Pasargadae was the ancient capital city of the Achaemenid Dynasty built by Cyrus II (also known as Cyrus the Great) in the 6th century BC, and thus part of the Persian Empire. Located in the Pars region of Iran about 40 kilometers northeast of Persepolis, the site includes an area of 160 hectares, with the ruins of Cyrus' mausoleum, and a set of royal structures including a gatehouse, audience hall, two residential palaces, and associated gardens.
Pasargadae Palaces
The two palaces at Pasargadae, like most of the structures there, are built of stone, rather than the more-typical Achaemenid structures of adobe mud brick and wood. Some scholars believe that Cyrus imported stone masons from the newly conquered regions of Ionia and Lydia. Carved above the gate was a message in Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian: "I, Cyrus, the king, an Achaemedian".
Architecture at Pasargadae
The palaces at Pasargadae are set in what was an extensive garden, irrigated by a system of stone channels. This garden is believed to be the first formal Persian garden divided into four quarters, a type made famous in Persia. Other important buildings include the Tall i-Takht, a gigantic stone platform perhaps intended for the foundation of a great palace; and the Zendan-i Suleiman or Prison of Solomon, a tall windowless building.
The Tomb of Cyrus, seen illustrated in the photograph, stands on stepped platform and has a gabled roof. Although the tomb was empty when excavated in the 1960s, a hoard of jewelry was found hidden in a pottery jar and buried beneath one of the royal pavilions. The hoard contained more than 1,000 items, including gold and cloisonne earrings and and necklaces dated from the 5th and 4th centuries BC.
Archaeology at Pasargadae
Pasargadae was excavated in the 1960s by British archaeologist David Stronach, and as of 2005, a team led by Ali Rahbari may have another chance at excavations in the near future. The site was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2004.
Pasargadae is also spelled Pâthragâda or Pasargad, and it is often misspelled Pasargardae.
Sources
This glossary entry is a part of the About.com Guide to Persian Empire and part of the Dictionary of Archaeology.
Curtis, John E. and Nigel Tallis. 2005. Forgotten Empire: The World of Ancient Persia. University of California Press, Berkeley.
