Posted on 08/21/2004 2:34:39 AM PDT by BlackVeil
TEHRAN (MNA) -- During the latest season of excavations of the northern gate of Takht-e Suleiman, an ancient Zoroastrian fire temple located in northwestern Iran, the stamps of two seals were discovered which indicate that objects entered Takht-e Suleiman from other regions with special tags attached to them which seem to be advertisements.
They signify that an early form of advertising was being practiced during the Sassanid era (224-642 C.E.), Yusef Moradi, the head of the excavation team, said on Friday.
“The team began its excavations in early August and found the stamps of two seals at the upper levels of the soil layer of the northern gate of Takht-e Suleiman. The seals had different usages during the Sassanid era. Two stylized portraits of two members of the Sassanid royal family are depicted on them, which indicates that the presents and tribute given to these members of the Sassanid royalty from other places were stamped with these seals and were then given to the members of royalty. In fact, the stamps of these seals were used as a tag and utilized as a kind of advertisement between the sender and the receiver of the objects,” Moradi explained.
He added that there are some writings in the Pahlavi-Sassanid language on these seals which experts have not yet deciphered.
He believes that more stamps of the seals could be discovered if the excavation continues. These seals help archaeologists gain more knowledge about administrative and judiciary activities during the Sassanid era.
Ebrahim Heidari, the director of the Takht-e Suleiman project, had previously found many impressions of seals from this collection.
An operation to locate documents related to these artifacts is currently underway, and on completion of the work experts will begin comprehensive research on the discoveries, he added.
Takht-e Suleiman, which means the throne of Solomon, is the largest and the most beautiful Zoroastrian fire temple in Iran from the Sassanid era and its fire was kept lit their centuries. It is located in a mountainous area of northwestern Iran 42 kilometers north of Takab in West Azerbaijan province, and is one of the most interesting and enigmatic sacred sites in Iran.
Its setting and landforms must certainly have inspired the mythic imagination of the archaic mind. Situated in a small valley, at the center of a flat stone hill rising twenty meters above the surrounding lands, is a small lake of mysterious beauty. Brilliantly clear but dark as night due to its depth, the lake’s waters are fed by a hidden spring far below the surface. Places like this were known in legendary times as portals to the underworld and abodes of the earth spirits.
Answer to #19 and 20.....
It is 1425 on the muslim calendar, which is a lunar calendar.
Here's some info on calculating .........http://i-cias.com/e.o/islam_cal.htm
The Persian calendar is solar. It is year 1383.
Afghanistan may use this calendar also, but I'm not sure.
I've always wondered what year people said it was during the time before christ. Obvioulsy they weren't counting backwards.
Thank you. The error was, indeed, my own.
Err... how does 200 AD translate as "ancient"?
It stands for Ab Urbe Condita "From the founding of the city," which I believe was around 753 B.C. However, at the time, there reportedly were already unscrupulous antique coin dealers in Naples marking coins "B.C." for the tourist trade.
It's been downhill ever since.
It stands for Ab Urbe Condita "From the founding of the city," which I believe was around 753 B.C. However, at the time, there reportedly were already unscrupulous antique coin dealers in Naples marking coins "B.C." for the tourist trade.
It's been downhill ever since.
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Just updating the GGG info, not sending a general distribution. |
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