In the Sasanian period (AD 224-652), the pictorial art of the ancient Near East flourished again. Sasanian sculptural art constitutes one of the high points of this genre in the ancient Near East.

With a height of about 6.7 meters and a breadth across the shoulders of more than 2 meters, the colossal statue of Shapur I (AD 240-272) is one of the most impressive and outstanding sculptural works from the Sasanian period. It stands in the so-called Cave of Shapur, a splendid limestone cave located in the south of Iran, about 6 kilometers from the ancient city of Bishapur. The colossal statue of Shapur I as well as the Cave of Shapur is insofar problematic as no references in primary or secondary sources about them exist. Up until now, this giant sculpture has rarely been mentioned in specialist literature and no scientific research has been carried out relating to it, although Europeans have known of its existence since at least 1811.

This book presents the first comprehensive research about the unique sculpture of Shapur I and the Cave of Shapur. It discusses the geographical location and the history of the discovery of the Cave of Shapur, the characteristic features of the colossal statue and the identification of the sculpture as Shapur I with the aid of the king’s crown. It also deals with the exact age determination of the giant sculpture based on special features of the hairstyle of Shapur I found on rock reliefs where he appears, and the function of the Cave of Shapur. Furthermore, through the evaluation of Sasanian rock reliefs, bas-reliefs, figural architectural decorations and toreutics, an attempt is made to ascertain which position within the context of all Sasanian sculptures the colossal statue of Shapur I holds. Finally, in the search for an answer to the question of where the origins of the sculptural achievements of the early Sasanian period lie, the pictorial art of the Parthian period is analyzed in depth.