Researchers Discover Astronomical Inscription at an Ancient Site From Iran

Researchers Discover Astronomical Inscription at an Ancient Site From Iran
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Astronomy has been around for a long, long time! In fact, it’s practically ancient. People have been gazing up at the stars for millennia, trying to make sense of the patterns in the sky and the movements of the celestial bodies.

The ancient Greeks, for example, had their own gods and goddesses for each planet and constellation. The Chinese had their own system of astronomy, complete with a celestial bureaucracy of celestial officials who kept track of the movements of the stars. And the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids specifically to align with the stars.

Now we have another proof that astronomy is definitely not a modern-day invention. 

An inscription found at Naqsh-e Rostam reveals an astronomical quest

According to Tehran Times, researcher Abolhassan Atabaki brings the news of the Naqsh-e Rostam archaeological site from Iran revealing both astronomy and chronology through its inscriptions.

The inscription that has been analyzed appears to have been created by scribes from either the ancient city of Istakhr or the area of Naqsh-e Rostam during the late Sassanid period, which lasted from 224 to 651. This determination was made based on the style of writing and the characteristics of the script used in the inscription.

Naqsh-e Rostam is an ancient site located in the Fars province of Iran, near the city of Shiraz. It is home to a series of tombs and other structures carved into the cliffs of a mountain range. The site is believed to date back to the Achaemenid Empire (550-330 BCE) and was used by the Sassanid Empire (224-651 CE) as well. The tombs at Naqsh-e Rostam are believed to belong to some of the Achaemenid kings, including Darius I and Xerxes I. In addition to the tombs, there are also several rock reliefs at the site, including one that depicts the investiture of Ardashir I, the founder of the Sassanid Empire. Naqsh-e Rostam is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is a popular tourist destination in Iran.

So the next time you look up at the night sky, just remember that you’re joining a long and storied tradition of people trying to understand the cosmos!

The new research was published in the “Research Journal of the Iranian Civilization.” 


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Even since he was a child, Cristian was staring curiously at the stars, wondering about the Universe and our place in it. Today he's seeing his dream come true by writing about the latest news in astronomy. Cristian is also glad to be covering health and other science topics, having significant experience in writing about such fields.

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