Ancient Iran: Did you mean...?

An interior view of the Nasir al-Mulk (Nasir-ol-Molk) Mosque, also known as the Pink Mosque, in Shiraz (Iran). The mosque was constructed between 1876 CE and 1888 CE, during the Qajar dynasty.

As a young girl interested in archaeology and history, mummies always intrigued me. From the intricate Egyptian mummies to the naturally and beautifully preserved mummies of the Incas, they seemed to me to be beautiful...

Sasanian relief depicting the investiture of Bahram I (r. 273-276 CE), the fourth Sasanian King of Kings of Iran, Tang-e Chogan. Bahram I is depicted receiving the royal diadem from the Zoroastrian supreme...

A Tower of Silence, Yazd, Iran. These structures are used in Zoroastrianism when the dead are exposed to scavengers.

The remains of the Temple of Anahita at Kangavar, Iran. The temple was a major sanctuary erected to the goddess of waters and fertility who was worshipped in ancient Persia alongside Ahura Mazda. Dating back to...

This was part of a frieze depicting rows of guards. The vivid colors show how the carved stone sculptures would have looked when they were painted. The guards were thought to be members of the 10,000 special...

Bishapur was a Sasanian city in the Fars region of Iran, located on the road that connected the Sasanian capitals of Istakhr (close to Persepolis) and Ctesiphon. It was built near a river crossing in 266 CE on the orders of King...

The Tomb of Cyrus the Great is the final resting place of Cyrus II (d. 530 BCE), the first king of the Achaemenid Empire. It is located in Pasargadae, an archaeological site in the Fars Province of Iran.

Early Sasanian bridge (Kavar bridge) spanning the Qara Aqaj River near Firuzabad in Iran. It was built in the 3rd century CE, possibly by Romans who were taken captive during the campaigns of Shapur I (r. 240-270 CE).

Qal’eh Dokhar was built by Ardašīr I as a “barrier fortress” during his 3rd century founding of the Sasanian Empire in Iran. The fortress’s third floor housed his royal residence but was eventually...