Archaeologists
working behind the Shian Dam in Kermanshah have unearthed
the second fire temple in that region, belonging to the
late-Parthian or early Sasanian dynastic eras.
There
is no record of such a temple in historical accounts.
“This
fire-Temple with its unique stucco decorations is one of
the largest fire-temples that has ever been discovered in
that part of mainland-Iran located in one of the
settlements near the Shian Dam. The plan, type and
architectural elements such as water canals leading into
the temple demonstrates that it was not only denoted to
the Lord Ahura-Mazda, but also to the two Zoroastrian Yazads,
Anahita and Mithra”, Hassan Rezvani, the head of the
archaeological rescue-operation team has stated in a news
conference.
“Evidently
after the Arab invasion of Iran the fire temple was partly
demolished to prepare the way for construction of a
mosque, and the surrounding areas were used as a burial
ground”, he added.
He
stated, “The discovery of a column, water canals, and
earthenware decorated with bull and the “Wheel of
Sun/Mithra” (Swastika) pointing out to its Anahita and
Mithraic cultic connection.”
Rezvani
concluded, “Since the construction is a Zoroastrian
fire-temple, a place for worshiping the God Ahura-Mazda,
as well as venerating the Anahita and Mithra, we can date
its’ construction to the late Parthian or early Sasanian
dynastic eras”, i.e. prior to the Emperor Ardeshir’s
(the founder of Sasanian dynasty) iconoclastic movement.
Archaeologists
believe that the flowing Shian fountainhead encouraged the
first settlements in the region in about 2400 BCE. They
have identified a great number of historical and ancient
sites in the region from the Parthian to the Post-Sasanian
periods.
Shian
Dam is scheduled to come on stream in 2007, which will
submerge all these eminent historical sites and Iranians
will be deprived of their Pre-Islamic heritage in that
region forever.
Source: ISNA
