Naq e Rustam. Irán.
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 0.62 mi
- Elevation gain
- 102 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Easy
- Elevation loss
- 102 ft
- Max elevation
- 5,390 ft
- TrailRank
- 48
- Min elevation
- 5,286 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Time
- 37 minutes
- Coordinates
- 93
- Uploaded
- January 6, 2017
- Recorded
- January 2017
near Omīdīyeh, Fars (Iran)
Viewed 682 times, downloaded 4 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
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Interesting visit to the rock-hewn mausoleums of Naq e Rustam, belonging to the Persian empire both the Achaemenid and Sasanian periods. The site is just 12 km from the impressive Persepolis.
I copy and paste what Wikipedia says about this important enclave:
"Naqsh I-Rustam (also known as Naqš-i Rustam, in Persian mod. نقش رستم Naqš-i Rustam [næqʃe ɾostæm]) is an archaeological site located about nine kilometers northwest of Persepolis, in the province of Fars, in Iran This is a necropolis containing a group of tombs of the Achaemenid kings, some Iranian rock reliefs carved into the cliff, both from the Sasanian period and the Zoroastrian cube or Ka'ba-i-Zartosht, a religious building Very important Zoroastrian, it is a few hundred meters from Naqsh-e Rajab, which contains another added group of Sasanian reliefs.
This site is called Næqš-e Rostæm, "the portrait of Rostam", because the Persians thought that the Sasanian bas-reliefs under the tombs represented Rostam, a Persian mythological hero. There are also seven large bas-reliefs on the rock of Naqsh-e Rustam, under the tombs, sculptures commissioned by the Sassanid kings. Facing the rock is Ka'ba-i-Zartosht, a Zoroastrian monument. At the far end of the site are two small fire altars.
Naqsh I-Rustam is a rock face that has four Achaemenid rock-cut royal tombs carved with cruciforms and bas-reliefs. One of them, according to the inscriptions that it presents, is the tomb of Darío I, and the other three, on both sides of that of Darío I, are those of Xerxes I, Artaxerxes I and Darío II, although they do not have any inscription that allows identify them with certainty. On the mountain behind Persepolis there are two other similar tombs, probably belonging to Artaxerxes II and Artaxerxes III, as well as an unfinished tomb that could be that of Darius III, the last king of the Achaemenid dynasty, who was overthrown by Alexander the Great.
Darius's tomb is one of two tomb models in Persian art from the Achaemenid period and the prototype for other Achaemenid tombs. It is a rock-cut tomb like the Egyptian hypogea; the other model is that of the tomb of Cyrus, in Pasargadas.
On May 22, 1997, the "Nasqsh-e Rostam and Naqsh-e Rajab" complex was inscribed on the Tentative List of Iran —a step prior to being declared a World Heritage Site—, in the category of cultural property (ref. no. 898).
ACHEEMENID TOMBS:
Four tombs belonging to Achaemenid kings are carved into the rock face. They are at a considerable height above the ground.
The tombs are known locally as the "Persian crosses" after the shape of the tomb facades. The place is known as salīb in Arabic (صليب), perhaps a corruption of the Persian word chalīpā, "cross". The entrance to each tomb is in the center of each cross, which opens into a corridor with three chambers and in each there are three tombs. Probably, in addition to the king, his relatives were buried in the tombs. The upper part of the cross presents the king and the horizontal beam of each of the tomb facades is believed to be a replica of the entrance to the Tachara palace in Persepolis.
One of the tombs is explicitly identified by an accompanying inscription as the tomb of Darius I (r. 522-486 BC). The other three tombs are believed to be those of Xerxes I (r. 486-465 BCE), Artaxerxes I (r. 465-424 BCE) and Darius II (r. 423-404 BCE). ) respectively. A fifth, unfinished tomb, may have been that of Artaxerxes III, who reigned for at most two years, but more likely that of Darius III (r. 336-330 BC), the last of the Achaemenid kings.
The tombs were looted after the conquest of the Achaemenid Empire by Alexander the Great.
BAS-RELIEFS:
The first represents Narses (296-304), the eldest son of Shapur I, being named king by the goddess Anāhītā (Nahid in modern Persian). They say that Narsés took power after a coup, against Bahram III.
The second bas-relief is located under the lower part of the tomb of Darío I and consists of two scenes. The upper one represents Bahram II (277-293) fighting the enemy. Possibly the lower part shows Bahram III's battle against an enemy.
The third represents the conquest of Sapor I over Valerian, Roman emperor. In this bas-relief, Shapur I is seated on a horse and Valerian is arrested by Shapur I. Also, in front of Sapor is kneeling Philip the Arab, another Roman employer. Plus, in the upper right part you can visit the bas-relief of Kartir, a Zoroastrian priest.
The fourth bas-relief shows the conquest of Hormuz II, a Sasanian king.
The fifth is a sculpture that represents Sapor ll beating his enemies.
