typology and semiology of the luristan jewelryin the bronze and iron age

abstract this article tries to look at the jewels of the ancient luristan (nowadays luristan province and some parts of ilam and kermanshah provinces), and to have a survey on this precious art and its typology. these jewels have been gathered by way of many scientific and unscientific excavations at last decades in the ancient sites like: kalmakareh, varkaboud, kalvali, sorkh dom, kamtarlan (kaftarlan), choghasabz, mir vali, dom avizeh, badavar, chaman, bardbal, shurabeh, piravand, paigal and kotalkalkal in luristan, ilam and kermanshah. these jewels often have been found in female graves. bronze age in iran contains years from 3000 to 1500 bc. iron age in iran includes years from 1500 to 550 bc. our most important purposes are: 1. a survey on techniques of making and decorating in the luristan jewelry. 2. typology and semiology of the luristan jewelry based on form, material, usage and motifs. researchers believe these handmade artifacts to be native and territorial. also they think that these artifacts had formed in a long process and with combination ofnative experiences with the art of adjacent cultures (assyria, babylon, elamite, mitanni and urartu), and the art of immigrant tribes like kassite, gutian,lullubi,hurrian and scythian. these jewels have at least twelve different materials, including: bronze, iron, glass, agate, azure, seashell, diverse stones, glass paste, ivory, bone, gold and silver. metallic items have been built with two techniques: molding and hammering. also these jewels have at least twelve dissimilar types and usages, including: pins, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, pendants, cuffs or leg decorations, rings and seals, headbands, ouches, buttons, mirrors and fillets. the studied items belong to the historical range of bronze age and iron age in iran (from third since first millennium bc). we have traced these artifacts in the iranian museums like: national museum of iran, reza abbasi museum and falakolaflak museum, also in the world important museums like: louvre museum, metropolitan museum of art, boston museum, cleveland museum and zurich museum, and in the private collections like: david – will collection, ackerman - pope collection, stora collection and mouza collection. research data have been gathered in a library and museum survey. research method is comparativeanalysis of forms and materials ofjewels. we have tried to classify them, to have a total typology. there are many different artistic decorations on these handmade artifacts. patterns like: gods and goddesses, man, various kinds of animals (like: snake, lion, goat, ram, deer, eagle, vulture, fish, bull, rooster, duck, gopat and shirdal, etc.) and plants (like: lotus, pomegranate, tree of life, clover tetramerous, etc.), animals with human faces, hunting scenes and geometric motifs. these designs are sometimes too delicate and realistic, and sometimes abstract and mysterious. they have buried these jewels with their owners as an ornament for the life after death. but how can we interpret their motivations of making these artifacts? maybe their need for fertility, hope for victory over the enemy, fear of the unknown life after death, or trying to ward off evil spirits.