Takht-i-Suleiman
Encyclopedia
For the similarly named locations see Takht-e Suleyman Massif
in Iran, Taxte Soleymān in Pakistan, and Sulayman Mountain
near Osh, Kyrgyzstan.
Taxte Soleymān, ( "Throne of Solomon") is an archaeological site in West Azarbaijan, Iran
. It lies midway between Urmia
and Hamadan
, very near the present-day town of Takab
, and 400 km (248.5 mi) west of Tehran
.
The originally fortified site, which is located on a crater rim, was recognized as a World Heritage Site
in July 2003. The citadel includes the remains of a Zoroastrian fire temple
built during the Sassanid period and partially rebuilt during the Ilkhanid
period. This site got this Semitic name after the Arab conquest. This temple housed one the three "Great Fires" or "Royal Fires" that Sassanid rulers humbled themselves before in order to ascend the throne. The fire at Takht-i Soleiman was called ādur
Wishnāsp and was dedicated to the arteshtar or warrior class of the Sasanid.
Folk legend relates that King Solomon used to imprison monsters inside the 100 m deep crater of the nearby Zendan-e Soleyman "Prison of Solomon". Another crater inside the fortification itself is filled with spring water; Solomon is said to have created a flowing pond that still exists today. Nevertheless, Solomon belongs to Semitic
legends and therefore, the lore and namesake (Solomon's Throne) should have been formed following Islamic conquest of Persia
. After the Conquest, the Arabs sought to destroy anything Zoroastrian or Persian
, as these things were deemed to be contrary to Islam
. In order to avoid this, the Persians changed the names of many sites and monuments to save them from destruction. Another example is in the city of Pasargad, where they began referring to the tomb of Cyrus the Great
as "Solomon's mother's tomb." A 4th century Armenia
n manuscript relating to Jesus
and Zarathustra, and various historians of the Islamic period, mention this pond. The foundations of the fire temple around the pond is attributed to that legend.
Archaeological excavations have revealed traces of a 5th century BC occupation during the Achaemenid period, as well as later Parthian
settlements in the citadel. Coins belonging to the reign of Sassanid kings, and that of the Byzantine emperor Theodosius II
(AD 408-450), have also been discovered there.
Takht-e Suleyman Massif
Takht-e Soleyman Massif is a subrange of central Alborz mountains. In the area, about 160 distinct peaks higher than 4,000m are distinguishable, with the highest, most famous, and most technical one: Alam Kuh, 4,850m. The area can be captured inside a rectangle of 30km width and 40km length...
in Iran, Taxte Soleymān in Pakistan, and Sulayman Mountain
Sulayman Mountain
The Sulayman Mountain is the only World Heritage Site in the country of Kyrgyzstan. It is located in the city of Osh and was once a major place of Muslim and pre-Muslim pilgrimage...
near Osh, Kyrgyzstan.
Taxte Soleymān, ( "Throne of Solomon") is an archaeological site in West Azarbaijan, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. It lies midway between Urmia
Urmia
- Demographics :According to official census of 2006, the population of Urmia is about 871,204.- Language :The population of Urmia is mainly Azerbaijani people, with Kurdish, Assyrian Christian, and Armenian minorities...
and Hamadan
Hamadan
-Culture:Hamadan is home to many poets and cultural celebrities. The city is also said to be among the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities.Handicrafts: Hamadan has always been well known for handicrafts like leather, ceramic, and beautiful carpets....
, very near the present-day town of Takab
Takab
Takab is a city in and the capital of Takab County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 43,702, in 10,078 families. Its ancient name was Shiz. The main spoken languages are Kurdish and Azeri....
, and 400 km (248.5 mi) west of Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
.
