About
Bisotun is an ancient rock monument in Kermanshah Province, in western Iran. It is set into a cliff face and is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site is also known as Behistun or Bagastana.
At its heart is a large relief and inscription carved into the rock by Darius the Great around 520 BC. The text is written in cuneiform in three languages, which is why the monument has long been of interest to visitors and scholars of the ancient world. Later, Sassanid-era reliefs were added to the cliff, so the site shows more than one period of carving within the same stone.
What a visit offers
- The cliff inscription and royal relief, the monument that gives the site its importance
- The cuneiform text in three languages, visible on the rock face
- Sassanid-era reliefs, from a later period carved alongside the older work
Because the monument is cut into a cliff, a visit is largely about looking closely at the stone and reading how the different periods sit beside one another. It suits travellers interested in ancient history, archaeology and the layers of a single place over many centuries.
Around the site
Bisotun lies in Kermanshah Province, and the wider area is worth considering when planning the journey. Visitors who want to combine the monument with other places in the region can use the province as a base, and the rock itself makes a focused stop for those already exploring western Iran.