How does it feel to actually see these tombs at
Naqsh-i
Rustam, cut out of the cliff-wall high above your head? No picture can
prepare the visitor for this unique setting. We generally know the photographs
taken under optimal conditions where every single detail is highlighted, but
standing at the foot of these high limestone cliffs featuring the tombs of four
different Persian kings is a unique experience!
I wonder what impression they must have made on
Alexander who inevitably must have
passed here on his way from Persepolis to Pasargadae as the scars in the cliffs are clearly
visible from a distance and certainly from Persepolis
The only tomb at Naqsh-i
Rustam that can be identified with certainty is the one belonging to King Darius the Great (died in 486 BC),
the first one facing the visitor upon arrival, thanks to an inscription. All
tombs look very much the same, but according to the conclusions drawn so far by
the researchers we are supposed to see the tomb relief of Artaxerxes I (died 424 BC) to Darius’
left, followed by that of Darius II;
the tomb to his right and at an angle has been attributed to Xerxes I (died in 465 BC).
It is a fact that after Cambyses II (522 BC) all Achaemenid
kings were entombed in one of the high straight cliffs in the area: four of the
kings were buried here at Naqsh-i Rustam as mentioned above,
but three found their last resting place at Persepolis, i.e. Artaxerxes II (died 359 BC), Artaxerxes III (died in 338/337 BC) and
probably Darius III (died 330 BC)
whose tomb was not completed.
The façades
of all Achaemenid tombs are very similar and are often referred to as “Persian
crosses” because they have the shape of a cross, approximately 23 meters high and 18-20 meters wide. The arms
of the cross are enhanced with half-columns and bull-head capitals imitating
those found at Persepolis
Above
these columns 28 representatives of the various satrapies are carved in relief,
set in two rows carrying the throne-bed with twisted legs and lion claws. The
king is standing on a stepped throne, wearing the tiara and dressed in the
specific kandys-robe (a three-quarter
long Persian coat). He is stretching out his right hand in a sign of respect in
front of a fire-altar, and his left hand is holding a bow resting on his foot.
In the centre above the king we recognize the Achaemenid motive of an aisled
sun-disk with a crowned half-figure, as well as a moon-symbol. On either side,
guards and courtiers are watching on.
Since the Persian palaces
were so lavished colored, I tried to find out whether these tomb-reliefs were as
well. It seems the study is still ongoing but so far the tomb of Darius the Great has revealed some
evidence. Traces of blue have been located in Darius’ beard and moustache, as well as in the cuneiform
inscriptions. The king’s hair was black and his eyes were red framed in black;
his lips and his shoes were red and on his clothes hints of various colors
have been found. Overall the colors seem to match those used at Persepolis
Naqsh-i Rustam has also a
series of seven reliefs on a lower register, i.e. below the Achaemenid reliefs.
Some five hundred years later, several Sassanid kings have carved out their
victories here to be remembered for posterity. I’ll talk about them separately
in a next blog.
All
the tombs have been looted at some time in antiquity, so all we have are these
facades telling the story of great Achaemenid and Sassanid kings.
As far as Persepolis
[Click here for more pictures of Naqsh-i Rustam]
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