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The large Choghazanbil temple is one of the three ancient monuments in Iran which have been registered in the Index of World Heritage. The Elamites built this temple approximately 1250 B.C. and it resembles the architecture employed in the Egyptian pyramids and Mayan temples. The king, his queen and the crown prince accompanied by his courtiers approach ziggurat mounted on royal chariots. While a large congregation of common people are watching the procession, they disembark from their chariots and enter the ziggurat precincts from the royal gate. Inside the ziggurat Shaten, the chief priest pours water on the king's hands by a pitcher. The ceremony commences with the musicians playing religious melodies by harp, lute and flute. The animals chosen for sacrifice are killed in 14 platforms built like short headless pyramids beside the temple of In-Shushinak. Then the king and his companions ascend to the second floor of the building by stairs. Here the king pours a special syrup on the altar for the intended god and accompanied by the chief priest and a small number of his attendants he ascends to the third floor. In the third floor some of his attendants remain and only the chief priest and his close associates ascend to the fourth floor. In this flour the close associates remain and the king, accompanied only by the chief priest, ascends the main temple of the ziggurat in the fifth floor. The Choghazanbil ziggurat (building by Dur-Untash) is the only surviving ziggurat in Iran and is one of the most important remnants of the Elamite civilization. The Elamite citizens were a nation who lived in Iran about 2500 years B.C. and succeeded to announce their existence at Awan (now called Shoushtar, a town in Khouzestan Province). According to the chronicles of the Old Testament, an ancient king named Kedor Laomer in Elam succeeded to extend his domain as far as Palestine (Genesis, Chapter 14). The significance of the scientific and cultural achievements of Elamites and their influence on other civilizations can be better understood when we learn that the first wheeled pitcher (the first wheeled roller) was apparently invented by human beings at Elam. On the other hand the first arched roof and its covering which is a very important technique in architecture was invented by the Elamite and used in the mausoleum of Tepti-ahar around 1360 B.C. (unearthed in the excavations made at Haft Tappeh) nearly 1,500 years before such arches were used by the Romans.

Geographical Situation

Choghazanbil is located in Khouzestan Province 30 km southwest of Shusha (Susa), the famous capital of Elam at a close distance from Dez river which is one of the branches of the large Karun river. This temple and the town bearing the same name has been built on a natural earth mound because of overlooking at the adjacent plains. When the sky was clear the two important Elamite cities i.e. Shusha and Shoushtar (Âwân) were visible from that elevation. Since long time ago because of flowing of branches of Dez and Karun rivers and the region's proximity to Shusa and trade routes and to Mesopotamia, that region had gained special significance. King Untash-Gal diverted the Karkheh river water through a canal to Choghazanbil which canal still survives.

Similarity

The old and original name of this town and its ziggurat was called Dur-Untash which according to the inscriptions discovered at the foundations of the ruined building in that town derived its name from Untash-Gal, the Elamite king (1275-1240 B.C.) who was the founder of that town. This name has been repeatedly mentioned in Elamite and Assyrian inscriptions. The word `Dur' in the Akkadian and Elamite languages means a town or an enclosed and distinct region. Ziggurat in Sumerian language means ascending to heaven and has its root in the Elamite word Zagratu. Anyhow, the highest story of the ziggurat temple was called Kukunnu or Kizzum which at times that nomination was ascribed to all the stories of that temple. But nowadays the temple is called Choghazanbil which means a hill-like basket (Zanbil), because in the Dezfouli or Lori dialect Chogha means a hill.

