Characteristics of the Forms, Decorations, and Themes of the Seals of the Afshar Kings

Abstract
The royal seals from the Afshari period represent significant artifacts of this historical era. Despite their importance, there has been a limited number of studies focusing on these seals, which aim to analyze their structural characteristics based on available documents and decrees. Often, the role of seals has been perceived merely as a procedural element within the documentation practices of the time. Furthermore, existing research on the royal seals tends to rely on broad generalizations rather than in-depth analysis. The central questions guiding this research are: What were the shapes and patterns of the seals utilized by the Afshar kings, and what themes and ideas were expressed in their writings? To gather more insights into the forms, motifs, and thematic significance of these seals and their inscriptions, a detailed examination has been carried out. The research encompasses a statistical population of 24 seals and seal impressions linked to the Afshar royal lineage. The present study examines the impact of the royal seals associated with the Afshar dynasty. To date, only a single seal attributed to the Afshar kings has been definitively identified, specifically that of Adel Shah, with no additional seals from other monarchs of this era having been discovered. The research methods encompasses both library and field data collection, employing a historical-descriptive and analytical approach. The selection of royal seals is justified by references in credible documents and literature that acknowledge their existence. Consequently, an analysis of the motifs and inscriptions found on the royal seals from the Afshari period has been conducted. The data utilized in this research are primarily derived from library sources, involving a thorough examination of historical texts and documents.  The analysis reveals that the primary designs of the seals belonging to the Afshar kings were characterized by square, crowned square, almond, crowned almond, and oval shapes. The inscriptions found on these seals predominantly encompass themes related to the identity of their owners, rituals for prayer to the Lord, supplications to Imam Ali (A.S.) and Imam Reza (A.S.), as well as expressions of praise directed towards the Afshar monarchs.
Keywords: Seals and Seal Impressions, Afshar Kings, Inscriptions, Motifs and Themes.
 
Introduction
Investigating the seals of the Afshar kings is a significant endeavor for understanding the cultural, political, and religious contexts of the time. In the aftermath of the Safavid downfall and the Afghan rule over Iran, Nader Shah Afshar was proclaimed Shah in 1148 A.H. He maintained his reign until his assassination in 1160 A.H., during which he succeeded in creating a unified and relatively powerful administration in Iran.  The engravings and decorative elements present on seals offer critical insights into the governance of different historical periods. The lack of extensive historical records for specific governmental periods renders inscriptions, particularly those linked to royal seals, crucial for comprehending those eras. Prior to the establishment of the Afshari regime, the significance of seals was already a prominent issue for royal families during the patriarchal, Timurid, and Safavid periods. This focus on seals not only persisted but also grew stronger in subsequent times, notably during the Afshar period.  This research project is designed to identify and analyze the forms, motifs, and themes associated with the seals and seal impressions of the Afshari kings. It aims to respond to essential questions such as: What forms and patterns were evident in the seals of the Afshar kings? What themes and concepts are represented in their writings? While the majority of the seals from the Afshar dynasty have been lost, with the notable exception of Adel Shah’s seal, the remaining impressions serve as a crucial source of information about the political, governmental, and religious dynamics during the Afshar period. In addition to historical texts and literature, the remaining documents and decrees are essential sources for understanding seals and their effects. The information for this research was collected using a documentary method, drawing from library sources and conducting field studies in both domestic and foreign museums. The research method is descriptive-analytical and historical. The Afshar kings ruled over various regions of Iran from the establishment of the Afshari government by Nader Shah Afshar until the time of Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar’s rule. A portion of the information gap and its inadequacy regarding this historical period of Iran, including its political, cultural, and religious circumstances, can be supplemented by findings derived from investigations into the seals and the significance of the kings’ seals.
Discussion
Based on the surviving historical literature and documents, there are 24 seals and their impressions that can be traced back to the Afshar monarchs. Specifically, this assortment comprises 8 seals belonging to Nader Shah Afshar, 3 to Adel Shah, 1 to Ibrahim Shah, 7 to Shahrukh Shah, 3 to Nadir Mirza, and 2 to Nasrullah Mirza.
An analysis of the seals from the Afshari period reveals that the majority of seals belonging to the Afshar kings were designed in a crowned square format. Nadir Shah Afshar’s seals exhibit a variety of shapes, including simple squares, crowned squares, plain almonds (or pears), and crowned almonds. In contrast, Nader’s successors predominantly utilized the crowned square shape for their seals, with the notable exception of Adel Shah Afshar, whose seal was oval. The seals of Nader Shah Afshar exhibit a variety of decorative elements, including frames and plates shaped like almonds, crowned almonds, squares, and crowned squares. In addition to these geometric forms, the seals are adorned with both vegetal and animal motifs, notably featuring peacocks. The inscriptions on the seals of the Afshar Shahs primarily consist of their names and titles, accompanied by poetic verses that invoke the remembrance of God, as well as the veneration of Imam Ali (a.s) and Imam Reza (a.s). These inscriptions also express devotion to God, include Quranic verses, and reference the preceding government and the Safavid dynasty. An overarching perspective indicates that the predominant trend has been towards the validation and pursuit of legitimacy in governmental, political, national, and religious contexts. The texts found on the seals of the Afshar kings are composed in both Persian and Arabic, utilizing the Thulth and Nastaliq scripts for their inscription. Persian writings prominently feature the names of the Afshar rulers and poetic verses that extol their virtues, while the Arabic inscriptions contain phrases such as “Salamon Ala Ibrahim,” “La fata ella Ali La saif ella Zulfaqar,” “Besmellah,” “Al-Molku lellah,” and “Al-Hokmu lellah.” In every instance, the sacred divine names and attributes are inscribed in Thulth script, with the seal texts appearing in either Thulth or Nastaliq script.
Conclusion
While the specific shapes of the seals used by the Afshar kings are not documented, there is available information regarding the primary designs of these seals. Nader Shah Afshar’s seals were characterized by various shapes, including simple squares, crowned squares, simple almond shapes, and crowned almond shapes. His successors predominantly employed crowned square seals, followed by simple squares and oval shapes. The decorative motifs on Nader Shah Afshar’s seals included geometric frames, Khatai patterns, peacocks, lions, suns, and floral half-rings. In contrast, the seals of his successors primarily featured Khatai motifs and geometric frames for their decoration.
The inscriptions on the seals of the Afshar kings are composed in Persian and Arabic, utilizing the Thulth and Nastaliq scripts for their written form. Typically, these royal seals feature the names and identities of the kings, alongside poetic verses that invoke the remembrance of God, as well as the veneration of Imam Ali (a.s) and Imam Reza (a.s). These inscriptions not only express devotion to God and include Quranic verses but also reflect the affiliation with the preceding government and the Safavid dynasty. A broader analysis reveals that these seals predominantly served to legitimize the political, national, and religious authority of the Afshar rulers, indicating their anxiety regarding the precariousness of their regime.