Taq-e Bostan is a series of large bas-reliefs in rocks pertaining to the Sassanid era. It is located five kilometers from Kermanshah in the west of Iran. It is in the heart of Zagros Mountain Range, where it has endured natural phenomena such as wind and rainfall for 1,700 years.
The carvings, some of the finest and best-preserved examples of Persian Sassanid era sculptures, include images of the investiture ceremonies of Ardeshir II and Shapur III.
As in other Sassanid symbols, Taq-e Bostan and its bas-reliefs highlight the power, religious tendencies, glory, honor, the vastness of the court, games and fighting spirit, festivities and joy of the Sassanid period.iran tour
Sassanid kings chose a beautiful setting for their bas-reliefs along the Silk Road — an ancient caravan route. The reliefs are adjacent to a sacred spring that pours into a large pool at the base of a mountain cliff.
Taq-e Bostan and its bas-reliefs comprise two big and small arches. They illustrate the crowning ceremonies of Ardeshir I and his son, Shapur I, Shapur II and Khosrow II. They also depict the hunting scenes of Khosrow II.
The first Taq-e Bostan relief, and apparently the oldest, is a bas-relief in rock measuring 4.07 meters wide and 3.9 meters high. It includes the figures of four people with swords, helmets, and lotus. The figure standing to the right dons a serrated crown. He has turned to the middle figure and holds out a ribbon-decked royal ring. The middle figure wears a helmet. Behind the middle figure, another figure stands with a halo of light around his head.
Researchers have long debated the identities of the figures in this bas-relief, although most agreed on the identity of the fallen figure ― Artabanus IV, the last Parthian king whose rule terminated in 226 CE. Today, it is believed that the figures represent Ardeshir I and his son Shapur I, stepping over the dead body of Artabanus IV, delighted and intoxicated with victory over their enemy.
This bas-relief depicts the demise of the Parthian dynasty, where Artabanus’s figure has fallen under the feet of new rulers.