In fact, this site, which contains monuments from the Elam Civilization, Achaemenid Empire, and Sasanian Empire, is prominent thanks to the tombs of the four Achaemenid kings. It is stated that due to the similarity of the Sassanid decoration to what Rostam (the hero of Shahname) has been described in Shahnameh, this region has become known as the Naqsh-e Rostam (Rostam Relief) which has no figure of Rostam though.
This site is full of monuments from different historical periods of Iran, the oldest one is a rock relief from the Elamite dynasty, which depicts two goddesses, a king and a queen on the throne of Marneshan. However, by the order of Bahram II, the Sassanid king, some parts of it have been erased and a figure of this Sassanid king and his courtiers have replaced the Elamite design.
Another of the most prominent works of this breathtaking site, which shines bright like a diamond, is the mysterious and magic Kabe-ye Zatosht (Cube of Zoroaster) in the vast plain of Fars province. A cubic construction with stairs in front made of white limestone and a height of 12 meters. The exact use of this building is not known, but the fire temple is one of the possible uses. However, some believe that this building was a tomb and others say that it was used as an archive of keeping sacred books and documents.
Tomb of Darius the Great
The tomb of Darius the Great is one of the most important historical monuments of Naqsh-e Rostam, Darius is a great king for Iranians. By killing the false Bardiya, he fought with lies and duplicity and gave peace and justice to his land, and after his death, by his own order, he is buried in the Catacombs between earth and sky, in the mountains. Other kings such as Xerxes I (Darius' eldest son), Darius II, and Artaxerxes I and some of their relatives are also buried in the heart of similar tombs. Some believe that these Catacombs are the initiative of Darius and others have imitated this initiative. Some also say that the kings wanted to bury in this place so that their bodies would not be contaminated with the earth.
These four tombs are similar, and differences such as their size, details, or inscriptions have led historians to consider each to belong to an Achaemenid king. There are other graves inside each tomb. For example, there are 9 other graves in Catacombs belonging to Dariush, which probably belong to his relatives.
The Fifties: Great Britain
