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| Takht-e-Soleiman, an enigmatic ancient site |
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 The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Takht-e-Soleiman, dubbed the Throne of Solomon, is one of the most interesting and enigmatic archaeological sites in Iran. Located 42 kilometers northeast from a small town called Takab in Iran, the fortified ruins of Takht-e- Suleiman occupies an area of about 124,000 square meters and is one of the country’s most important ancient monuments, comprising ruins dating back to the Sassanid, Parthian, and Mongol periods. According to experts, it used to be remarkable in its heyday, because of the fortifying walls that still look very impressive. At an altitude of 2,400 meters, it consists of a majestic building erected on top of a hill, and a strong stone battlement. The site is actually 20-meters higher than the surrounding area. It is truly a spectacular scene with its height and a lake in the middle which represents mysterious beauty. Brilliantly clear but dark at night due to its depth, the lake’s waters are fed by a hidden spring far below the surface.
It is still possible to walk through what use to be the Fire temple. Back in the day, the temple contained an eternal flame which was “provided thanks to a natural volcanic gas channeled through ceramic pipes.” Essentially it was the perfect location for the ancient Zoroastrians to worship. Archaeological studies have shown that human settlements existed in the immediate region since at least the 1st millennium BC, with the earliest building remains upon the lake-mound from the Achaemenian culture (559-330 BC). During this period a fire temple was constructed there and it became one of the greatest religious sanctuaries of Zoroastrianism, functioning through three dynasties (Achaemenian, Parthian, Sassanian) for nearly a thousand years. In the early Sassanian period of the 3rd century AD, the entire plateau was fortified with a massive wall and 38 towers. In later Sassanian times, particularly during the reigns of Khosrow-Anushirvan (531-579 AD) and Khosrow II (590-628 AD), extensive temple facilities were erected on the northern side of the lake to accommodate the large numbers of pilgrims coming to the shrine from beyond the borders of Persia. Following the defeat of Khosrow II’s army by the Romans in 624 AD, the temple was destroyed and its importance as a pilgrimage destination rapidly declined. During the Mongol period (1220-1380), a series of small buildings were erected, mostly on the southern and western sides of the lake, and these seem to have been used for administrative and political rather than religious functions. One enters the monument through a large gate above which traces of an inscription in Kufic style can be seen, which belongs to the Mongol period and is indicative of the reparation of the place in that period. During Ilkhanid era, some settlements and new castles were built in Takht-e-Suleiman. Abagha Khan (1234–1282), the last emperor of Ilkhanid dynasty, dislodged the region and changed it to his hunting ground.
The site was abandoned in the 17th century, for unknown reasons, and has been partially excavated by German and Iranian archaeologists in the past 100 years. It also houses a small museum with various examples of ceramics, carvings and photos from the site’s excavations. (Sources: CAIS - Magic Planet Productions)   Socialize this Subscribe to our RSS feed to stay in touch and receive all of TT updates right in your feed reader
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