Naqsh-e Rustam
29.98888888888952.874722222222Koordinaten: 29 ° 59 ' 20 " N, 52 ° 52' 29" O
Naqsch -e Rostam (Persian نقش رستم, DMG representation of Rostam ) rarely (Persian تخته رستم, DMG board of Rostam ) is an archaeological site in the Iranian province of Fars, six kilometers north of Persepolis in Shiraz. There are four graves Achaemenid Great Kings and a number of Sasanian rock reliefs. Before researchers of the 19th century saw the meaning of the reliefs and also deciphered the inscriptions, one was in Persia generally believe if it were scenes from the life of their national hero Rostam, upon which the name of the place is due ultimately.
Graves as pictures or representations as tombs
On a steep rock wall that forms the boundary of a plateau, was the Persian king Darius I a rock grave chiseled into the stone. The cruciform shape of the tomb dates back to older models. A relief above the entrance shows how the god Ahura Mazda the Great King handed over the ring of power. The king stands on a platform, which is supported by representatives of 28 nations of the Persian Empire. Inscriptions are located next to the depicted persons. These inscriptions were, as a recently presented study proves originally painted in color. Ernst Herzfeld has clapped the inscriptions in 1923. These negatives are now in the archives of the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, in Washington, DC.
The middle part is interpreted as a reproduction of the facade of the royal palace at Persepolis. The entrance to the grave chamber is supported by four columns, two on each side, lined. An inscription in Persian, Elamite and Babylonian reports about the reign of Darius, and is also regarded as a testament of the Great King and handed down its ruling ideology. The bottom of the grave facade is ground, but free of other processing. The grave has three main chambers, in which there are three sarcophagi, which were cut out of the rock. The lids are only preserved in fragments. At the grave of Darius also a native of the late Achaemenid or early Hellenistic period Aramaic inscription was found, but due to their strong weathering can no longer be deciphered.
Darius ' successor, Xerxes I, Artaxerxes I and Darius II left in this rock wall also build tombs, most of which are exact copies of the tomb of Darius I, but each with a different number of grave chambers and sarcophagi contained therein. Also located on Xerxes ' grave no inscription.
. The successor of Darius II, Artaxerxes II and Artaxerxes III left, build tombs of the same kind at Persepolis; a third, unfinished grave is also available, as the owner is often Darius III. called, however, this is controversial in the research.
Rock reliefs
A Sassanid inscription found at Persepolis proves that the knowledge of the Achaemenid ( Persian blood and which had immigrated from Fars were ) at the time of Sassanid Persia had gone lost. Nevertheless, the Sassanian kings was known that there had once been a great and mighty Persian Empire. So also the tombs of Naqsh -e Rostam were known, and were regarded by the Sassanids with respect. Presumably, in order to legitimize their rule, were several Sassanid kings on the rock wall reliefs carved on eight large and specifically where the Achämenidengräber lie. Some reliefs are even directly beneath them.
The first king, who was immortalized here was Ardashir I, the first Sassanian. He takes over the image shown on the tombs, as it is presented by Ahuramazda, the ring of power. However, here both are shown on horseback, and Ahuramazda is contrary to the Achaemenid representation, where he hovers above the king, with Ardashir at eye level and was depicted as a human being. Among the horses are two bodies: one, under Ardashir, who defeated Parthian king Artabanus IV is, the other is Ahriman, the diabolic opponent of Ahuramazda. On the horses, there is a written in Middle Persian, Parthian and Greek inscription, which explains the scene. An almost identical relief was Ardaschirs son Shapur I. commission in Naqsch -e Rajab.
Ardaschirs son and successor Shapur I had to install a relief that defeated him triumphant over the two and with respect to the zweiteren abducted Roman Emperors Philip the Arab and Valerian shows Philip and Valerian kneeling with raised arms; just as he had to celebrate his military successes of a trilingual inscription on the Ka'ba -ye Zarthouscht install ( so-called res gestae divi Saporis in Greek, Middle Persian and Parthian ).
Another relief shows a Hormizd as I identified king who defeated an enemy in battle. Bahram II had two reliefs fit, one on top of his predecessor Bahram I. and one that was affiliated to a much older, probably elamisches relief. It shows Bahram II with his family and members of the Hofstabes. The Elamite relief probably shows a royal or divine figure. The second relief of Bahram shows how his predecessor, the king on horseback, as he defeated a not clearly identified enemy. A label 290 portrait shows Kartir, the then chief priests ( Mobad ) of the Sassanid Empire. The inscription describes his next career.
The last relief shows Hormizd II fighting a mounted opponent, however, is no longer identifiable due to the strong weathering.
Ka ʿ -ye be Zartuscht
In Naqsch -e Rostam is also home to a nearly twelve -meter-high tower, the Ka ʿ -ye be Zartuscht, "Ka ʿ ba ( cube) Zarathustra " is called. Presumably he was already under Darius I and the similar, but heavily damaged Zendan -e Soleyman ( " Prison of Solomon " ) modeled in Pasargadae. The purpose of this construction is unknown, but there are suspicions that it is a fire temple or another king tomb, with the former version is doubted because of a lack of chimney. At the time of the Sassanids, it may have been used as a repository for the writings of the Avesta. Sassanid manuscripts on the outer walls bear witness to the power struggle between Sassanids and Romans. According to Joseph von Hammer- Purgstall, this was where the third and after a few second of five and seven known fire temples of the ancient world: