Taq-e Bostan (, ) is a site with a series of large

rock relief A rock relief or rock-cut relief is a relief, relief sculpture carved on solid or "living rock" such as a cliff, rather than a detached piece of stone. They are a category of rock art, and sometimes found as part of, or in conjunction ...

s in

Kermanshah Kermanshah is a city in the Central District (Kermanshah County), Central District of Kermanshah province, Kermanshah province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. The city is from Tehran in the western pa ...

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

, carved around the 4th century CE during the Sasanian era. This example of

Sasanian art Sasanian art, or Sassanid art, was produced under the Sasanian Empire which ruled from the 3rd to 7th centuries AD, before the Muslim conquest of Persia was completed around 651. In 224 AD, the last Parthian king was defeated by Ardashir I. The r ...

is located 5 km from the city center of

. It is located in the heart of the Zagros Mountains, where it has endured almost 1,700 years of wind and rain. Originally, several natural springs were visible next to and below the reliefs and arches, some of which are now covered. Springs next to the reliefs still feed a large basin in front of the rock. The site has been turned into an archaeological park and a series of late Sasanian and Islamic column capitals have been brought together (some found at Taq Bostan, others at

Mount Behistun Mount Bisotoun (or Behistun and Bisotun) is a mountain of the Zagros Mountains range, located in Kermanshah Province, western Iran. It is located west of Tehran. Cultural history Mount Bisotoun, aka ''Bīsitūn'' (referring to the mountain a ...

and Kermanshah). The carvings, some of the finest and best-preserved examples of Persian sculpture under the Sassanids, include representations of the investitures of

Ardashir II Ardashir II (), was the Sasanian King of Kings () of Iran from 379 to 383. He was the brother of his predecessor, Shapur II (), under whom he had served as vassal king of Adiabene, where he fought alongside his brother against the Romans. Arda ...

(379–383) and

Shapur III Shahpur, Shapur, Shahpoor, or Shahapur () may refer to: People * Shapur (name), Persian given name and a list of people with the name Places India Bihar * Shahpur, Bihar, a city in Bhojpur district ** Shahpur, Bihar Assembly constit ...

(383–388). Like other Sassanid symbols, Taq-e Bostan, and its relief patterns accentuate power, religious tendencies, glory, honour, the vastness of the court, game and fighting spirit, festivity, joy, and rejoicing. Sassanid kings chose a beautiful setting for their rock reliefs along a historic

Silk Road The Silk Road was a network of Asian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over , it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between the ...

caravan route

waypoint A waypoint is a point or place on a route or line of travel, a stopping point, an intermediate point, or point at which course is changed, the first use of the term tracing to 1880. In modern terms, it most often refers to coordinates which spe ...

and campground. The reliefs are adjacent to sacred springs that empty into a large reflecting pool at the base of a mountain cliff. Taq-e Bostan and its rock relief are one of the 30 surviving Sassanid relics of the

Zagros Mountains The Zagros Mountains are a mountain range in Iran, northern Iraq, and southeastern Turkey. The mountain range has a total length of . The Zagros range begins in northwestern Iran and roughly follows Iran's western border while covering much of s ...

. According to Arthur Pope, the founder of the Iranian Art and Archeology Institute in the United States of America, "art was characteristic of the Iranian people and the gift which they endowed the world with."

Description of the rock reliefs

The Taq-e Bostan complex comprise a rock relief standing on its own and several more reliefs associated with two rock cut arches.

Investiture of Ardashir II

The relief panel is approx. 4.07 m wide and 3.9 m high.

Shapur II and Shapur III

The smaller arch or

iwan An iwan (, , also as ''ivan'' or ''ivān''/''īvān'', , ) is a rectangular hall or space, usually vaulted, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open. The formal gateway to the iwan is called , a Persian term for a portal projecting ...

(Taq-e Bustan II) has, on the upper part of the back wall, two Pahlavi inscriptions identifying two royal figures as Shapur II (Shapur the Great) and his son Shapur III. They are shown facing each other. The arch's vestibule measures 6 x 5 x 3.6 meters. It has been suggested as having been built during the reign of Shapur III and some put the date of its completion at 385 AD. However, the royal crown of Shapur III does not agree with those on his coins and is closer to that of his predecessor Ardashir II. It has been argued that the texts represent an usurpation of Ardashir's relief by Shapur III. The translation of the inscriptions follows: Shapur II inscription : :''This is the figure of

Mazda is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima (town), Fuchū, Hiroshima Prefecture, Hiroshima, Japan. The company was founded on January 30, 1920, as Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd. ...

-worshipping Lord Shapur, the king of kings of Iran and

Aniran Anērān (Middle Persian, ) or Anīrân ( Modern Persian, ) is an ethno-linguistic term that signifies "non-Iranian" or "non-Iran" (non-Aryan). Thus, in a general sense, 'Aniran' signifies lands where Iranian languages are not spoken. In a pejorati ...

, whose race is from the Gods. Son of Mazda-worshipping Lord Hormizd, the king of kings of Iran and Aniran, whose race is from the Gods, grandson of Lord Nersi, the

Shahanshah Shāh (; ) is a royal title meaning "king" in the Persian language.Yarshater, Ehsa, ''Iranian Studies'', vol. XXII, no. 1 (1989) Though chiefly associated with the List of monarchs of Iran, monarchs of Iran, it was also used to refer to the ...

