TEHRAN -- The beauty and authenticity of the Sassanid site of Taq-e Bostan has been spoilt by unwarranted additions, Taq-e Bostan Research Center director Siamak Khadivi said.

Throughout history Taq-e Bostan has had a strange attraction for graffitists, would-be artists, royal inscribers and vandals and these additions have spoilt the beauty and authenticity of the original monument.
“Writing graffiti on ancient monuments and illegally adding artworks to cultural heritage sites and artifacts are the actions of people devoid of culture. Such activities only serve to ruin the beauty, significance and authenticity of our heritage,” Khadivi told the Persian service of CHN on Monday.
“However, since most of the additional artworks and inscriptions on Taq-e Bostan have been created by Qajar rulers and officials, these appendages are now considered to be part of the history of the site,” he added.
The Taq-e Bostan Research Center has recently completed a project on the subject.
The research, which is soon to be published in book form, has discovered that additional inscriptions have been written in Persian, Arabic, English, French, Hebrew, and several other languages.
Located between mounts Paru and Farrokhshad, the Taq-e Bostan monument comprises two arches bearing many unique bas-reliefs on their inner and outer facades depicting various aspects of the political, religious and social lives of the Sassanid ruling class.
One such relief depicts a scene in which the Sassanid King Khosrow II (reign 590-628) is being crowned by Ahura Mazda and Anahita. There are also bas-reliefs of the Sassanid kings Ardashir II (reign 379-383) and Shapur III (reign 383-388).
The larger of the two arches also carries bas-reliefs portraying a Sassanid monarch on a hunting ground.
Mohammad Ali Mirza Dowlatshah, son of Qajar king Fathali Shah, created the largest additional inscription and bas-relief on the underside of Taq-e Bostan’s larger arch in 1821.
The bas-relief depicts Mohammad Ali Mirza on a throne, his son, and the Qajar official Aqa Ghani Khajebashi. Certain eulogies composed by Besmel, a poet from Kermanshah, have also been carved beside the bas-relief.
In another inscription, Mohammad Ali Mirza has compared the region with Mount Sinai and has also likened himself to Moses (AS). In addition, he has introduced King Khosrow II (Khosrow Parviz) as his doorman.
Unfortunately, vandals have also caused damage to the site by adding graffiti. Bizarrely, one of them has carved the name of the former Dutch footballer Ruud Gullit on the underside of the larger arch!
Caption: Qajar ruler Mohammad Ali Mirza along with his son and two Qajar officials are depicted in a bas-relief carved in the middle of Taq-e Bostan’s larger arch in 1821.