Archaeologists in southern Iran have uncovered what is believed to be the smallest known bird motif from the Sasanian period, measuring just 3 by 2 centimeters. The engraving was found on the rocks of the Marvdasht Plain in Fars province and was created using an incised technique. The bird is positioned alongside a Middle Persian (Pahlavi) inscription dated to the late Sasanian era.
Abolhasan Atabaki, the archaeologist who reported the discovery, noted that the bird image is likely connected to the themes expressed in the nearby inscription, which references the salvation of the soul. In ancient Iranian culture, birds were commonly associated with auspiciousness, the delivery of messages, and the soul’s journey between earthly existence and the celestial realm.
Atabaki explained that this visual tradition persisted beyond the Sasanian period and evolved during the Islamic era, eventually flourishing in Persian miniature painting. Birds perched on branches became recurring motifs in the art of various Persian miniature schools, including those of the Ilkhanid, Timurid, and Safavid periods. He emphasized that these birds were not purely decorative but contributed to the poetic and spiritual atmosphere of the artwork. The roots of this tradition lie in Sasanian art, where animals and plants were arranged according to symbolic and geometric principles.
The depiction of the bird is especially meaningful given its ability to move between earth and sky, symbolizing the link between the material and spiritual worlds. When perched on a branch or tree—symbols of life and continuity—the bird evokes celestial realms.
Historian Najmeh Ebrahimi offered further interpretation, suggesting the motif may also relate to Iranian beliefs about death and the soul’s passage. She stated that in Iranian tradition, death represented a transition rather than an end, with the bird on a branch serving as a metaphor for the soul’s journey from the material world to the spiritual realm.
Ebrahimi described the engraving as highly linear, created with narrow, shallow grooves mainly defined by outlines using a pointed tool. The nearby Pahlavi inscription’s emphasis on salvation and the soul’s fate supports a symbolic reading of the bird motif.
She also highlighted the broader religious and cultural significance of birds in Iranian epic and religious texts, where they often serve as intermediaries between the earthly and divine realms. Some birds in ancient texts like the Avesta and Middle Persian writings symbolize divine glory, guidance, and protection.
The location of the find on the Marvdasht Plain carries additional importance. This area was a significant political and religious center from the first millennium BCE through the Sasanian period and includes major archaeological sites such as Persepolis, Naqsh-e Rostam, and Naqsh-e Rajab. The proximity of the motif and inscription to these sites indicates that the area remained a vital ritual and cultural landscape during the late Sasanian era.
Ebrahimi pointed out that the combination of a religious inscription with a symbolic natural image aligns with traditions of using natural elements to express religious ideas. She described the small bird engraving alongside the inscription as a rare example of the interplay between image and text in late Sasanian art. Further detailed study and publication of the find, including a comprehensive analysis of the inscription, could enhance understanding of bird symbolism and religious concepts in Sasanian culture.