An Iconographic and Iconologic Analysis of Chovgan Motifs on Early Islamic Pottery: Socio-Cultural Implications in the Samanid Era

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran (Corresponding Author).

2 Ph.D. Candidate if Archeology, Department of Archeology, Faculty of Conservation and Restoration, Isfahan University of Arts, Isfahan, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran .

4 Assistant Professor, Department of Handicrafts, Faculty of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran.

Abstract

Polychrome slip-painted ceramics attributed to Nishapur, distinguished by their unique iconography, are recognized as among the most prominent artistic achievements of the Samanid period in the Near East. Despite significant advancements in scholarly research regarding the provenance and semantics of these motifs, certain pictorial scenes remain inadequately interpreted. One such scene depicts a game of Chovgan (polo), illustrated on a polychrome ceramic vessel currently housed in the Asian Art Museum. Although previous attempts have sought to interpret this image through historical sources, its social and cultural significance during the third and fourth centuries AH remains shrouded in ambiguity. Consequently, the primary objective of this study is to re-examine and critically analyze this depiction within the broader social, cultural, and political context of the Samanid era. To achieve this, the study employs Erwin Panofsky’s iconological approach as its analytical framework, interpreting the results in light of contemporary historical and literary texts from the Samanid period. Guided by this research problem and method, the study addresses two primary questions: 1) How does the depiction of Chovgan on Nishapur ceramics reflect the symbols of military and social skills characteristic of the Samanid era? 2) What symbolic and cultural meanings associated with educational, aristocratic, and political concepts of the Samanid period are embedded in the image of Chovgan on Nishapur ceramics? The research method employed is historical, utilizing an analytical-comparative approach based on library-based data collection and synthesis. The interpretation, grounded in this analytical-comparative framewoٌrk, posits that the depiction of Chovgan on Nishapur ceramics is not merely a representation of leisure activity; rather, it functions as a symbol of martial and social competencies within the Samanid aristocracy. Furthermore, the image implicitly conveys concepts related to political power, bravery, and aristocratic social identity. The findings indicate that Chovgan, beyond representing physical exertion, was integral to the social and political structures of the Samanid era, as evidenced by its portrayal on Nishapur ceramics.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Archaeological Research of Iran
Volume 15, Issue 47
English Issue
2026
Pages 221-243

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