King Hormizd II or Hormizd III Hunting Lions
description
Lion hunting was a traditional royal sport in ancient Near Eastern cultures and was frequently incorporated into artwork, such as Assyrian (about 912–612 BCE) palace reliefs. Thematically, depictions of the hunt in royal artwork bridge the pre- and post-Islamic worlds. This dish features the Sasanian ruler Hormizd II (reigned 303–309 CE), identifiable by his distinctive crown. The style of the king’s and horse’s equipment suggest that this dish was made long after he died, perhaps as a commemorative work by a much later successor, Hormizd III (reigned 457–459 CE).
date
400–600 CE
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q60753828
genreSpecific
Metalwork
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 4.6 x 20.8 cm (1 13/16 x 8 3/16 in.)
cul
Iran, Sasanian Empire (224–651 CE)
accession
1962.15
Source extras
tec
silver gilt
tombstone
Dish with King Hormizd II or Hormizd III Hunting Lions, 400–600 CE. Iran, Sasanian Empire (224–651 CE). Silver gilt; overall: 4.6 x 20.8 cm (1 13/16 x 8 3/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund, 1962.150
collection
Near Eastern Art
inscriptions
inscription
On reverse, inside foot, an inscription in Pahlavi reads according to Dr. Frye, Harvard University: "Gozac, one pound (fifty) one drachms."
didYouKnow
Hormizd II's crown is distinct with its eagle form and topped with the traditional <em>korymbos</em>,<em> </em>a fine, bejeweled fabric that encases the top hair in a globelike fashion.
citations
citation
Harper, Prudence O. and Pieter Meyers. <em>Silver Vessels of the Sasanian Period, Volume One: Royal Imagery</em>. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (1981). pp. 171 and 215, pl. 14.
citation
Shepherd, Dorothy G. "Sasanian Art in Cleveland." <em>The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art</em> 51, no. 4 (1964): 66-92.
page_number
Mentioned: P. 73-79; Reproduced: P. 74
citation
Harper, Prudence Oliver. “The Heavenly Twins.” <em>The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin</em>, vol. 23, no. 5, 1965, pp. 186–95.
citation
The Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 14
citation
Lukonin, V. G., and James Hogarth. <em>Persia II.</em> Cleveland: World Publishing Company, 1967.
page_number
Plate 151
citation
Fukai, Shinji. <em>Study of Iranian Art and Archaeology; Glassware and Metalwork. </em>Tokyo: Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 1968.
page_number
Pl. 41, Pl. 120
citation
The Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 14
citation
Hanaway, William L. “The Concept of the Hunt in Persian Literature.” <em>Boston Museum Bulletin</em>, vol. 69, no. 355/356, 1971, pp. 21–69.
page_number
p. 62, fig. 38.
citation
Gibbons, D.F., K.C. Ruhl and L.S. Staikoff, "Analysis of Sasanian Silver Objects: A Comparison of Techniques" <em>Archaeological Chemistry</em>. June 1, 1974 , 11-21.
citation
The Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 7
citation
Harper, Prudence Oliver. <em>The Royal Hunter: Art of the Sasanian Empire</em>. New York: Asia Society, 1978.
page_number
Mentioned: pp. 38, 39; reproduced: pl. 6, p.39
citation
Gibbons, Donald F. et al. “Techniques of Silversmithing in the Hormizd II Plate.” <em>Ars Orientalis</em>, vol. 11, 1979, pp. 163–76.
citation
Neils, Jenifer. “The Twain Shall Meet.” <em>The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art</em>, vol. 72, no. 6, 1985, pp. 326–359.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 338, fig. 22
citation
Fliegel, Stephen N.<em> Arms and Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art. </em>[Cleveland, Ohio]: The Museum, 1998.
page_number
p. 28
citation
Drayman Weisser, Terry. <em>Gilded Metals: History, Technology and Conservation.</em> London, England: Archetype Publications in association with the American Institute of Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, 2000.
page_number
p. 179, fig. 10.11
citation
May, Sally Ruth, Jane Takac, and Barbara J. Bradley. <em>Knockouts: A Pocket Guide. </em>Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 2001.
page_number
Mentioned and Reproduced: p. 116
citation
Demange, F. <em>Les Perses sassanides: fastes d'un empire oublié, 224-642: Musée Cernuschi, Musée des arts de l'Asie de la ville de Paris, 15 septembre-30 décembre 2006</em>. Paris: Paris musées, 2006.
page_number
cat. no. 29, p. 89
citation
Fliegel, Stephen N. <em>Arms & Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art.</em> [Cleveland, Ohio]: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2007.
page_number
p. 38
citation
Demange, F. <em>Glass, Gilding, & Grand Design: Art of Sasanian Iran (224-642).</em> New York: Asia Society, 2007.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 25, fig. 12
citation
Spier, Jeffrey, Timothy F. Potts, and Sara E. Cole. <em>Persia: Ancient Iran and the Classical World.</em> Los Angeles : J. Paul Getty Museum, 2022.
page_number
Mentioned: pp. 320-321; reproduced: p. 273 and 320, fig 171
citation
Hanson, Robin and Holly Witchey. "Dorothy Shepherd and the Cleveland Museum of Art's Ancient Near Eastern and Islamic Art Collection." <em>Collections: A Journal for Museum and Archives Professionals</em> 20, n. 3 (September 2024): 461-473.
page_number
Mentioned and reproduced: p. 469 (fig. 7)
creditline
John L. Severance Fund
sketchfabId
57ba611b823b4f9691262876d3ebb9a3
updatedAt
2026-06-18 21:16:10.867000
sourceId
137194
dept
Egyptian and Ancient Near Eastern Art
coll
Near Eastern Art
med
silver gilt
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
54981a9f5c23e14c