---

Seals have been important as one of the archaeological findings with various motifs and functions from the past which recount different aspects of human life. The use of seals with various designs can be seen during the Achaemenid period (5th century B.C), including a number of cylindrical seals that have been obtained from Persepolis and have the themes of heroism combined with animals. Therefore, the analysis can provide important information about the cultural and artistic structure which ruled on Persepolis. In this article, an attempt is made to analyze Achaemenid seals and the reasons for their use as well as an investigation about patterns and their influence on the native Iranian art and other nations, particularly Mesopotamia. This is a descriptive-analytical research in terms of method and the data are derived from librarian sources. Therefore, the researcher will examine and categorize the designs and themes of Persepolis seals and then compare them with the art of other nations, especially the Middle East, and the conclusion is based on the analytical comparisons. The conclusion provides the information that seals with heroic themes and mythical animals of Persepolis have an extreme similarity and adaptation from Mesopotamian seals, especially Assyrian, and they have received the most influence in terms of content and structure from the Assyrian seals. However, in terms of credibility and dynamic, Persepolis seals have similarities and differences with Assyrian and other nations. While as some distinctions, the researcher must mention the special staging of the spaces on seals, which has made them unparalleled. While among indigenous peoples who lived on the plateau of Iran, these seals are more influenced by Mannaeans art than anywhere else; and even the animal themes on the seals were closer in terms of form to the motifs found in Hasanlu, Ziviyeh and Qalaiji than Assyrian.

---

“Paradise” is one of the concepts common between myths and religions. This paper uses an analytical-descriptive method to study the concept of Paradise, the origin of which is different in religions, and there is existence of commonalities of this aspect. The existing similarities and shared view of the Paradise indicate the conceptual commonality of this word in rituals. The religion of Islam uses the Paradise in the form of the word “Ferdows” and considers it as a reward for the pious and righteous. In other religions, too, the high-frequency of Paradise in religious books suggests a broader concept of it. In other words, its purpose is to be close to God and the Creator of the universe to achieve immortality. Mythical man, by imitating the gods who are immortal, wants to join eternity and open the wings to the infinite world and immortality from destruction in the immortal universe. He has tried to build a utopia on Earth and his image of the Paradise that bears a complete resemblance to the worldly Paradise. The Paradise-like cities imitated from the heavenly ones and built on Earth were analyzed in this paper. Examples of the mythical heroes of Shahnameh who tried to build Paradise on the Earth were mentioned.
 

---