Nisa, Turkmenistan
Encyclopedia
Nisa was an ancient city, located near modern-day Bagir village, 18 km northwest of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
.
Nisa is described by some as one of the first capitals of the Parthia
ns. It was traditionally founded by Arsaces I
(reigned c. 250 BC–211 BC), and was reputedly the royal necropolis
of the Parthian kings, although it has not been established that the fortress at Nisa was either a royal residence nor a mausoleum.
s, the outer rims
(coins) decorated with Iranian subjects or classical mythological scenes.
Nisa was later renamed Mithradatkirt ("fortress of Mithradates") by Mithridates I of Parthia
(reigned c. 171 BC–138 BC).
Nisa was totally destroyed by an earthquake
, which occurred during the first decade BC.
The fortress at Nisa was declared a World Heritage Site
by UNESCO
in 2007.(See List of World Heritage Sites in Turkmenistan)
1982
MASSON M.E., PUGACHENKOVA G.A., The Parthians rhytons of Nisa, Monografie di Mesopotamia (Introduction by A. Invernizzi), Firenze, Le Lettere.
1990
INVERNIZZI A., KOSHELENKO G.A., «Soviet-Italian Excavations in Old Nisa (Season 1990) », Mesopotamia, XXV, pp. 47–50.
1996
GABUTTI A., «The Italian Excavation in Old Nisa: the Northern Corner of the Round Hall Complex», Mesopotamia XXXI, pp. 161–177
INVERNIZZI A., «Archaeological research in Old Nisa 1990-1994», in La Persia e l’Asia Centrale da Alessandro al X secolo, Atti dei Convegni Lincei, 127, Roma, pp. 237–249.
1998
INVERNIZZI A., «New Archaeological Research in Old Nisa, 1990-1991», in The Art and Archaeology of Ancient Persia. New Light on the Parthian and Sasanian Empire, ed. V. Sarkhosh Curtis, R. Hillenbrand, J.M. Rogers, London-New York, 8-13.
INVERNIZZI A., «Old Nisa and the Art of the Steppes», Bulletin of the Asia Institute, 10, 33-38.
INVERNIZZI A., «Parthian Nisa. New Lines of Research», in J. Wiesehöfer (ed.), Das Partherreich und seine Zeugnisse, Beiträge des internationalen Colloquiums - Eutin, 1996, (Historia Einzelschriften, 122), Stuttgart, 45-59.
2000
INVERNIZZI A., «The Square House at Old Nisa», Parthica 2, pp. 13–53
2001
INVERNIZZI A., «Arsacid Dynastic Art», Parthica 3, pp. 133–157.
INVERNIZZI A., «Arsacid Palaces», in The Royal Palace Institution in the 1st Millennium BC (Ed. I. Nielsen), Athens, pp. 295–312.
LIPPOLIS C., book review of V.N. PILIPKO, Staraja Nisa. Zdanie s Kvadratnym Zalom, Moskva, 1996, su Parthica, 3, 2001, pp. 221–234.
2002
KOSHELENKO G, LAPCHIN A., «Ricerche nel complesso del Tempio Rotondo a Nisa Vecchia», Parthica 4, pp. 9–45.
2003
LIPPOLIS C., «Novije Issledovanija Staroj Nisji», Kulturnye Ziennosti 2000-2001, Ashkhabad.
LIPPOLIS C., «Nisa-Mithradatkert: the building to the north of the Round Hall. Preliminary Report of the 2000-2001 excavations campaign», Central Asia Cultural Values, vol. I, n. 2, June 2003, p. 1-17.
LIPPOLIS C., book review of PILIPKO V.N., Staraja Nisa – Osnovnye itogi arheologicheskogo izuchenija v sovetskij period, su Parthica 5, 2003, p. 3-13.
2004
INVERNIZZI A., «The culture of Nisa, between steppe and empire», After Alexander-Central Asia before Islam. Themes in the history and archaeology of Western Central Asia, British Academy Conference, 23–25 June 2004.
INVERNIZZI A., «Thoughts on Parthian Nisa», in Parthica 6, pp. 133–143.
2005
INVERNIZZI A., «Representations of Gods in Parthian Nisa», Parthica 7 (2005), pp. 71–80.
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
.
Nisa is described by some as one of the first capitals of the Parthia
Parthia
Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
ns. It was traditionally founded by Arsaces I
Arsaces I of Parthia
Arsaces I was the founder of the Arsacid dynasty, and after whom all 30+ monarchs of the Arsacid empire officially named themselves. A celebrated descent from antiquity begins with Arsaces.A 1st century AD tradition casts Arsaces as descending from the 5th-century BC Achaemenid monarch...
(reigned c. 250 BC–211 BC), and was reputedly the royal necropolis
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
of the Parthian kings, although it has not been established that the fortress at Nisa was either a royal residence nor a mausoleum.
