WANA (Aug 27) – In Iran’s Marvdasht Plain, home to Persepolis—the historic capital of the Achaemenid kings—more than 20 small ancient inscriptions have been discovered. These stone engravings offer a window into the daily life and literacy of people in Iran during the Sassanid era, around 1,600 years ago.

 

Sadegh Zare, head of the Cultural Heritage Department of Fars Province, said: “Considering the historical significance of this region, finding multiple artifacts is not entirely unexpected.” The inscriptions are delicately carved into the stone with fine, needle-like script, suggesting that even ordinary people of the time were literate, and some of the inscriptions may have been personal writings.

 

One of these inscriptions measures only 4 by 7 centimeters, making it one of the smallest historical stone writings discovered in Iran. The exact locations of all inscriptions are recorded within the protected boundaries of Persepolis but are not publicly disclosed to prevent potential damage.

 

Documentation of the artifacts is ongoing by cultural heritage experts and the Persepolis site team, with the process of registering them as national heritage items underway. Additionally, Abolhassan Atabaki, a prominent cultural heritage researcher, has been invited to assist in completing the documentation and registration.

 

Zare added: “Fars currently has over 3,000 identified historical artifacts that have not yet been nationally registered, and the registration process for them is ongoing.”