block
- Museum number
- 127335
- Description
-
Carved grey limestone slab showing what appears to be an local Iranian depiction of Mercury as a nude bearded male figure with moustache, standing frontally; possibly wearing earrings; wearing a plain diadem and an ankle-length cloak with a decorated edge to the inner lining hanging behind and presumably intended to have been fastened at the front with a brooch although this is not depicted; small wing attached to each heel; holding a small bag in outstretched right hand, and with his left hand a highly stylised caduceus which he appears to rest on his left shoulder.
- Production date
- 150-250
- Dimensions
-
Height: 29.80 centimetres
-
Thickness: 7.70 centimetres
-
Width: 18.20 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- A number of stone slabs, usually of Heracles-Verethragna, have been found at this terraced temple site in ancient Elymais. This particular figure was initially identified as Athar the Iranian "God of Fire" in the primary registration, which also describes it as follows: "Stone carving in relief on panel, male figure standing, facing, holding bag in right hand and tongs in left over shoulder, nude except on shoulders, cloak visible behind. H. 12" (British & Medieval Antiquities 1920 register, copied across into WAA Transfers Book, entry dated 17/12/63). It was later suggested to be Heracles (e.g. J E Curtis 1989, 'Ancient Persia', p. 59, later modified as Heracles-Verethragna in J E Curtis 2000, 'Ancient Persia', p. 69, fig. 77), but the cloak, wings on the ankles and the bag held in his right hand indicate an alternative identification with Mercury (or a local deity with these attributes).
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
2007- Jun- BM, G52/Rahim Irvani Gallery for Ancient Iran, case 6
1995-2005 17 Nov-15 Dec BM, G52/IRAN/25, from official opening
1994 16 Jun-23 Dec BM, G49/IRAN
- Acquisition date
- 1920
- Acquisition notes
- Originally registered as 1920,1120.1 in Dept of British & Medieval Antiquities when provenance recorded as "from Masjid Suleiman, Baktiari country, Persia". Transfer from OA noted in WAA Transfers Book on 17/12/63.
- Department
- Middle East
- BM/Big number
- 127335
- Registration number
- 1920,1120.1