History of Investigation and Excavations

 Based on a contract signed with Nassereddin Shah, the Qajar king, with France, a French archaeologist team was sent to Khouzestan in the year 1895. But this team had based its headquarters in Shusa. However, in 1935, Brown, a New Zealand citizen who was seeking for traces of oil, while flying over that region was surprised to spot a huge earthen pile. In the same period, one of the geologists of the oil company had discovered an inscribed brick which referred to Choghazanbil and took it to the French archaeological team in Shusha. Thus the Iranian government permitted R. de Mecquenem, the representative of Louvre Museum in Paris and head of the French archaeological team in Shusa, to excavate the Choghazanbil area for a period of 5 years. De Mecquenem started his investigation and identification in the years 1936 to 1939, but the main excavation was commenced by R. Ghirshman in the year 1951. Until 1962 Ghirshman succeeded to perform nine stages of consecutive excavations with 150 workers and in a period of 34 months he removed 200 thousand sq. meters of earth from the site by wagons and rail and succeeded to unearth the ziggurat from the depth of the earth.

Town and its Temple

According to the records found during the archeological excavations, this region was populated from Shusha-A era upward (around 3800 B.C.) but it was only during the reign of Untash-Gal (1275-1240 B.C.) that construction work began in the area and Choghazanbil became famous. Untash-Gal had built a town with a circular wall fortification and in the center of the town he had raised the multistory temple and ziggurat now known as Choghazanbil ziggurat. In a tablet left by that Elamite king which explaining his object in building the town and the ziggurat, Untash-Gal says: "I have built this Kukunnu, made of enameled brick silver and gold colors and marble and white obsidian stones, and have dedicated it to Humban and In-Shushinak gods." Based on surviving records, the money for construction of that town and temple was not procured from military victories and plunder or from collection of tributes and taxes but through trade with other regions. It was thus that Choghazanbil became the religious capital of that time and the main residence of Untash-Gal. The outer fortification of the town is a circular rampart 1300 m in length and 900 m in width which forms the defense wall of the town. This fortification had only one gate at the eastern wing. Inside that fortification there was a second fortification which was nearly square each wing varying between 400 to 450 m in length and was called Temenous or the sacred city. In between these two fortifications and at the eastern wing the king's palace was located. The second square fortification exactly faced north, south, east and west and this shows the careful architecture used by the Elamite architects to make best use of sunshine in the winter season and profit from the local winds and shadow in summer. Inside the second fortification a third circular fence 200 m in length and 160 m in width was built. The diameter of the fence was 3 m wide and 1 m high and it was designed to stop water from penetrating into the ziggurat. Each wing of the main ziggurat which was a regular square was built inside the third fortification and was 102.2 m in length. The wings faced exactly towards north, south, east and west.

The Original Ziggurat Building

Originally a large square temple had been built at the present location of the ziggurat made of unbaked brick. The length of each wing of the original temple was about 100 m. That temple was a single story building and gates installed at each wing. The gates opened to a central court which was built on a lower elevation. The court must have been a place of religious rites performed in open air. From the court one door led to the left Shabestan (a place of prayer and nocturnal stay) which was called Siyan in the Elamite tongue. This Shabestan was reserved only for prominent dignitaries including the royal family and priests. From the center of the court a door opened to the right Shabestan which was designed for the common people. Ontash-Gal decided to convert the single story square temple into a multistory ziggurat. For this reason he assigned a vast number of laborers, ass drivers, brick makers, masons and tile makers as well as irrigation specialists and architects along with many scribes to build the ziggurat. The scribes were instructed to inscribe his intended texts on the tiles used in the ziggurat. The water and earth needed for preparation of unbaked brick was provided from the site, but the workers needed wood to bake the bricks and since little wood was available in the area, groups of laborers were dispatched to Lorestan mountains to fetch the needed wood. The stories of the tower are not based on horizontal design where columns are mounted on each other. On the contrary the building was built on a vertical design i.e. to say each of the walls of the stories was raised from the ground. In fact each story was built inside another story and the collection of the stories formed a giant telescope. In order to convert the temple into ziggurat, first square columns with 35 x 35 m dimensions and 40 m height were built in the center of the court by unbaked bricks which in fact formed the foundation of the temple that stood on top of the ziggurat at the fifth floor. After that three other circles i.e. the fourth, third and second floors were raised around the foundation all rising from the ground floor in the court. Then the masons coated inside of the rooms in the court with unbaked and baked bricks and thus the first story of the ziggurat was completed. This method of architecture i.e. construction of a religious building at the top of a platform was favored by the residents of Mesopotamia since the Ubaid period about 3500 years before the birth of Christ. But the first ziggurat was constructed during the reign of Ur-Nammu who founded the third Ur Dynasty in Sumer around 2100 B.C. Herodotus, the Greek historiographer, who visited Babylon in the year 460 B.C., thus describes its ziggurat. "It is a tower on the other side of which another tower rises, then the third and fourth and continues to eight towers. Access to these stories is made by spiral stairs dug around the tower. The temple sits at the highest platform of the tower and inside the temple a large golden bed and table is placed. During the night, no one is allowed to sleep in that temple except a maid chosen by God. Nowadays only the first and second stories have remained intact and a part of the third story of the building and the height of the building is approximately 25 m. But studies have revealed that the original ziggurat was in 5 stories with approximately 52.6 m height. The first floor was 8 m high, the second, third and firth were 11.6 m high and the fifth floor was 9.8 m high. The building material was composed of unbaked bricks with a layer of tiles. The dimension of the unbaked bricks was 10 x 40 x 40 cm and that of the baked bricks was 10 x 35 x 35