Excavations
Excavations at Nisa have revealed substantial buildings, mausoleums and shrines, many inscribed documents, and a looted treasury. Many Hellenistic art works have been uncovered, as well as a large number of ivory rhytonRhyton
A rhyton is a container from which fluids were intended to be drunk, or else poured in some ceremony such as libation. Rhytons were very common in ancient Persia, where they were called takuk...
s, the outer rims
Rim (coin)
The rim of a coin is the sharp circular edge which surrounds the coin design.This is the part which exceeds the area of the die which strikes the coin during production, and as a result is pushed upward and sharpened to form a sort of border around the coin's design...
(coins) decorated with Iranian subjects or classical mythological scenes.
Nisa was later renamed Mithradatkirt ("fortress of Mithradates") by Mithridates I of Parthia
Mithridates I of Parthia
Mithridates or Mithradates I was the "Great King" of Parthia from ca. 171 BC - 138 BC, succeeding his brother Phraates I. His father was King Phriapatius of Parthia, who died ca. 176 BC). Mithridates I made Parthia into a major political power by expanding the empire to the east, south, and west...
(reigned c. 171 BC–138 BC).
Nisa was totally destroyed by an earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
, which occurred during the first decade BC.
The fortress at Nisa was declared a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in 2007.(See List of World Heritage Sites in Turkmenistan)
Selected bibliography
Sorted by year then author:1982
MASSON M.E., PUGACHENKOVA G.A., The Parthians rhytons of Nisa, Monografie di Mesopotamia (Introduction by A. Invernizzi), Firenze, Le Lettere.
1990
INVERNIZZI A., KOSHELENKO G.A., «Soviet-Italian Excavations in Old Nisa (Season 1990) », Mesopotamia, XXV, pp. 47–50.
1996
GABUTTI A., «The Italian Excavation in Old Nisa: the Northern Corner of the Round Hall Complex», Mesopotamia XXXI, pp. 161–177
INVERNIZZI A., «Archaeological research in Old Nisa 1990-1994», in La Persia e l’Asia Centrale da Alessandro al X secolo, Atti dei Convegni Lincei, 127, Roma, pp. 237–249.
1998
INVERNIZZI A., «New Archaeological Research in Old Nisa, 1990-1991», in The Art and Archaeology of Ancient Persia. New Light on the Parthian and Sasanian Empire, ed. V. Sarkhosh Curtis, R. Hillenbrand, J.M. Rogers, London-New York, 8-13.
INVERNIZZI A., «Old Nisa and the Art of the Steppes», Bulletin of the Asia Institute, 10, 33-38.
INVERNIZZI A., «Parthian Nisa. New Lines of Research», in J. Wiesehöfer (ed.), Das Partherreich und seine Zeugnisse, Beiträge des internationalen Colloquiums - Eutin, 1996, (Historia Einzelschriften, 122), Stuttgart, 45-59.
2000
INVERNIZZI A., «The Square House at Old Nisa», Parthica 2, pp. 13–53
2001
INVERNIZZI A., «Arsacid Dynastic Art», Parthica 3, pp. 133–157.
INVERNIZZI A., «Arsacid Palaces», in The Royal Palace Institution in the 1st Millennium BC (Ed. I. Nielsen), Athens, pp. 295–312.
LIPPOLIS C., book review of V.N. PILIPKO, Staraja Nisa. Zdanie s Kvadratnym Zalom, Moskva, 1996, su Parthica, 3, 2001, pp. 221–234.
2002
KOSHELENKO G, LAPCHIN A., «Ricerche nel complesso del Tempio Rotondo a Nisa Vecchia», Parthica 4, pp. 9–45.
2003
LIPPOLIS C., «Novije Issledovanija Staroj Nisji», Kulturnye Ziennosti 2000-2001, Ashkhabad.
LIPPOLIS C., «Nisa-Mithradatkert: the building to the north of the Round Hall. Preliminary Report of the 2000-2001 excavations campaign», Central Asia Cultural Values, vol. I, n. 2, June 2003, p. 1-17.
LIPPOLIS C., book review of PILIPKO V.N., Staraja Nisa – Osnovnye itogi arheologicheskogo izuchenija v sovetskij period, su Parthica 5, 2003, p. 3-13.
2004
INVERNIZZI A., «The culture of Nisa, between steppe and empire», After Alexander-Central Asia before Islam. Themes in the history and archaeology of Western Central Asia, British Academy Conference, 23–25 June 2004.
INVERNIZZI A., «Thoughts on Parthian Nisa», in Parthica 6, pp. 133–143.
2005
INVERNIZZI A., «Representations of Gods in Parthian Nisa», Parthica 7 (2005), pp. 71–80.
External links
- Annotated Parthia Bibliography.
- Archaeological Missions in Nisa
- Nissa Fortress, Ayan Tourism & Travel Company
- Historical site Nisa, State Committee of Turkmenistan for Tourism and Sport.