Taq-e-Bostan

Taq-e-Bostan 

 

Taq-e-Bostan is a complex of Sasanid inscriptions and petroglyphs in the northwestern part of Kermanshah province in Iran. This vault has been constructed in the third century and does have invaluable historical and artistic importance. There are some pivotal historical scenes like the coronation of King Khosrow Parviz, Ardeshir the Second, Shapour the Second, and the Third that have been uniquely inscribed there. There are also a few petroglyphs (tablets) written in Pahlavi’s handwriting. The existence of the mountains and the springs has made Bostan Vault an attractive promenade that still exists in its climactic beauty.

 

 

Literary speaking, Bostan Vault, in Kurdish, means a vault made of stone. In historical sources, there are other names ascribed to this ancient place. During the Middle Ages, Hamdullah Mustawfi referred to this artistic monument as Shabdiz Arch. Anyhow, this complex has been constructed in the third century. During the Sasanid era, the kings ordered stone carving of their statues. At first, they chose Pasargad in Fars, as an appropriate site for this, but from Ardeshir the second onward, they considered Bostan Vault in Kermanshah, right on the way of The Silk Road. A green area with many natural springs that still exist the same way. The petroglyph of the Royal Hunting Ground belonging to the Taq-e-Bostan complex is the first stone panel in the world based on the painting principles. In this stone-carved artistic piece, Khosrow is seen on top of his horse, Shabdiz, as if this scene has been copied from a painting.

 

Amazingly, on the grand vault, there appear scenes of female musicians playing lyrics and wind instruments. On another side of the grand vault, there is another scene reflecting hug hunting as artistic and delicate as a painting panel. The embossed designs carved on Bostan Vault, have been evaluated carefully, and it was found that the colorful outfits of the horsemen have been made from golden strings incredibly woven together in accurate geometrical lozenge shapes. In the high hunting scene, the king wears an outfit with specific patterned designs of Simurghs on a background filled with symbolic circles. The outfits of the rowers also reveal dramatic patterns. In the side wall of the grand vault, the royal ornaments of the king’s outfit on the throne, are all dense golden roses. Similarly, the outfits of the guards and the elephant riders beautifully reflect the hand-sewn animalistic and floral ornaments.

 

 

The first embossed image of Taq-e-Bostan reflects the coronation scene of Ardeshir the second, on the small arch. On the right side of the small arch, a particular laundry scene has been carved on the stone vault showing Ardeshir the Second standing with his left hand on his sword, while taking a ribboned circle from Ormazd with his right hand. Simultaneously, Mitra, with a halo around her head, the sun god stands behind him. The scene also shows Julian, the famous Roman Emperor, being seen on the floor as the captive of the Persian king, Ardeshir. The scene reflects a clear manifestation of the king’s features.

 

This Sasanid king does have large eyes and protruding eyebrows. His beard is shown clearly in a wavy shape and his thick and bushy hair is on his shoulders. He wears an earring, a neckless, and a bracelet that are clearly shown in detail. His earrings do have a small hanging ball with a neckless made of a row of big marbles. Noteworthy to add that, the images of the Persian Arch Angel ( Amshaasband) and Humans are behind the king.

 

The most important scene carved on Taq-e-Bostan is the one that reflects the coronation backdrop of King Khosrow Parviz. This setting does have a rectangular deck that is seven meters wide. Exactly beside the entrance of the vault, there are stone figures of the winged angels, a tree of life, hunting scenes, lagoons, seagulls, boats, and elephants that represent happy parties. Below the coronation scene, there is another carved figure of an armored soldier on a horse. In the coronation scene, the king stands in the middle, and Farwahar (the Persian Angel) stands beside him on the right side with a crown on his head. He bestows a godly coil to the king. Their outfits are nearly the same with corrugated pants that are fastened to their ankles with ribbons.

 

The small vault is between that of King Ardeshir and the grand arch. This scene shows the coronations of Shahpoor the second and the third. There are two figures and tablets above the arch’s wall. The tablets are in Pahlavi script with descriptive links about the kings. The eastern side of Bostan Vault, the eastern side of the arch walls, is the host of a natural spring that is close to the stone stairway with seventy-eight steps carved in the heart of the mountains. Above the area, one can also see a stone niche that is said to be hand-carved. About twelve years ago, still, another embossed figure was discovered in this area. This newly found image shows a figure with the hands upward towards the sky. An object is also seen in the hands. A few letters that look like Latin alphabets are also there below the image. Amazingly, close to the stone stairway beside the spring, there is another embossed form that is similar to that newly discovered one with the upward hands.

 

Recently, the complex is about to be added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. Moreover, a research center on the Sasanid era is about to be constructed in the historical site of The Taq-e-Bostan so that the national researchers could communicate with the international researchers working on the identity, features, and legacy of the Sasanid period. Surprisingly, it is also said that once it was a rug made of jewelry on the floor of Taq-e-Bostan, but during the Arab invasion it was divided among the Arab commanders as the booty.