April 27, 2021 Two ancient sites were identified in Bilqan area, located on Karaj-Chalous road, said deputy head of Alborz’s Province’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts 5 and Tourism Organization Abbas Nouri, IRNA reported. Anahita Temple 3,655m high. The citadel and fortifica- tions of Belqeys Throne are located on A temple attributed to Anahita, the the southern peak. Fortifications have goddess of water in Pre-Islam Iran, watchtowers overlooking the region. which is located to the northeast of the At the mountain, you can enjoy the lake. People used to praise water in this beautiful scenery of a lake between the temple. In some periods it was custom- two peaks created by melting snow. It’s a ary, in time of wars, to throw valuable scenic view for the most part of the year. and precious votive objects to the lake and believed that Anahita would pro- Solomon’s Prison tect them against enemies. So, there is hope for great treasure lying at the lake It’s a conical hill lying 3km west of bed! Takht-e Soleyman with the height of There are also two adjacent sites, about 100m above the surrounding namely Kooh-e Belqeys (Belqeys Moun- plains. At the summit of this hill, there’s a tain) and Zendan-e Soleyman (Solo- deep crater about 60m in diameter which mon’s Prison). Belqeys was the name of most likely was filled with water two the Queen of Sheba, Solomon’s wife. thousand years ago. tappersia.com General View of Takht-e Soleyman akht-e Soleyman is an Iranian vicinity. Here’s a short introduction: destinationiran.com archeological site, located 45km Ruins of Azar Goshansb Fire Temple Tnortheast of Takab, West Azarbai- The artesian lake jan Province, northwest of Iran. It cov- worship and sacrifice in Sassanid Era. which turned out to be one of the three ers an area of about 124,000 sq.m. and Thousands of years ago it was just a major temples of Sassanid Era. the name is Persian equivalent for Solo- spring. But, during years, sediments from Ups and downs over years But in 624 CE, the Roman Emperor, mon’s Throne. its water raised a wall around the outer Heraclius, destroyed it in an attack to In different historical periods, Medi- edge, and the result is a lake 60 meters This archeological site was the larg- Iran. It happened in the reign of Khosrow ans, Parthians, Sassanids, and Mongols deep you can see today. Several streams est educational, religious, and social Parviz, the late Sassanid king. had settled in this area. This historical- branch off the lake, which waters sur- center in pre-Islam era in Iran. There After the decline of Sassanid Empire, cultural complex includes traces of hu- rounding lands. are some indications of the earliest this huge complex couldn’t revive again man settlement from the first millennium settlement during the first millennium after the severe damages it had received BCE. According to some historians, it has Zoroastrian fire temple around the site. Sometime in the early in the war between Iran and Rome. been the birthplace of Zoroaster. This site years of Achaemenid Era, the rulers It went on until the 13th century when has been approved as an Iranian tangible It was the third principal fire temple for constructed some structures at Takht-e Abagha Khan, the second Mongol ruler cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2003, Iranians in Sassanid Period, located to the Soleyman. Also, there are some traces of the Persian Ilkhanid, gave new life to destinationiran.com reported. north of the lake, known as Azargoshasb showing Parthians had been using the Takht-e Soleyman by doing extensive re- Around the entire site, there is a round Fire Temple. The royal family and mili- destinationiran.com site. pairs and construction of new buildings. fortified platform with the height of about tary commanders had a sole right to wor- Inside Anahita Temple Sassanids constructed a mud-brick They used it as the royal summer resort 60m above the surrounding plains. An ship there. As a symbol of national unity, wall around the central lake, gates and for some time. Most of the construction artesian lake, a Zoroastrian fire temple, the government and people of the time Belqeys Mountain The reason for such naming is a local temples. The site gained its religious im- occurred at the southern side of the site and Anahita Temple are located on this highly respected the temple. The fire in it legend which says here is the place in portance during this period. The Zoroas- little of which is remained. In the 14th platform. There are remarkably interest- has been a symbol of Zoroastrianism au- It lies 8km northeast of Takht-e Soley- which Solomon imprisoned disobeyed trian government moved the fire