Source: http://www.cais-soas.com/CAIS/Archaeology/Elamaite/choghazanbil.htm

     

Haft-Sin

A major part of the New Year rituals is setting a special table with seven specific items present, Haft Sin . In the ancient times each of the items corresponded to one of the seven creations and the seven holy immortals protecting them. Today they are changed and modified but some have kept their symbolism. All the seven items start with the letter "S".

Wheat or lentil representing new growth is grown in a flat dish a few days before the New Year and is called "Sabze" (meaning green shoots). Decorated with colorful ribbons it is kept till the last day and will be disposed off on "Sizdeh be dar", the 13th day while outdoors. A few live gold fish (the most easily obtainable animal) are placed in a fish bowl. In the old days they would be returned to the riverbanks, but today most people will keep them till they die. Mirrors are placed on the spread with lit candles as a symbol of fire. Zoroastrians today place the lit candle in front of the mirror to increase the reflection of the light. Mirrors were significant items in Zoroastrian symbolism art and architecture, and still are an integral part of most Iranian celebrations including marriage ceremony. They are used extensively in Iranian mystical literature as well and represent self-reflection. All Iranian burial shrines are still extensively decorated with mirrors, a popular decorative style of the ancient times. Light is regarded as sacred by the Zoroastrians and the use of mirrors multiplies the reflection of the light.
Egg a universal symbol of fertility corresponding to the mother earth, Sepanta Armaiti is still present. The eggs are hard-boiled and traditionally are colored in red, green or yellow, colors favored by Zoroastrians. Recently following the Easter Egg tradition, any color is used and they are elaborately decorated. The eggs are offered to children as treats.
However the ancient Iranians would grow seven different herbs for the New Year and garlic might have been one of those. Samano a thick brownish paste is present today. It is a nutritious meal and could have been part of the feasts. It is also possible that it has replaced Haoma. This is a scared herbal mix known for its healing properties. It was a major cult on its own with many rituals and ceremonies. The cult is still performed by the Zoroastrians today, but is abandoned by the rest of the Iranians. Coins symbolizing wealth and prosperity, fruits and special sweets and baked goods are present as well.
A few days prior to the New Year, a special cover is spread on to the Persian carpet or on a table in every Persian household. This ceremonial table is called cloth of seven dishes, (each one beginning with the Persian letter cinn). The number seven has been sacred in Iran since the ancient times, and the seven dishes stand for the seven angelic heralds of life-rebirth, health, happiness, prosperity, joy, patience, and beauty.