The originally fortified site, which is located on a crater rim, was recognized as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
in July 2003. The citadel includes the remains of a Zoroastrian fire temple
Fire temple
A fire temple in Zoroastrianism is the place of worship for Zoroastrians. Zoroastrians revere fire in any form. In the Zoroastrian religion, fire , together with clean water , are agents of ritual purity...
built during the Sassanid period and partially rebuilt during the Ilkhanid
Ilkhanate
The Ilkhanate, also spelled Il-khanate , was a Mongol khanate established in Azerbaijan and Persia in the 13th century, considered a part of the Mongol Empire...
period. This site got this Semitic name after the Arab conquest. This temple housed one the three "Great Fires" or "Royal Fires" that Sassanid rulers humbled themselves before in order to ascend the throne. The fire at Takht-i Soleiman was called ādur
Atar
Atar is the Zoroastrian concept of holy fire, sometimes described in abstract terms as "burning and unburning fire" or "visible and invisible fire" ....
Wishnāsp and was dedicated to the arteshtar or warrior class of the Sasanid.
Folk legend relates that King Solomon used to imprison monsters inside the 100 m deep crater of the nearby Zendan-e Soleyman "Prison of Solomon". Another crater inside the fortification itself is filled with spring water; Solomon is said to have created a flowing pond that still exists today. Nevertheless, Solomon belongs to Semitic
Semitic
In linguistics and ethnology, Semitic was first used to refer to a language family of largely Middle Eastern origin, now called the Semitic languages...
legends and therefore, the lore and namesake (Solomon's Throne) should have been formed following Islamic conquest of Persia
Islamic conquest of Persia
The Muslim conquest of Persia led to the end of the Sassanid Empire in 644, the fall of Sassanid dynasty in 651 and the eventual decline of the Zoroastrian religion in Persia...
. After the Conquest, the Arabs sought to destroy anything Zoroastrian or Persian
Culture of Iran
To best understand Iran, Afghanistan, their related societies and their people, one must first attempt to acquire an understanding of their culture. It is in the study of this area where the Persian identity optimally expresses itself...
, as these things were deemed to be contrary to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. In order to avoid this, the Persians changed the names of many sites and monuments to save them from destruction. Another example is in the city of Pasargad, where they began referring to the tomb of Cyrus the Great
Cyrus the Great
Cyrus II of Persia , commonly known as Cyrus the Great, also known as Cyrus the Elder, was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Under his rule, the empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Southwest Asia and much...
as "Solomon's mother's tomb." A 4th century Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n manuscript relating to Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
and Zarathustra, and various historians of the Islamic period, mention this pond. The foundations of the fire temple around the pond is attributed to that legend.
Archaeological excavations have revealed traces of a 5th century BC occupation during the Achaemenid period, as well as later Parthian
Parthian Empire
The Parthian Empire , also known as the Arsacid Empire , was a major Iranian political and cultural power in ancient Persia...
settlements in the citadel. Coins belonging to the reign of Sassanid kings, and that of the Byzantine emperor Theodosius II
Theodosius II
Theodosius II , commonly surnamed Theodosius the Younger, or Theodosius the Calligrapher, was Byzantine Emperor from 408 to 450. He is mostly known for promulgating the Theodosian law code, and for the construction of the Theodosian Walls of Constantinople...
(AD 408-450), have also been discovered there.
Gallery
See also
- Cities of the Ancient Near EastCities of the ancient Near EastThe largest cities in the Bronze Age ancient Near East housed several tens of thousands. Memphis in the Early Bronze Age with some 30,000 inhabitants was the largest city of the time by far...
- DerbentDerbentDerbent |Lak]]: Чурул, Churul; Persian: دربند; Judæo-Tat: דארבּאנד/Дэрбэнд/Dərbənd) is a city in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, close to the Azerbaijani border. It is the southernmost city in Russia, and it is the second most important city of Dagestan...
- another Sassanid fortress in the World Heritage List - Iranian architectureIranian architectureIranian architecture or Persian architecture is the architecture of Iran . It has a continuous history from at least 5000 BCE to the present, with characteristic examples distributed over a vast area from Turkey to North India and the borders of China and from the Caucasus to Zanzibar...
- List of Iranian castles
- Sassanid Dynasty
External links
- Takhtesoleiman.ir, Official Website
- Unesco.org, Takht-e Soleyman - UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Opera.com, image from Takht-e suleiman
- Irannegah.com, Video from Takht-e Soleyman