yazdan_travel

03/05/2025

𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐨𝐟 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐪 𝐈 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐚 (reigned c. 75-69 BCE), the last known ruler of the Parthian line in this important frontier city of northern Mesopotamia (modern-day northern Iraq).

He is depicted in full Parthian military attire, standing beside a tall ceremonial standard adorned with orb-like symbols and crowned by a falcon (shahin), a sacred and royal bird in ancient Iranian iconography.

This is one of the earliest visual representations of the Mithraic banner (𝑫𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒇𝒔𝒉-𝒆 𝑴𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒂 🌞), which would later evolve into the well-known Sasanian Derafsh-e Kaviani. Above him, a divine figure, likely a solar spirit, offers the ring of investiture, symbolizing the bestowal of xwarrah (sacred royal power, glory) and legitimizing his rule within the order of Iranian kingship.

At his feet stands a loyal dog, an evocative motif deeply rooted in Iranian and Scythian warrior cultures, where the dog was both a guardian and a spiritual companion in battle and death. The relief affirms the continuity of Iranian royal and martial symbolism on the western fringes of the A***n realm.

30/04/2025

26/04/2025

Kazem Dashi is a natural island in Urmia Lake, . It was occasionally used by the locals as a hideout at times of turmoil. Shahi Island is the largest one.

26/04/2025

22/04/2025

16/04/2025

09/04/2025

2500 years old, this Median Lion bearer statue is attributed to the Achaemenid period of ancient Iran. It is made of lapis lazuli and features a detailed depiction of a figure engaged in the act of subduing a lion.

This artifact is now housed at the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It was acquired in 1960 through purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund.

03/04/2025

Prepare to be amazed by the Arg-e Bam, a mind-blowing testament to ancient engineering that has stood for over 2,000 years in the Kerman province of southeastern Iran. This is no average structure; it’s the largest adobe brick fortress in the world, sprawling over a staggering 180,000 m². Imagine towering walls that loom 6-7 meters high and extend nearly two kilometers long, encasing a historical marvel. With 67 towering features—two of which command attention in this view—this citadel isn’t just a pretty landmark; it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site that screams significance. But don't let its beauty fool you—this grand edifice was brutally shaken by a catastrophic earthquake in 2003. Can you fathom the epic tales it could tell if only those walls could speak?

03/04/2025

03/04/2025

Ancient Persian Desert Refrigerators: The Ingenious Yakhchals (c. 500 BC)

Around 500 BC, Persian engineers built yakhchals—massive, cone-shaped underground ice houses with 2-meter-thick walls made from heat-resistant materials. These structures used wind catchers and underground aqueducts to keep up to 5,000 m³ of mountain ice frozen, even in 43°C heat. Nobles enjoyed crushed ice with fruit syrups and invented faloodeh, a rosewater noodle dessert—over 2,000 years before gelato or ice cream. Some yakhchals still stand today, showcasing ancient Persia’s mastery of desert refrigeration.