ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

Ziwiye Hoard: A Treasure Trove of Ancient Cultures

The Ziwiye hoard is a treasure trove of gold, silver, ivory, and other precious objects discovered in a plot of land outside Ziwiyeh Castle near Saqqez city in Kurdistan province, Iran. The hoard provides a unique link between the cultures of ancient Iran and the nomadic or Scythian arts known as "zooidic" style.

The Ziwiye treasure was first brought to light by Leonard Woolley's assessment that it accounts for the decoration of the great Treasure of Saqqez, which was discovered on the south shore of Lake Urmia. The hoard contains objects in four distinct styles: Median, Assyrian, Scythian, and proto-Achaemenid, as well as provincial native pieces. This collection of objects illustrates the situation of the Iranian plateau as a crossroads of cultural highways, including the Silk Road, which fused disparate cultures to inform early Iranian art.

The Ziwiye hoard is believed to have been formed in the 8th century BC and consists of approximately 341 pieces, including 103 ivory, 71 silver, and 43 gold objects. However, there are no objective sources confirming that these objects were actually found at Ziwiye, although it is probable that some were. The hoard's provenance may have been applied to comparable objects that passed through the trade since the 1960s.

The discovery of the Ziwiye treasure was made in 1950 by a shepherd boy allegedly near Saqqez Castle. However, there are unexplained circumstances surrounding its origin and coherence, which raises questions about its authenticity. Oscar White Muscarella pointed out in 1977 that due to these uncertainties, it is advisable to approach conclusions with caution.

Archaeological findings suggest that the treasure was stored in a bathtub-like bronze coffin, which may be an old piece dating back to around 730 BC. The upper edge of the coffin features a train of tribute carriers in the Assyrian style, indicating that they were mountain dwellers who wore distinctive clothing and carried various items such as drinking horns and wine hoses.

Comparable finds have been discovered at Ur and Zincirli (Samʼal), which share similarities with the Ziwiye treasure. The two tubs from Ur came from layers of the Neo-Babylonian and Persian periods, while the tub from Zincirli contained women's burials.