The sixth bas-relief depicts Bahram II (277-293). The king is standing and to his sides are the cuts. Unfortunately, this relief was engraved in an elimate relief, which dates back to approximately 3000 years ago.
Representation of the founder of the Sasanians, Ardashir I (226-242), this bas-relief depicts him being made king by Ahura Mazda."
I copy and paste what Wikipedia says about this important enclave:
"Naqsh I-Rustam (also known as Naqš-i Rustam, in Persian mod. نقش رستم Naqš-i Rustam [næqʃe ɾostæm]) is an archaeological site located about nine kilometers northwest of Persepolis, in the province of Fars, in Iran This is a necropolis containing a group of tombs of the Achaemenid kings, some Iranian rock reliefs carved into the cliff, both from the Sasanian period and the Zoroastrian cube or Ka'ba-i-Zartosht, a religious building Very important Zoroastrian, it is a few hundred meters from Naqsh-e Rajab, which contains another added group of Sasanian reliefs.
This site is called Næqš-e Rostæm, "the portrait of Rostam", because the Persians thought that the Sasanian bas-reliefs under the tombs represented Rostam, a Persian mythological hero. There are also seven large bas-reliefs on the rock of Naqsh-e Rustam, under the tombs, sculptures commissioned by the Sassanid kings. Facing the rock is Ka'ba-i-Zartosht, a Zoroastrian monument. At the far end of the site are two small fire altars.
Naqsh I-Rustam is a rock face that has four Achaemenid rock-cut royal tombs carved with cruciforms and bas-reliefs. One of them, according to the inscriptions that it presents, is the tomb of Darío I, and the other three, on both sides of that of Darío I, are those of Xerxes I, Artaxerxes I and Darío II, although they do not have any inscription that allows identify them with certainty. On the mountain behind Persepolis there are two other similar tombs, probably belonging to Artaxerxes II and Artaxerxes III, as well as an unfinished tomb that could be that of Darius III, the last king of the Achaemenid dynasty, who was overthrown by Alexander the Great.
Darius's tomb is one of two tomb models in Persian art from the Achaemenid period and the prototype for other Achaemenid tombs. It is a rock-cut tomb like the Egyptian hypogea; the other model is that of the tomb of Cyrus, in Pasargadas.
On May 22, 1997, the "Nasqsh-e Rostam and Naqsh-e Rajab" complex was inscribed on the Tentative List of Iran —a step prior to being declared a World Heritage Site—, in the category of cultural property (ref. no. 898).
ACHEEMENID TOMBS:
Four tombs belonging to Achaemenid kings are carved into the rock face. They are at a considerable height above the ground.
The tombs are known locally as the "Persian crosses" after the shape of the tomb facades. The place is known as salīb in Arabic (صليب), perhaps a corruption of the Persian word chalīpā, "cross". The entrance to each tomb is in the center of each cross, which opens into a corridor with three chambers and in each there are three tombs. Probably, in addition to the king, his relatives were buried in the tombs. The upper part of the cross presents the king and the horizontal beam of each of the tomb facades is believed to be a replica of the entrance to the Tachara palace in Persepolis.
One of the tombs is explicitly identified by an accompanying inscription as the tomb of Darius I (r. 522-486 BC). The other three tombs are believed to be those of Xerxes I (r. 486-465 BCE), Artaxerxes I (r. 465-424 BCE) and Darius II (r. 423-404 BCE). ) respectively. A fifth, unfinished tomb, may have been that of Artaxerxes III, who reigned for at most two years, but more likely that of Darius III (r. 336-330 BC), the last of the Achaemenid kings.
The tombs were looted after the conquest of the Achaemenid Empire by Alexander the Great.
BAS-RELIEFS:
The first represents Narses (296-304), the eldest son of Shapur I, being named king by the goddess Anāhītā (Nahid in modern Persian). They say that Narsés took power after a coup, against Bahram III.
The second bas-relief is located under the lower part of the tomb of Darío I and consists of two scenes. The upper one represents Bahram II (277-293) fighting the enemy. Possibly the lower part shows Bahram III's battle against an enemy.
The third represents the conquest of Sapor I over Valerian, Roman emperor. In this bas-relief, Shapur I is seated on a horse and Valerian is arrested by Shapur I. Also, in front of Sapor is kneeling Philip the Arab, another Roman employer. Plus, in the upper right part you can visit the bas-relief of Kartir, a Zoroastrian priest.
The fourth bas-relief shows the conquest of Hormuz II, a Sasanian king.
The fifth is a sculpture that represents Sapor ll beating his enemies.
The sixth bas-relief depicts Bahram II (277-293). The king is standing and to his sides are the cuts. Unfortunately, this relief was engraved in an elimate relief, which dates back to approximately 3000 years ago.
Representation of the founder of the Sasanians, Ardashir I (226-242), this bas-relief depicts him being made king by Ahura Mazda."
Waypoints
Archaeological site
5,318 ft
Victoria ecuestre de Shapur (Tumba de Darío II)
Victoria ecuestre de Shapur
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