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  1. Discover
  2. Paper: The Achaemenid Empire, 550-330 BC
  3. Unit: Week 2 - Darius at Behistun

Tomb of Darius at Naqsh-e Rustam

Related sources

Image for Tomb of Cyrus
Image for Darius statue
Image for Behistun relief and inscription

Commentary

Tomb of Darius at Naqsh-e Rustam

Tomb of Darius at Naqsh-e Rustam, 6km north of Persepolis.

Cross-shaped rock-cut tomb, with relief in upper part. The relief depicts the king standing at l., facing a fire-altar at centre and incense-burner at r. Above, winged disk (Ahura Mazda?). The king stands on a huge platform, supported by 28 figures in two rows of 14, representing the lands of the empire. Trilingual inscriptions to the left of the figure of the king (DNa) and on either side of the door to the tomb-chamber (DNb). 

Translations of DNa and DNb can be found in A. Kuhrt, The Persian Empire: A Corpus of Sources from the Achaemenid Period (2007), pp.502-5, with image p.500; Brosius, The Persian Empire from Cyrus II to Artaxerxes I (2000), nos. 46 and 48 (DNa), and 103 (DNb) and also here. Discussion and further excellent photos here.