2013/01/01 by Michele Minardi · 1 citation
Social Sciences · Arts and Humanities · #Eurasian Exchange Networks #Ancient Near East History #Byzantine Studies and History #Iconography #Icon #Style (visual arts) #Depiction #Ancient history #Byzantine architecture #Art #Representation (politics) #Archaeology #History #Literature #Art history
paper · doi:10.1080/05786967.2013.11834726
openalex publication_date 2013/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
This article examines a miniature silver vessel characterised by two elements: a depiction of a four-armed female deity embossed in its emblema, and a Chorasmian inscription externally incised around its rim, with a date relative to a specific “Chorasmian Era”. The representation of the goddess is analysed iconographically and stylistically and considered in the light of the available archaeological data. It is argued that besides her iconography, which shows an array of stratified Central Asian and Indian elements, the stylistic traits of the four-armed goddess clearly indicate cultural exchanges between Ancient Chorasmia and the Eastern Roman Empire during the sixth century AD, at the end of which the specimen can be dated.