Introduction
The study of bas-reliefs is a specialised aspect of Iranian studies, addressing artistic traditions, and social, political and economic organisation. The earliest known relief in Iran, the Annubanini Relief in Sar-i-Pul, Kermänshah province, was created by the Lullubi (a group of Zagros tribes) during the third millennium BC. This began a tradition followed in many subsequent periods: the Elamites used this form to depict religious scenes and images of royal audiences; the Medians used reliefs on their rock tombs, as did the Achamenids; the Parthians also made use of this form, introducing Hellenistic themes. The artistic pinnacle in the medium of the bas-relief occurred under the Sassanids when reliefs were used for the glorification of kings, the display of dominance over enemies, and also to stress ties with Urmazd (Rezaei niä 2007: 87). The most significant characteristic of Sassanid reliefs is the realism with which the artists depicted scenes. With the arrival of Islam, religious considerations prevented rulers from using this medium. It was only in the Qajar era (1785–1925) that a revival in carving bas-reliefs occurred under Fath Ali Shah (r. 1797–1834) and Naser al-Din Shah (r. 1848–1896). Some eight Qajar bas-reliefs are known, but it is latest of these—known as the 'Vänä tunnel relief'—created during the reign of Naser al-Din Shah which is the subject of this article. It represents the final Iranian bas-relief—and also a significant break with tradition.
To date, there has been no comprehensive study of Qajar reliefs with the exception of an introductory text by Reference SotudehSotudeh (1995) and an MA dissertation by Haji Alilu (2006). The aim of the present paper is to contribute to awareness and knowledge of the Qajar reliefs.
Naser al-Din Shah's bas-relief
Frontal view of the King's Figure relief (© Meisam Fallah & Hosein Sabri).
The Haräz is a significant route which connects the southern shore of the Caspian Sea to the Iranian Plain. Naser al-Din Shah's bas-relief, also known as Shekl-i-Shah (King's Figure) is located in the western part of 'Vänä tunnel' at Tang-i-Band Borideh, in the Haräz area, close to the ruins of an ancient road, on a mountain slope overlooking the Haräz River (Haji Alilu 2006: 48). Naser al-Din Shah instigated the renovation and widening of ancient roads in the Haräz and Chälus valleys. In 1873, he ordered Hosein Alikhän Vazir, who was supervising the Lärijan route in Haräz, along with 'Gastїgїr khan', an Austrian engineer who worked for the Iranian government, to widen the road so that two carts could pass. When the widening was completed, in 1879, a commemorative bas-relief was created on a particularly arduous stretch of the road known as Tang-i-Band Borideh. In 2002, the relief was registered by the Iranian Cultural Heritage Organization (no. 6272).
Peripheral scriptures (© Meisam Fallah & Hosein Sabri).
The scripture showing the artist's signature (© Meisam Fallah & Hosein Sabri).
The relief is carved within a rectangular frame 8m long and 4m high. The scene depicts Naser al-Din Shah on a horse between two groups of courtiers who are dressed in official costume, Sardärї. Their names are written in Toranjes above their heads (Vafäei 2002: 28; Haji Alilu 2006: 48–50) (Figure 1). Persian poetic scriptures within Toranjes stress the difficulties of the Lärijän route and praise Naser al-Din Shah and his order to renovate the road (Figure 2). In the middle of the relief, beneath the hooves of the king's horse, is written "Amal-i-kamtarїn, Ali Akbar fi saneh 1295" [Made by Ali Akbar, the humblest, in 1295] (Figure 3). The courtiers' titles and statuses are written above their heads in fine script and broken Nasta'lїq. Above the king's head is carved "Tëmsäl-i-Bїmësäl-i-Hömäyünї" [The unique figure of His Majesty]. The inscriptions above the courtiers' heads (Reference SotudehSotudeh 1995: 451–54) (Figure 4 a & b) are:
The king (a, left) and his courtiers (a and b) with their titles carved above their heads (© Meisam Fallah & Hosein Sabri).
-
1. Navväb Vajih-o-lläh Mїrzä, Viceroy
-
2. Mogharrab-ol-Khäghän Ajoodän-i-Makhsoos (Reza khan Ighbäl-o-Saltaneh Akkäsbäshї), the King's minion, special adjutant
-
3. Vazїr-i-Faväyëd (Hasan Ali Khän Amїr Nëzäm-i-Garüsї)
-
4. Jinäb-i-Sëpahsälär-i-A'azam (M?rza hosein khän-i-Sëpahsälär), his Excellency the Grand Commander-in-chief
-
5. Jinäb-i-Äghä (Mїrza Yüsëf Khän Mostüfї - ol- Mamälik)
-
6. Äghä- їe- Näyeb- ol- Saltaneh (Kämrän Mїrzä), Crown Prince
-
7. E'etëzäd- ol-Saltaneh (Ali Gholi Mїrzä)
-
8. Jinäb- i-Mötamed- ol-Mamälik (Alirezä Khan), his Excellency
-
9. Jinäb- i-Amїn- ol-Mamälik (Ali Khän), his Excellency
-
10. Mogharrab- ol-Khäghän Mehdї Gholї Khän (Majd- ol-döleh), the King's minion
Discussion
Despite differences in style, the symbolic and ritual meaning of Iranian bas-reliefs persisted through successive dynasties for millennia. With the arrival of Islam, the relief as a medium was put aside. There followed a gap of more than a millennium before the first Islamic reliefs were created under Fath Ali Shah. In theme and meaning, all of Fath Ali Shah's reliefs represent continuity with the earlier tradition and can be understood in the social and political context of the time, for example, various battles with, and defeat by, Russia.
But the final Iranian relief, carved under Naser al-Din Shah, is different. Although there are similarities in form, it is the only Iranian relief that is simply a 'commemorative image'—a 'photograph on stone'. Indeed, the image resembles actual photographs of Naser al-Din Shah and his courtiers. In the context of Iran's modernisation under Naser al-Din Shah (e.g. cinema, photography, etc.), the significance of the bas-relief in Iran changed, losing its traditional symbolic significance. With the new and relative stability in social and political conditions, and advances in technology, stone reliefs became an unjustifiably costly medium through which to trumpet the king's glory. Here, he simply used an ancient tradition to make one final 'photograph'.