(king of kings).'' Shapur III inscription: :''This is the figure of Mazda-worshipping Lord Shapur, the king of kings of Iran and Aniran, whose race is from the Gods. Son of Mazda-worshipping Lord Shapur, the king of kings of Iran and Aniran, whose race is from the Gods, grandson of Lord Hormizd, the king of kings.''

Iwan of Khosrow II

The three figures on the back wall of the large ''iwan'' are usually considered to represent

Khosrow II Khosrow II (spelled Chosroes II in classical sources; and ''Khosrau''), commonly known as Khosrow Parviz (New Persian: , "Khosrow the Victorious"), is considered to be the last great Sasanian King of Kings (Shahanshah) of Iran, ruling from 590 ...

flanked by

Ahura Mazda Ahura Mazda (; ; or , ),The former is the New Persian rendering of the Avestan form, while the latter derives from Middle Persian. also known as Horomazes (),, is the only creator deity and Sky deity, god of the sky in the ancient Iranian ...

and

Anahita Anahita is the Old Persian form of the name of an Iranian goddess and appears in complete and earlier form as ('), the Avestan name of an Indo-Iranian cosmological figure venerated as the divinity of "the Waters" ( Aban) and hence associat ...

Scene of boar and deer hunting

There are two hunting scenes on each side of the ivan.

Dowlatshah Relief

The upper relief, added in the 19th century, shows the

Qajar era The Guarded Domains of Iran, alternatively the Sublime State of Iran and commonly called Qajar Iran, Qajar Persia or the Qajar Empire, was the Iranian state under the rule of the Qajar dynasty, which was of Turkic peoples, Turkic origin,Cyrus G ...

Governor in

, Mohammad-Ali Mirza Dowlatshah, in front of

Fath-Ali Shah Qajar Fath-Ali Shah Qajar (; 5 August 1772 – 24 October 1834) was the second Shah of Qajar Iran. He reigned from 17 June 1797 until his death on 24 October 1834. His reign saw the irrevocable ceding of Iran's northern territories in the Caucasus, com ...

Taq-e Bostan Photos

Image:Sassanid-woman.png, Female musicians accompanying king during hunting Image:Capital of a Sasanian column in Taq-e Bostan complex (geomet).jpg, Capital of a Sasanian column in Taq-e Bostan complex with geometrical design Image:Capital of a Sasanian column in Taq-e Bostan complex (king).jpg, Capital of a column with figural decoration of a Sasanian king Image:Taq-e_Bostan_-_fallen_Roman.jpg, Details from a Sassanid relief on the incoronation of Ardashir showing a defeated Julian. Image:Fath Ali Shah holding court.jpg, Relief of

, added to the ancient complex in the 19th century. Image:Taq-e Bostan-Khosro Parviz.JPG, Relief of Khosrow II Image:فرشته بر روی طاق بزرگ، طاق بستان - panoramio.jpg, Relief of Elaheh (Angel) Image:Status of ardeshir.jpg, Statue of Ardeshir II File:Capital of Khusrau II.jpg, Capital of Khosrow II

References

* Dr. Ali Akbar Sarfaraz, Dr. Bahman Firuzmandi "''Mad, Hakhamanishi, Ashkani, Sasani''" Marlik, 1996. * Gardeshgary magazine Vol. 13, September 2002
Iranian Cultural News Agency (CHN)
* Bruno Overlaet, Ardashir II or Shapur III?: reflections on the identity of a king in the smaller grotto at Taq-i Bustan, IRANICA ANTIQUA 46, 2011, p. 235–25
Ardashir II or Shapur III? Reflections on the Identity of a King in the Smaller Grotto at Taq-i Bustan, Iranica Antiqua 46, 2011, 235–250
* Bruno Overlaet, Ahura Mazda or Shapur II? A Note on Taq-i Bustan I, the Investiture of Ardashir II (379–383), Iranica Antiqua 47, 2012, p. 133–151
Ahura Mazda or Shapur II? A Note on Taq-i Bustan I, the Investiture of Ardashir II (379–383), Iranica Antiqua 47, 2012, 133–151
* Bruno Overlaet, And Man Created God? Kings, Priests and Gods on Sasanian Investiture Reliefs. Iranica Antiqua 48, 2013, 313–354.
And Man Created God? Kings, Priests and Gods on Sasanian Investiture Reliefs. Iranica Antiqua 48, 2013, 313–354.

External links

Ernst Herzfeld Papers, Series 5: Drawings and Maps, Records of Taq-e Bostan Site
Collections Search Center, S.I.R.I.S., Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

Taq Bostan
(Video)
Kermanshah and Taq-e Bostan
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taq-E Bostan Buildings and structures completed in the 4th century Sasanian architecture Persian art Archaeological sites in Iran Architecture in Iran Kurdish words and phrases Tourist attractions in Kermanshah province Sculpture of the ancient Near East Buildings and structures in Kermanshah Rock reliefs in Iran Buildings and structures on the Iran National Heritage List