International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Vol XXX\
Part BS. Istanbul 2004
€ EE.
wooden tablets and stone inscriptions buried and hidden under
the ruins of the capital. But, the most important document that
has survived is the * relief and inscription of Dariush in Bisotun
" which is the largest rock inscription in the world.
Bisotun is situated 30 km apart form Kermanshah in the road to
Hamedan in an elevation of more than 3600 m (Figure 5).
Figure 5. Topographic Map of Bisotun Area
Bisotun documents were made at a height of about 80 m above
the road on a vertical and inaccessible rock. It consists of relief
sculptures surrounded by inscriptions (Figure 6).
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Figure 7. The Holy Mount of Bisotun Wi
Dariush figure has been made in his real size of about 180 cm Bi
(Figure 11) with his foot over the chest of a liar priest. His de
archer and his lancer are standing behind him. All arrested | K
rebellious rulers are shown in the front area. Above all is the re
figure of God (Ahura-Mazda) to which Dariush was always |
seeking mercy and help (Figure 13). |
| :
1: Elamite pl
2: Babylonian | fo
3: Old Persian | th
Figure 6. Sketch Map of Dariush Monument
Dariush selected the holy mount of Bisotun for recording the |
events of the first years of his kingdom for following reasons: Figure 8. Different Writings of Dariush Inscription | In
The mountain is situated close to a high-traffic road. There are | af
some attracting springs and rivers around the mount that make ot
that area a popular visiting and resting place. Furthermore, the DECODING HISTORY | fo
original name of he mount is Bagastan (residence of Gods) and pe
it is said that it has been a peaceful place for worshipers for For several centuries after the attack of Alexander, | (I
thousands of years (Figure 7). Achaemenids were forgotten and nobody could understand the | ar