The symbolic dishes consist of:

1. Sabzeh or sprouts, usually wheat or lentil representing rebirth.

2. Samanu is a pudding in which common wheat sprouts are transformed and given new life as a sweet, creamy pudding and represents the ultimate sophistication of Persian cooking.

3. Seeb means apple and represents health and beauty.

4. Senjed the sweet, dry fruit of the Lotus tree, represents love. It has been said that when lotus tree is in full bloom, its fragrance and its fruit make people fall in love and become oblivious to all else.

5. Seer which is garlic in Persian, represents medicine.

6. Somaq sumac berries, represent the color of sunrise; with the appearance of the sun Good conquers Evil.

7. Serkeh or vinegar, represents age and patience.

 

Cyrus Cylinder,
The First Charter of Human Rights

 he charter of Cyrus the Great, a baked-clay Aryan language (Old Persian) cuneiform cylinder, was discovered in 1878 in excavation of the site of Babylon. In it, Cyrus the Great described his human treatment of the inhabitants of Babylonia after its conquest by the Iranians.

The document has been hailed as the first charter of human rights, and in 1971 the United Nations was published translation of it in all the official U.N. languages. "May Ahura Mazda protect this land, this nation, from rancor, from foes, from falsehood, and from drought". Selected from the book "The Eternal Land".

This is a confirmation that the Charter of freedom of Humankind issued by Cyrus the Great on his coronation day in Babylon could be considered superior to the Human Rights Manifesto issued by the French revolutionaries in their first national assembly. The Human Rights Manifesto looks very interesting in its kind regarding the expressions and composition, but the Charter of Freedom issued twenty three centuries before that by the Iranian monarch sounds more spiritual.

Comparing the Human Rights Manifesto of the French National Assembly and the Charter approved by the United Nations with the Charter of Freedom of Cyrus, the latter appears more valuable considering its age, explicitness, and rejection of the superstitions of the ancient world.

Cyrus the Great entered the city of Babylon in 539 BCE, and after the winter, on the first day of spring, he was officially crowned:

My numerous troops moved about undisturbed in the midst of Babylon. I did not allow anyone to terrorise the land of Sumer and Akkad. I kept in view the needs of Babylon and all its sanctuaries to promote their well being. The citizens of Babylon ................. I lifted their unbecoming yoke. Their dilapidated dwellings I restored. I put an end to their misfortunes.

The description of the coronation of Cyrus is the most elaborate one in the world written by the Greek philosopher, politician, and historian Xenephon (Cyropaedia of Xenophon, The Life of Cyrus The Great).

On the day of coronation, Cyrus read the Charter of Freedom out after he put on the crown with his hand in Marduk Temple.

Uncertain and the full text of the Charter was unavailable until an inscription was foundering the excavation works in the old city of Ur in Mesopotamia. After the translation of the words, it was found out that the document was the same Charter. It is now kept in the British Museum and it is no exaggeration to say that it is one of the most precious historical records of the world.

In the Charter, after introducing himself and mentioning the names of his father, first, second, and third ancestors, Cyrus says that he is the monarch of Iran, Babylon, and the four continents:

I am Kourosh (Cyrus), King of the world, great king, mighty king, king of Babylon, king of the land of Sumer and Akkad, king of the four quarters, son of Camboujiyah (Cambyases), great king, king of Ansh⮬ grandson of Kourosh (Cyrus), great king, king of Ansh⮬ descendant of Chaish-Pesh (Teispes), great king, king of Ansh⮬ progeny of an unending royal line, whose rule Bel and Nabu cherish, whose kingship they desire for their hearts, pleasure. When I well -disposed, entered Babylon, I set up a seat of domination in the royal palace amidst jubilation and rejoicing. Marduk the great god, caused the big-hearted inhabitations of Babylon to .................. me, I sought daily to worship him.

