Historical Museum of Miandoab

Historical Museum of Miandoab was opened in 1346 SH in Miandoab, Imam Khoemini street, inside Moallm Park. The city of Miandoab is located in West Azerbaijan province, in the south of Lake Urmia, between two rivers of Zarrineh and Simineh and that is why its name is Miandoab means between two water(s) (rivers). Many ancient materials have been discovered around this city indicating the long history of human settlement in the region. Some of the materials discovered in the region are kept in the Museum of Miandoab.

The number of objects in this museum is more than 270 items related to a time span between the fifth millennium BC and the contemporary era. The museum has eight parts including (1) pre-historic bronze objects; (2) Islamic potteries and bronzes; (3) coins; (4) discovered bronze and pottery objects from Lorestan province; (5) decorative arts; (6) national arts; (7) ethnography; (8) stone and glass materials. Rhytons are among the most highlighted objects in this museum. They were used in Iran from the fourth millennium BC. Using these kinds of drinking wares was highly common in ancient Iran and we can see traces of them until the late of Sassanid empire. It seems using ornamented and beautiful wares for drinking in religious ceremonies was paid much attention in that period of time.

The main method of making rhyton was assimilating the shape of animals in its composition. Investigating the whole collection of animals used in making this kind of wares shows the importance of the religious and mythical beliefs in choosing them. It is probably a belief in transferring the power of animal to human through the liquid inside the ware that made them various and abundant. Using these wares was an accepted issue among people because we can recognize different artistic styles in making them. They are various, made of different materials like metal or clay. The rhytons of Miandoab Museum are fallen into the category of jug-like rhytons; They are highly simple made of clay. Details of animals have not been exactly depicted and it makes difficult recognizing the animal. The animals used are cow, goat, horse and ant eater.