to the century, Mongol princes stopped inhabit- ing points both inside this site and in its thority for about seven centuries. man with two peaks of about 3,200m and demons. It was a Zoroastrian place of temple here and called it Azar Goshansb, ing this site and left it. Iranian nomads weaving gabbeh rugs for centuries Other people in Iran produce these art. It is because of the unique qual- The nomadic weaver’s life dictates rugs as well, such as the Kurds and ity of their designs that these rugs fit the loom must be able to be disman- Bakhtiaris. well into today’s modern interiors tled and set up easily in each new lo- (though perhaps not as well in for- cation and the incorporation of mate- Design mal rooms). rials from each site (along with those The spontaneity and boldness of taken with them) is also a necessity. 55online.news The basic design of Persian gab- the design of these rugs have made Traditional Persian gabbeh rugs are beh rugs, whether antique or mod- them very popular. woven on a horizontal ground loom. ern, is quite different from the clas- The difference in the materials found sic Persian designs. These rugs have Colors at each site often resulted in rugs that large open fields with just a few col- were slightly irregular in shape. It also or combinations. Small motifs can The natural dyes used by gabbeh meant the rugs had to be smaller in Ashuradeh a must-see island be found placed throughout the field weavers give the colors a bold and size for easy handling during moves. which can include birds, plants, ani- vivid look. The early rugs were rough and primi- in Golestan Province mals, as well as human figures. The Because these dyes are collected tive and quickly woven for personal use geometric design patterns are more from natural sources such as mad- in the tent. They were very coarse (the Ashuradeh Island is the name of an island in The fauna of the island includes fox, modern-looking than their classic der root, walnuts, and other plants word gabbeh comes from the Persian Miankaleh Peninsula, located 10km west of jackal, wild cat, pig, wild horse, etc. Indige- Persian counterparts. and insects of the region where they ‘raw,’ ‘rough,’ ‘coarse,’ etc.). Bandar Torkaman, northeastern province of nous and migratory birds such as pheasant, The antique Persian gabbeh rugs Golestan. white and black geese, flamingo, pelican as were not only coarse with a knot Some people believe that the word ‘Ashu- well as aquatic animals like salmon, starry count of 40 knots per square inch or radeh’ means ‘hunting ground’ or ‘pasture’. sturgeon also live in this environment. less, but their wide rows of multiple There is also historical speculation that Ashu- Among the vegetation of Ashuradeh, sour wefts (side to side foundation cords) radeh was a place where one of the kings of pomegranate trees and raspberry bushes gave them a pliable feel. This made the Khwarazmian Dynasty (1077-1231) fled can be named but a few. them very suitable not only as floor after his defeat during the Mongol invasion of Ashuradeh can be reached via Bandar coverings but bedding as well. Iran, visitiran.ir reported. Torkaman. If you want to travel and visit this Traditionally the women of the These days, Ashuradeh covers an area of marvelous attraction by your personal car, abc-oriental-rug.com tribe are the weavers who also hand about 320 hectares and only the employees of you should park and leave your car in the The advent of Persian gabbeh rugs card and spin the wool from their Iran Fisheries Organization live on the island Bandar Torkaman and use boats to cross over from Iran into the Western market is own sheep. Wool is used for both the and the local people have left it. the sea through Ashuradeh Island. relatively new, even though the ear- foundation and the pile. One of the historical landmarks in Ashu- While visiting this island, you can get a lot liest of these rugs were being woven The wool from the sheep used for radeh is the ruins of a Safavid fortress that of pleasure from browsing the local market, in Persia as early as the 1500s. Fifty the foundation and pile of the gab- still remain. Ashuradeh was a royal hunting the sand dunes of Ashuradeh, and watching years ago, most rug enthusiasts had beh rugs from Iran is of excellent ground in the Safavid Era (1501-1736). The hunting sturgeons. It is worth mentioning that not even heard of them. quality. The sheep are grazed in high ‘Russian Fortress’, the ‘House of the Russian about half of the starry sturgeon caviar of Iran The term gabbeh is used broadly to rugstorene.co.uk altitudes which produces more lano- Minister’ and the ‘Wooden Church’ are the is hunted from the shores of Ashuradeh.