TEHRAN - Archaeologists have identified previously undocumented Sasanian-era rock carvings depicting human hands without accompanying figures in the historic Marvdasht Plain in Fars province, southern Iran.

The unusual engravings, found alongside a Sasanian-era prayer inscription in Middle Persian (Pahlavi), may shed light on ancient practices of prayer, oath-taking and religious rituals.

Archaeologist and historian Abolhassan Atabaki announced the discovery during ongoing archaeological surveys and documentation in the Marvdasht Plain, Ana news agency reported on Sunday.

He said the newly identified carvings depict human hands together with parts of the forearms, engraved directly onto rock surfaces without any accompanying human figures. Their artistic style and visual characteristics suggest that they date to the Sasanian period (224–651 CE).

Atabaki noted that although hands frequently appear in Sasanian rock reliefs as symbols of respect and homage, their independent depiction also has precedents in seals and seal impressions from the period.

Examples held in collections at the British Museum, Bandar Abbas, Takht-e Soleyman, Tell Abu Shaaf in Iraq and the University of California, Berkeley, demonstrate that Sasanian artists sometimes depicted hands independently of other parts of the human body.

Studies of Sasanian art suggest that the hand motif was associated with concepts such as greeting, goodwill and benevolence. In some instances, researchers have also proposed connections with covenants, the deity Mithra and religious ceremonies.

One notable example is a seal impression discovered at Takht-e Soleyman, which depicts a hand accompanied by a Pahlavi inscription reading abestan o yazdan, meaning “seeking the assistance of the deities.”

In that regard, Najmeh Ebrahimi, a historian, said the available evidence suggests that the independent depiction of hands may have served as a symbolic means of expressing prayer, oaths, covenants and wishes for good fortune.

She explained that because the hand plays a central role in carrying out such acts, depicting it independently could have conveyed the intended meaning without the need to portray the entire human figure.

Ebrahimi said the Marvdasht carvings may likewise have had a devotional purpose, possibly representing prayers or appeals for divine assistance.

She added that this interpretation is reinforced by the discovery of a Sasanian-era prayer inscription beside one of the hand carvings.

The depiction of part of the forearm, ending in a straight edge, together with the distinctive positioning of the fingers, gives the newly documented carvings particular archaeological and artistic significance.

Researchers say further examination and documentation will be needed to establish more precisely the meaning and function of the unusual motifs.

AM