Rock Reliefs, Tassels, and Sasanian Kings Re-evaluating the Iconography of a Mysterious Object

Abstract

So far, more than forty Sasanian bas-reliefs have been discovered in Iran and neighboring countries, in which the horse is the most frequently depicted animal motif. A mysterious decorative object often appears in Sasanian equestrian reliefs, usually positioned between the horse's hind legs. In the pre-Sasanian period, this object is rarely encountered, with no trace of it except for a wall painting at Dura-Europos and a piece of graffiti at Persepolis. By examining the typology and iconography of these tassels, the present study argues that they were used as whips to stimulate the horse to run faster. © ESMAEIL SANGARI ET AL., 2025.