Persepolis and Necropolis

March 26

Off to Persepolis (Persian City): These are ruins that date back to as early as 515 BCE. It was the seat of power for the Persian Empire until 330 BCE when Alexander the Great invaded and destroyed it.

Model of Persepolis shows how it was elevated above the natural slope of the land. It was a big city!

It is amazing to catch a glimpse through these ruins of what life might have been like there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L4E9m27aKY&nohtml5=False It is a massive complex and full of architectural marvels as well as bas-relief on the walls.

Low rise steps up to the city. It was easy to imagine a regal procession slowly processing up the stairs.

Remains of bulls on either side of the doorway. These columns and structures are massive.

The attention to detail is still evident now 2500 years later.

These two are sphinx: part lion (brave), part bull (strong), part eagle (all-seeing), part human (smart).

These were the capitals on the columns to support the huge beams. Just one room had 100 columns!

These knobs are all that is left of the 100 columns in this room.

The cover is modern metal, but the shaft leads to the sewers. Great forethought was given to the construction of this city.

The majority of the walls were covered with bas relief. This lion attacking a bull was featured many, many times.

Females are rarely depicted, but the figure at the lynchpin of all the wheels is a woman. It seems to acknowledge the pivotal role that women play in society.

The dark places on this bas relief are polished from people touching it. While it looks like row upon row above one another, this was how they showed many parallel rows of soldiers on the ground.

This is for scale to see how much the city was elevated and how tall the columns are.

Most of the columns were probably about 18 meters high and there were hundreds and hundreds of them.

Yet another family wishing to have a photo with Americans just outside the WC at the entrance to Persepolis. Many people were camping here and the bathroom was jammed with people washing dishes and bathing. I decided I could hold it. haha

Some interesting side notes: Shiraz wine is named after the city here, but they didn’t claim it in the same way that Champagne or Stilton did. Also the Adidas stripes and lotus emblem were totally taken from Persepolis. https://www.flickr.com/photos/nipitiri/4392456454

After hours of wandering these ruins, we boarded the bus again to head for the Necropolis (Dead City). This is a large cemetery with elaborate tomb monuments.

Bas relief on a tomb. Each tomb (there were 5) were cut out of the rock in the shape of a cross and elaborately carved to resemble a palace on the outside. Though you can see it is open, it was sealed after the body was interred.

This one was lower, but you can see the scale from the arm in the picture.

It is believed that Darius I and II, Xerxes and Artaxerxes were buried here. These are kings from Old Testament times.

This is perhaps Xerxes tomb and is facing the tombs carved into the mountain.

Through the gate you can see the stairs up to the burial vault.

Another picture for scale.

A visit to the bazaar in Shiraz was mandatory once we got back.

This waterfall was along the road as we returned to Shiraz.

This is a wall in Shiraz. They take their street art seriously!

It was packed to the gills with people and products, so it was difficult to move. Everything you can imagine is sold in these bazaars from spices to fabric to furniture to electronics, as well as local handicrafts.

The jammed hall between the shops on either side.

A small hub still lined with shops, but hallways spoke off from here in several directions all lined with shops.

Sweets

Pastes made from various fruits and vegetables.

Fabric! This is what they’re like in Kuwait as well, but tinier space.

Carpets

Exquisite enamelled copper

After this we went back to the hotel and then out for dinner. It was a sit-on-the-same-level-as-your-food place and they had live music.

Each group of people has their own square “tablecloth” and sit around it with cushions. This is Glenn, me, Cathy, and Shahid.

All hands in to rice with fish, rice with lamb and a labor intensive dish of veggies, meat, broth, and bread. Yummy!

This group used sign language (and body language) to music.

This included traditional instruments and songs as well as a performance by a group who signed to the music in fancy traditional dress. What an experience!