A Study of Musical Instruments’ Motif in Ancient Iran and Identification of the Music’s Position and Importance in That Era

Based on Written narratives and remaining motifs of ancient Iran music had a great position and most of Monarchs and Statesman used to pay attention to the music. The name of many of these instruments remains and a number of motifs depicting them have been identified in reliefs, cravings and patterns illustrated on vessels of such ear. Present paper studies the images of instruments depicted on remaining vessels and reliefs and by such means, studies the importance and position of music in the mentioned era. This paper used a descriptive - analysis approach and the data was gathered by means of library resources. By studying ancient inscriptions and motifs it became clear that music was not a sole art form and was performed along other social traditions such as religious rituals, feasts and battles. Considering the clay statuettes musicians of Elam, we can guess that the music was used in religious rituals. In the first group musical performance observed in Chaghamish Stamp, all performers were Elamite female artists. There were Three kinds of Music during the Achaemenes era as festive, religious and combat music which indicates the increasing importance of music in such era and based on remaining written documents of the Achaemenes era, most of the musicians were female in that time period. Clay statuettes of musicians belonging to the Parthian period are mostly female. Most of them are harp players performing while standing. Considering the importance of music in such era and the widespread presence of women in the music, we can conclude that women had a high status in ancient Iran. Variety of music and musical instruments, in Sassanid era indicate the promotion of music and honor of musicians at that time. According to the social status of musicians and the fact that the music players used to accompany the king while traveling and hunting and musical performances in celebrations, religious ceremonies and hunting, we could realize the importance of music in such era.