Bisotun and Taghe Bostan

It was a long 325 mile drive from Tehran to Kermanshah in western Iran.  The roads were excellent and relatively uncrowded compared to the traffic jammed streets of Tehran.  Police checkpoints were occasional interruptions along the way.  As we approached them, Milad would remind us to make sure our seat belts were fastened and our hair covered by our scarves.  Only once did the police seem to have any interest in us, asking to see a passport.  Milad told us that in this part of Iran there are few tourists and the police are just curious to see what a foreign passport looks like. 

When we arrived in Kermanshah I was surprised by how spread out the city is.  We drove through an endless commercial district before reaching our hotel.  I wondered where all of the fine Persian architecture was.  Later I read that Kermanshah was heavily damaged by bombing during the Iran-Iraq War and still has not fully recovered.  But we were here to see Bisotun and Taghe Bostan and we were not disappointed.

A UNESCO world heritage site, Bisotun is an area that has been inhabited for over 40,000 years. Remnants from the Median, Achaemenian, Seleucid, Parthian, Sassanian, and Safavid empires are all here, highlighting Iran’s rich and ancient history.  It was awe inspiring to realize the sweep of history contained in this one location.

We walked along a rocky path and passed close by a carving of Hercules left from the time when the Greeks ruled Persia. Other bas reliefs are carved higher up on the face of the mountain.  I was utterly surprised when we were met on this path by a shepherd herding his flock over the rocks of this important historic site.  It seemed like a sight which could have happened thousands of years ago.

The largest and most important bas relief carving at Bisotun is of the Emperor Darius. Standing on a pretender to the throne with the symbols of power in his hands, Darius is seen as the legitimate ruler of the Persian Empire. Inscriptions describe Darius’s life and the history of the Achaemenian Empire.  The carvings and inscriptions are 165 feet above the spot where we stand and I wish I had a pair of binocular for better viewing.

 

As we walked along we were joined by a playful dog who accompanied us to an old Safavid caravanserai. The caravanserai was an inn for merchants and their camels and a reminder that Bisotun is situated on an ancient trade route between Mesopotamia and places in the east. Now, quite close to the caravanserai and Bisotun, there is a modern highway with cars and trucks replacing the caravans of the past.

After our visit to Bistoun, we went to see Taghe Bostan which is set at the edge of a large park. We arrived at dusk to see the bas reliefs which are hewn into a towering cliff face, illuminated in a warm golden light. Milad told us about the carvings which depict coronation and hunting scenes. He said that Taghe Bostan was carved in a location where those passing by on the ancient caravan route would see it and know the power of the ancient Sassanid rulers.

While we were at Taghe Bostan, a family approached us and asked to have their picture taken with us. Many photos were taken and then they invited us to their home for dinner. It was our first experience with the renowned Iranian hospitality. Unfortunately, we had to decline the invitation but we were touched by the kind gesture.