Shiyānشیان
Location: Western Iran, the Kermanshah Province
34.08271, 6° N 46.702841° E
The plain of Shiyān is located 45 km west of Kermanshah in the Zagros region, where there is a group of villages such as Qal’eh Shiyān and Sarāb-e Shiyān.
Location:
Historical Period:
Late Sasanian
History and Description:
There is no textual evidence for a fire temple at Shiyān. However, given the presence of an imposing archaeological mound in the village of Qal’eh Shiyān, and the situation of the site must have been an important stop on the ancient road connecting Bisutun to Qasr-e Shirin.
The main excavated building is a square fire temple, 25 x 25 m, made of rubble masonry and gypsum plaster (fig. 1, fig. 2). The main hall, 14.5 x 14.5 m., includes the ruined bases of a chāhārtāq that once covered a central T-shaped basin marked with decorated gypsum bases. The dimension of these bases varies from 60 to 180 cm and there is a hole on top of each (fig. 3). The bases have been interpreted as fire altars or holders of flags or even seats (Khosravi, Alibaigi, Rahbar, “The Functions of Gypsum Bases in Sasanid Fire Temples,” pp. 277-278).
Fig. 1. General view of the fire temple (photo: Hasan Rezvani)
Fig. 2. Plan of the fire temple at Shiyān (after Rezvani)
Fig. 3. Gypsum bases of the fire temple at Shiyān (photo: Hasan Rezvani)
Archaeological Exploration:
The construction of a dam on the Shiyān river between 2004 and 2007 generated rescue archaeological activities in the area, including the uncovering and subsequent conservation of a Sasanian fire temple in the flooding area behind the dam. Two seasons of rescue excavations were conducted by Hasan Rezvani on behalf of the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research in 2004 (Rezvani, Gozāresh-e kāvosh-e nejātbakhshi-ye mohavate-ye bāstāni-ye sad-e Shiyān, Kermanshah; Parvande-ye sabti-ye mohavate-ye bāstāniy-e Shiyān; Atashkade-ye Shiyān). The main period of occupation is late Sasanian, from the reign of Khosrow I onwards. The site remained occupied until the eleventh century.
Finds:
Archaeological finds consist of decorated fragments of gypsum attached to structures.
Ceramics (fig. 4): most of the ceramics are typical plain pottery of the Sasanian period.
Coins (fig. 5): Three silver coins were found in excavations, one from the time of Khosrow I, and the others from the reign of Khosrow II (dated to A.D. 597-98).
Gold earrings and pendants (fig. 6)
Glass (fig. 7): A broken glass goblet.
Fig. 4. Sasanian ceramics from Shiyān (photo: Hasan Rezvani)
Fig. 5. Silver coins from Shiyān: left, coin of Khosrow I (r. 531-579), right, two coins of Khosrow II (r. 591-628) (photo: Hasan Rezvani)
Fig. 6. Gold earrings and pendants from Shiyān (photo: Hasan Rezvani)
Fig. 7. Goblet in glass (photo: Hasan Rezvani)
Bibliography:
Khosravi, Sh., S. Alibaigi, and M. Rahbar, “The Functions of Gypsum Bases in Sasanid Fire Temples: A Different Proposal,” Iranica Antiqua, vol. 53, 2018, pp. 267-298.
Rezvani, H., Parvande-ye sabti-ye mohavate-ye bāstāniy-e Shiyān, unpublished report, the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research, Tehran, 1383 /2004.
Rezvani, H., Gozāresh-e kāvosh-e nejātbakhshi-ye mohavate-ye bāstāni-ye sad-e Shiyān, Kermanshah, unpublished report, the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research, Tehran, 1384/2005.
Rezvani, H., Atashkade-ye Shiyān, Kermanshah, 1385/2006.