He continues:

At my deeds Marduk, the great lord, rejoiced and to me, Kourosh (Cyrus), the king who worshipped him, and to Camboujiyah (Cambyases), my son, the offspring of (my) loins, and to all my troops he graciously gave his blessing, and in good sprit before him we glorified exceedingly his high divinity. All the kings who sat in throne rooms, throughout the four quarters, from the Upper to the Lower Sea, those who dwelt in ..................., all the kings of the West Country, who dwelt in tents, brought me their heavy tribute and kissed my feet in Babylon. From ... to the cities of Ashur, Susa, Agade and Eshnuna, the cities of Zamban, Meurnu, Der as far as the region of the land of Gutium, the holy cities beyond the Tigris whose sanctuaries had been in ruins over a long period, the gods whose abode is in the midst of them, I returned to their places and housed them in lasting abodes.

I gathered together all their inhabitations and restored (to them) their dwellings. The gods of Sumer and Akkad whom Nabounids had, to the anger of the lord of the gods, brought into Babylon. I, at the bidding of Marduk, the great lord, made to dwell in peace in their habitations, delightful abodes.

May all the gods whom I have placed within their sanctuaries address a daily prayer in my favour before Bel and Nabu, that my days may be long, and may they say to Marduk my lord, "May Kourosh (Cyrus) the King, who reveres thee, and Camboujiyah (Cambyases) his son ..."

And:

Now that I put the crown of kingdom of Iran, Babylon, and the nations of the four directions on the head with the help of (Ahura) Mazda, I announce that I will respect the traditions, customs and religions of the nations of my empire and never let any of my governors and subordinates look down on or insult them until I am alive. From now on, till (Ahura) Mazda grants me the kingdom favor, I will impose my monarchy on no nation. Each is free to accept it , and if any one of them rejects it , I never resolve on war to reign. Until I am the king of Iran, Babylon, and the nations of the four directions, I never let anyone oppress any others, and if it occurs , I will take his or her right back and penalize the oppressor.

And until I am the monarch, I will never let anyone take possession of movable and landed properties of the others by force or without compensation. Until I am alive, I prevent unpaid, forced labor. To day, I announce that everyone is free to choose a religion. People are free to live in all regions and take up a job provided that they never violate other's rights.

No one could be penalized for his or her relatives' faults. I prevent slavery and my governors and subordinates are obliged to prohibit exchanging men and women as slaves within their own ruling domains. Such a traditions should be exterminated the world over.

I implore to (Ahura) Mazda to make me succeed in fulfilling my obligations to the nations of Iran (Persia), Babylon, and the ones of the four directions.

Source: http://www.iranchamber.com/history/cyrus/cyrus_charter.php

Ancient Persia- Part one

The empire of Darius the Great extended from Egypt in the west to the Indus River in the east. The major satrapies or provinces of his Empire were connected to the center at Persepolis, in the Fars Province of present-day Iran. The Royal Road connected 111 stations to each other. Messengers riding swift horses informed the king within days of turmoil brewing in lands as distant as Egypt and Sughdiana.

One of the most awe-inspiring monuments of the ancient world, Persepolis was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenian empire. It was built during the reign of Darius I, known as Darius the Great (522-485 BC), and developed further by successive kings. The various temples and monuments are located upon a vast platform, some 450 metres by 300 metres and 20 metres in height. At the head of the ceremonial staircase leading to the terrace is the 'Gateway of All Nations' built by Xerxes I and guarded by two colossal bull-like figures.

Darius was the greatest of all the Persian kings. He extended the empires borders into India and Europe. He also fought two wars with the Greeks which were disastrous.

Darius established a government which became a model for many future governments:

• Established a tax-collection system;
  
• Allowed locals to keep customs and religions;
  
• Divided his empire into districts known as Satrapies;
  
• Built a system of roads still used today;
  
• Established a complex postal system;
  
• Established a network of spies he called the "Eyes and Ears of the King."
  
