Introduction to Naghsh-e Rostam in IRAN
Naghsh-e Rostam is one of the most important and beautiful ancient monuments, which is located about 5 km from Persepolis, in Hajiabad Mountain.
The tombs of several Achaemenid kings, including Darius the Great and Xerxes, highlight the important events of the Sassanid era, including the coronation of Ardeshir Babakan and the victory of Shapur I over the Roman emperors, the Zoroastrian Kaaba and the ruined reliefs of the Elamites.
The tomb of the four Achaemenid kings is located in Naqsh-e Rostam. All four tombs are cross-shaped and are located in the heart of the mountain at a considerable height above ground level.
In Naghsh-e Rostam, there are works of 3 ancient periods:
Elamite period works from 600 to 2000 BC
Achaemenid artifacts from 600 to 330 BC
Sassanid period works from 224 to 651 AD
There is a prominent role in the role of Rostam from the Elamite period, on which another role of the Sassanid Bahram II was engraved during the Sassanid period. This faded role consists of two goddesses sitting on snakes and wearing pleated robes. In the role of Rostam, the tombs and temple of Anahita from the Achaemenid period are left.
Of the four tombs available, only the tomb of Darius I has an inscription. In the upper branch of the tomb, Darius, standing in a Persian dress and bow, stands on a platform with three steps and is performing the ceremony. The image of Forouhar or Ahura Mazda is placed on top of his head and in front of him, and Darius holds his hand as a sign of respect for this image.
The tomb of Xerxes is located on the right side of the tomb of Darius I, and apart from the lack of inscriptions and some minor differences in reliefs, it is quite similar to that tomb. Of these four tombs, the tomb of Xerxes is the best preserved.
The tomb of Ardeshir I is located on the left side of the tomb of Darius I. The tomb of Darius II of the West is the most Achaemenid tomb of Naqsh-e Rostam.
The entrance to the tombs is square. These doors were locked in ancient times. To do this, two large pieces of stone were placed behind them and sealed.
The shape of the tombs is similar. The only difference is the tomb of Darius the Great in its cuneiform inscriptions. In this inscription, Darius praises Ahuramazda and enumerates his conquests and speaks of his thoughts.
The corridor inside Dariush Kabir's tomb is 18.72 meters long and 3.70 meters wide. There are 9 stone coffins in this tomb, which are dug in a row in the stone and belong to Darius the Great, the Queen and his other relatives.
The length, depth and width of these coffins are 2.10 × 0.05 10 1.05 m and the thickness (stone) of each is 17.5 cm. The cover of each coffin is made of a large piece of stone.
Zartosht Kaaba:
The Kaaba of Zoroaster is the name of a rectangular cube with a special architecture in Naqsh-e Rostam, which has been mistakenly called the Kaaba of Zoroaster since the Arab invasion of Iran.
They called the building the Kaaba of the Zoroastrians because they thought that any religion should have a shrine or a center for itself.
This building was built during the Achaemenid period and probably during the reign of Darius the Great.
Zarathustra's Kaaba has an entrance above ground level and a surviving staircase to access its only entrance.
Until 1316, the lower third of the building was buried in the ground. It was only this year, with the start of archeological excavations, that it became clear that the building had a platform on three sides (except the entrance).
At the entrance, the place where the heel of the heel rotates is heavy and thick, indicating that the door is closed. The building is made entirely of white and black limestone.
Regarding the use of this building, it has been suggested that the place where the Avesta book and government documents are kept should be the location of the court treasury, the fire temple, the temple or the unknown.
Some historians have noted that the Avesta, written on 12,000 cowhides, was kept in this room. Another group believes that the room was the tomb of Cyrus, the son of Cyrus, who was killed by his brother Cambyses.
Others believe the sacred fire was kept in the room, while others say it was an observatory. During the Sassanid era, very important government documents were kept in this room.
Inscriptions and reliefs:
The Sassanid inscription is engraved in 3 Middle Persian languages (Sassanid Pahlavi), Parthian and Greek Pahlavi around this Achaemenid building.
The main discussion of these inscriptions is the historical events of the first Shapur period during the Iran-Rome war, in which the Roman emperor Valerian was defeated and imprisoned in Bishabour in 262 AD.
Another inscription under the inscription of Shapur I, in the Parthian Pahlavi language and 19 lines, has been engraved by the order of Cartier the Priest. While introducing himself and his titles, Cartier described the services he rendered to the religion of Zarathustra and spoke of his attainment of the position of Grand Priest and Judge of the whole country and of the Anahita Temple.
Opposite Naghsh-e Rostam, in front of the entrance stairs, there is a part that was carved during the Sassanid period, but no designs have been engraved on it. The length of this place is 10 meters and its height is 5 meters and it is carved about 2 meters above the current level.
The depth of this space is more than other Sassanid monuments and there is no doubt that more protection of this project has been considered. In part of this space, a 20-line inscription is engraved, which shows the owner of the agricultural lands around Naqsh-e Rostam and how the water is divided. This inscription is in Persian language and is very new and has no historical value.
In the eastern corner of the compound, there is a role at a height of 2 meters above the ground. According to its inscriptions, which are in three languages: Middle Qars, Parthian and Greek, this role shows the scene in which Ardeshir Babakan (right) receives the royal ring from Ahuramazda (left).
Both the king and Ahuramazda are riding a horse, and one person has fallen under the horse's feet. The person under Ardeshir's horse must be Ardavan (the last Parthian king) and the other is the devil.
On the west side, the second role is Narsi's coronation. In this role, Narsi receives the power ring from Anahita (one of the gods).
Behind the king, the prime minister stands and holds the index finger of his right hand, as was the custom at the time, in honor of the king. Anahita is carved in the form of a woman on the right, wearing a long dress with a belt and a pearl necklace.
