The Ritual Landscape at Persepolis: Glyptic Imagery from the Persepolis Fortification and Treasury Archives

A new corpus of glyptic imagery from Persepolis reveals previously unpublished and visually complex representations of fire altars and temples, offering the most extensive, well-dated, and contextually rich evidence for understanding ritual practices and religious iconography in early Achaemenid Iran. This study provides a significant advancement in the field by analyzing impressions from administrative tablets dating between 509–457 BC, linking them to the reign of Darius I. The findings challenge traditional interpretations and contribute to the development of a religious topography for the Persepolis-Naqš-e Rostam region, bridging visual evidence with built environments.

Garrison, M. B. (2017). The Ritual Landscape at Persepolis: Glyptic Imagery from the Persepolis Fortification and Treasury Archives. In Studies in Ancient Oriental Civilization (Vol. 72). Oriental Institute. https://doi.org/10.83354/12BA-AM59