Bisutun

Bisutun or Behistun is a majestic cliff face in Kermanshah province in western Iran. The cliff commands the local roadways, making it an ideal place for royal messaging. It is best known for the relief of Darius I (Darius the Great, r. 522-486 B.C.) proclaiming his command over the new Persian empire and his divine sanction by Ahura Mazda.

The site features inscriptions in Babylonian, Elamite, and Old Persian (arguably the first ever written), in which Darius asserts the validity of his kingship and victory against rebels. Decipherment of the inscription in the mid-19th century provided the key for unlocking the cuneiform script. A full English translation of the inscription may be found here.

Later dynasties repurposed Bisutun to link their rulership with the Achaemenids. The cliff features a Seleucid-era carving of Heracles, while a nearby unfinished Sasanian (ca. 224-651 C.E.) palace lies in ruins. In the Safavid period, Shah Abbas the Great (r. 1571-1639) established a caravansarai or inn for travelers here.

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  Approach to Bisutun
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  Approach to Bisutun
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  Restored foundation of Sasanian palace
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  Sculpture of Hercules, Seleucid era, ca. 250 B.C.
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  Elamite Inscription, Bisutun
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  King Darius relief with scaffolding for contemporary restoration
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  Winged figure endowing Arsacid king Mithridates II (124-91 BC) with ribbons of divine favor (farr)
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  Bisutun cliffside viewed from above
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  Darius with Ahura Mazda and bound rebels below