• Built two new capital cities, one at Susa and one at Persepolis.

Darius was killed in a coup led by other family members. At the time, he was preparing a new expedition against the Greeks. His son and successor, Xerxes I, attempted to fulfill his plan.

                                         Tomb of Darius

Source : http://www.crystalinks.com/persia.html

To be continued!

Part one-

The early history of man in Iran goes back well beyond the Neolithic period, it begins to get more interesting around 6000 BC, when people began to domesticate animals and plant wheat and barley. The number of settled communities increased, particularly in the eastern Zagros mountains, and handmade painted pottery appears. Throughout the prehistoric period, from the middle of the sixth millennium BC to about 3000 BC, painted pottery is a characteristic feature of many sites in Iran.

 

PERSIAN TIMELINE

2000-1800 BC, Aryan migration from Southern Russia to Near East
The Medes
         Deioces, 728BC - 675BC
         Phraortes (Kashtariti?), 675BC - 653BC
         Scythian interregnum
         Cyaxares, 625BC - 585BC
         Astyages, 585BC - 550BC
  
628 BC, Birth of Zartosht, Zoroaster, the Persian Prophet

Achaemenid Dynasty
          Achaemenes
          Teispes
          Cyrus I
          Cambyses I (Kambiz)
          Cyrus the Great, Start of Achaemenid Empire, 559BC -530BC
          Kambiz II, 530BC - 522BC
          Smerdis (the Magian), 522BC
          Darius I the Great, 522BC - 486BC
          Xerxes I (Khashyar), 486BC - 465BC
          Artaxerxes I , 465BC - 425BC
          Xerxes II, 425BC - 424BC (45 days)
          Darius II, 423BC - 404BC
          Artaxerxes II, 404BC - 359BC
          Artaxerxes III, 359BC - 339BC
          Arses, 338BC - 336BC
          Darius III, 336BC - 330BC
  
Helenic Period
        Alexander (III), 330BC - 323BC
        Philip III (Arrhidaeus), 323BC - 317BC
        Alexander IV, 317BC - 312BC

Seleucids
       Seleucus I, 312BC - 281BC
       Antiochus I Soter, 281BC - 261BC (coregent)
       Seleucus, 280BC - 267BC (coregent)
       Antiochus II Theos, 261BC - 246BC
       Sleucus II Callinicus, 246BC - 238BC 

The Persian Empire dominated Mesopotamia from 612-330 BC. The Achaemenid Persians of central Iran ruled an empire which comprised Iran, Mesopotamia, Syria, Egypt, and parts of Asia Minor and India.

Their ceremonial capital was Persepolis in southern Iran founded by King Darius the Great (522-486 B.C.). Persepolis was burned by Alexander the Great in 331 B.C.

Only the columns, stairways, and door jambs of its great palaces survived the fire. The stairways, adorned with reliefs representing the king, his court, and delegates of his empire bringing gifts, demonstrate the might of the Persian monarch.

 

                                            Cyrus the Great (559-529 BC)

 

                                      

"I am Cyrus, who founded the empire of the Persians.
Grudge me not therefore, this little earth that covers my body."

Cyrus conquered most of the fertile crescent and ended the "Babylonian Captivity" of the Hebrews.

He overthrew the Median rulers, conquered the kingdom of Lydia in 546 BC and that of Babylonia in 539 BC and established the Persian Empire as the preeminent power of the world.

His son and successor, Cambyses II, extended the Persian realm even further by conquering the Egyptians in 525 BC. He died in an Egyptian campaign.

Darius I, who ascended the throne in 521 BC, pushed the Persian borders as far eastward as the Indus River, had a canal constructed from the Nile to the Red Sea, and reorganized the entire empire, earning the title Darius the Great.

Conquered Egypt but was alcoholic and was killed in a coup led by other family members.

Source : http://www.crystalinks.com/persia.html

To be continued!

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