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Naqš-i Rajab
Access to the gully. Photo Marco Prins.
Access to the gully		 Naqš-i Rajab: place in Fars, close to Naqš-i Rustam, Persepolis, and Istakhr, well-known for its Sasanian rock reliefs.

The archaeological site known as Naqš-i Rajab is just 3 kilometers north of the ruins of Persepolis, along the road to the Sasanian city Istakhr. The name means something like "The carvings of Rajab", and is a little joke about the nearby Naqš-i Rustam, the carvings of the great hero Rustam. Rajab was an inn-keeper. The site was also called Naqš-i Qahraman, "Carvings of the heroes".
Ancient-Warfare.com, the online home of Ancient Warfare magazine
Map of Naqš-e Rajab. Design Jona Lendering.
The carvings referred to were made by the two first Sasanian kings, Ardašir I (224-241) and Shapur I (241-272).
  1. Investiture Relief of Ardašir I (center)
  2. Investiture Relief of Shapur I (right)
  3. Equestrian Relief of Shapur I (left)
A satellite photo can be seen here.
Equestrian Relief of Shapur I Audience Relief of Ardašir I Investiture Relief of Shapur I

Literature

Louis Vanden Berghe, Reliefs rupestres de l' Iran ancien (1983 Brussels) Table XII, #52, 55, 56, 73.
 © Jona Lendering for
Livius.Org, 2005
Revision: 16 Nov. 2009
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