Seleucid Laodice Temple in Iran to Undergo New Excavations - CAIS Archaeological & Cultural Daily News of Iran©

The Greek temple of Laodice in western Iran will undergo excavations 55 years after its placement on Iran’s National Heritage List, and some limited diggings there.

The temple is located in the historical area of Do Khaharan (two sisters) northeast of Nahavand city, in the west central province of Hamedan, and dates back to the Seleucid era, 193 years B.C.

According to archeologist Ezzatollah Siavoshi, so far 30 pillars and more than one thousand items have been found from the underground temple. It was discovered by the French archeologist Roman Girshman and was added to the National Heritage list in 1948, but no serious diggings have ever been carried out there.

The famous inscription of Antiochos III, son of Seleukos and his wife Apame, which is now kept in the Museum of Ancient Iran, was discovered from the temple in 1943.

Copyright © 1998-2008 The Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies (CAIS)