British Academy: The UK's National Academy for the Humanities and Social Sciences

After Alexander: Central Asia Before Islam

The discovery of a Tower of Silence of the Sasanian period at Bandiyan: some observations on dakhma burials in the Zoroastrian doctrine

Mehdi Rahbar

Bandiyan, Dargaz, in the north of Khorasan, is one of the most important Sasanian period sites discovered in recent years. There are three small tepes, each with a height of not more than 4-5 m. situated within a short distances of each other. Last year we worked on the middle site and found an elaborate fire temple with beautiful stucco decoration in the (reception) hall. On the basis of a Middle Persian inscription found there, this fire temple belonged to a ‘dastgird’.

Site B, situated about 30 m. to the south-west of the fire temple, has been excavated since 2002. Here a circular tower was discovered with a diameter of 20 m. and a height of 3 m. built of chineh. On top of the tower there were further constructions. In the centre of the tower, there is a circular space with a diameter of 5.40m, the remaining space beyond is divided into three parts. Around one of these spaces were lime plaster benches, 10-15 cm. high and 50 cm. wide. The floor of this area was also made of lime plaster. A cistern about 80 cm. deep was dug in the centre of this space. There were three ‘water’ channels 1-2 m. in length sloping slightly towards the cistern. The body of the cistern and the water channels were covered with lime plaster. The fact that the water flow was restricted, an obstruction on one side, and the thin lime plaster on the inside of the well all rule out the suggestion that the cistern was used for collecting rain water. Although no bones and similar objects were found here, it had a religious significance rather than an everyday purpose. We shall consider the later period Zoroastrian Towers of Silence in Yazd and Kerman, as well as burial types of the Parthian and Sasanian periods and compare them with the Tower of Silence at Bandiyan, which reflects a stage in the development of such architecture.

We regard this tower as being contemporary with a Sasanian period building on top of the ruins of the fire temple.