The black paint around the eyes of the statue of
Darius the Great has attracted the attention of
the experts recently studying the bas-relief works
at the Naqsh-e Rostam site in Fars Province.
They
had previously recognized the use of red, blue,
and green colors on the bas-relief works, and the
black color was the new discovery, said expert
Majdeddin Rahimi on Sunday.
Following
the recent documentation process at the site, this
is the first time the black color has been
observed on the monuments of the Achaemenid
Empire, he added.
“Studying
the colors on the monuments including the
Persepolis and Naqsh-e Rostam will help the
experts find out more about the art and culture of
the Achaemenid people,” he noted.
“Blue
was color of peace, red was color of warmness, and
green was sacred for the then residents,” added
Rahimi.
It
is believed that the use of long-lasting colors
illustrate high skill of the experts in chemistry
in those years, he stated.
Naqsh-e
Rostam, close to the Persepolis, embraces the
tombs of Achaemenid kings. The tomb of Darius the
Great is located on the main entrance, 26 meter
high in the mountains, bearing an inscription and
the bas-relief works.
