Address
Naqsh-e Rustam
Takht-e-jamshid
Iran
Description
Naqsh-e Rustam literally means 'Picture of Rustam' and is named for the carved figures on the cliff face which were believed to be of the ancient Per
[more]Naqsh-e Rustam literally means 'Picture of Rustam' and is named for the carved figures on the cliff face which were believed to be of the ancient Persian hero, Rustam. This archaeological site is just 3 km from the ancient city of Persepolis (which is located at the village Takht-e-jamshid). There is no village or town in the direct vicinity of the site, but it does lie just off a major highway on the route between Shiraz and Isfahan.
The site is important for several reasons. Firstly it is a necropolis - or city of the dead - where seven of the ancient Achaemenid kings are buried, including the founders of the great Persian Empire of the first millennium BC - Darius the Great, Xerxes, Artaxerxes and Darius the second. These kings were Zoroastrians and as such their bodies could not be buried (or they contaminate the earth) or burnt (contaminating the sacred fire). Hence their subjects carved tombs into the rock cliff face and incarcerated the bodies high up above the ground. Visitors can also see a series of carved figures in the rock face. The entrance fee is 5000 rials (approx 50 euro cents) and the site is open from 8 am to 5 pm daily. There are few facilities available at the site (so bring your own food and drink) and the site is very exposed, so be sure to take hats and sun protection.
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