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Gandj Nameh: Darius' text

Unless otherwise indicated, pictures on this page © Marco Prins and Jona Lendering. Photos can be downloaded and used for non-commercial purposes, but you have to acknowledge Livius.
The two inscriptions near Gandj Nameh. Photo Marco Prins. Near the waterfall of Gandj Nameh, at the end of a small valley near the ancient road between Ecbatana and Behistun, twelve kilometers southwest of modern Hamadan, are two almost identical, Achaemenid inscriptions, by Darius I the Great and Xerxes. Both are in three columns of 20 lines, and in three languages: Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian.
Copy of Darius' inscription in the Hamadan Museum. Photo Marco Prins. The texts begin with praise for the supreme god Ahuramazda, continue with the genealogy of the maker, and end with his royal titles. This picture shows a copy of Darius' inscription and can be found in the Hamadan Museum.
  1. baga \ vazraka \ Auramazdâ
  2. \ hya \ imâm \ bûmim \
  3. adâ \ hya \ avam \ asmâ
  4. nam \ adâ \ hya \ martiya
  5. m \ adâ \ hya \ šiyâti
  6. m \ adâ \ martiyahyâ \
  7. hya \ Dârayavaum \ xšâya
  8. thiyam \ akunauš \ aiva
  9. m \ parunâm \ xšâyath
  10. iyam \ aivam \ parunâm
  11. \ framâtâram \ adam \
  12. Dârayavauš \ xšâyathi
  13. ya \ vazraka \ xšâyathiya \
  14. xšâyathiyânâm \ xš
  15. âyathiya \ dahyunâm \ pa
  16. ruzanânâm \ xšâyath
  17. iya \ ahyâyâ \ bûmiy
  18. â \ vazrakâyâ \ dûraiy
  19. \ apiy \ Vištâspahy
  20. â \ puça \ Haxâmanišiya
A great god is Ahuramazda, who created this earth, who created yonder heaven, who created men, who created happiness for man, who made Darius king. One king for many, one lord for all.

I am Darius, the great king, king of kings, king of countries containing all kinds of men, king in this great earth far and wide, son of Hystaspes, an Achaemenian.
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