Cultural and Historical Landscape of Ātašgāh-i
Isfahān
Yaghesh Kazemi, Seyed Yaser Mousavi, Shima Majdi
Abstract
Ātašgāh is an ancient mud brick construction over a hill within the green gardens in the
Mārbīn region, west of )sfahan in )ran. There is evidence to prove the existence of a long
standing culture and civilization there, with natural-landscape features that are important
components of the cultural milieu in settlement both for tourists and local people. In order
to protect this cultural landscape and to ensure that Ātašgāh's archaeological site to be
known as an important heritage to draw tourists, explorers and adventurers in all times, it
is a must to address its values, sense and spirit of the place. Therefore, in this paper, the
aim has been to recognize the established relation between the Ātašgāh and its region ȋthe
Mārbīn regionȌ as accurately and completely as possible in order to tell about its history,
the way it was constructed and destroyed, the people who lived there, various activities
and happenings, and the previous uses of the site. This effort will also lead us to an
understanding of the culture and lifestyle of the citizens of Isfahan during the previous
eras.An interpretive-historical research method has been adopted to carry out this study,
and to serve this goal, a dual interaction between Dzthe gardens, farmlands, watercourses,
Ātašgāhdz and Dzthe cultural milieudz has been taken into consideration with reference to
mythical accounts and religious principles.
Keywords: Atashgah, Cultural Landscape, Historical Landscape, Isfahan, Marbin
© 2015 BBT Pub. All rights reserved.
Introduction
MƗrbƯn is a district in Isfahan (the capital city of Isfahan Province) in the center of Iranian plateau. The plain of MƗrbƯn
was created during the Quaternary Period as a result of sedimentation process of ZƗyandé-Rūd river (KƗẓimƯẖ 2007ẖ p.
44). South of the MƗrbƯn plain (about 5 km south west of Isfahan)ẖ there exists a single rocky hill approximately 86 m in
height, and is referred to locals "fire-altar" (ƖtašgƗh in Persian)ẖ and it is believed to be the abode of an ancient fortress
and fire-temple. A number of gardens are located in the space between the ƖtašgƗh and ZƗyandé-Rūdẖ and fed by the
river's (man-made) tributary streams (locally known as MƗdƯ). Some fertile agricultural fieldsẖ with numerous gardens in
between, are extend northward up to a mountain range with total distance of one hour on foot (fig. 1).The ƖtašgƗh is
visited by the people in weekends much more frequently than any other monument in the area and in Isfahan itself. It is
not a usual landscape, as climbing through its rocks and reaching its upper terrace or throne-place (TaḵtgƗh)ẖ provides for
the visitor a sort of "primitive" landscape revealing the hard work of its builders, and renders the tourism traditions as a
sort of "glance & perception" issue. It overlooks Isfahan itself. Visiting the ƖtašgƗh induces a sense of visiting the city
from above a dominant balcony to enjoy its greatness. The ƖtašgƗh is also unique from this point of view (fig. 2).
TaḵtgƗh-hƗ (Throne-places) usually provide their own landscape upon the nature with its basic elements, such as water,
forestsẖ and valleys being gathered at their base. But the ƖtašgƗh overlooks the city as wellẖ and this makes the city as
sort of 'natural' element or nature: the city becomes attached to some grand elements of nature, already capable to attract
visitors curiosity. In this way one can say that visiting the ƖtašgƗh is not just a sort of pilgrimageẖ but instead links the
visitor to its back ground nature. Everyone who visits Isfahan through the ƖtašgƗhẖ seeks impulsively for or engaged in
the mysteries behind the city in an "exploration –like" manner, so as to find some familiar mythical or historical tokens.
Tourism of "picturesque landscapes" has been always related to the nature-worshiping issues, which may be used for the
recognition of the ancient context of the monument. The mentality of the visitor becomes engaged in the process of
imagination by 'trying' to go backward in time. In this paper it is attempted to confront the reader with the kinds of
questions to be asked from the cultural-historical panorama of the ƖtašgƗh.
MƗrbīn and ƖtašgƗh in Mythical and Historical Accounts
In medieval historiesẖ MƗrbƯn has been referred to as MƗrƯn or MihrƯnẖ which seems to be the name of a fortress built by
the mythical Iranian kings Tahmuraṯ or Kay-KƗvus (Ḥamzah IṣfahƗnƯẖ 67ẖ p. Ibn KhurdƗdhbihẖ 88 Ibn Rustahẖ
2008 Ibn al-aqƯhẖ 885 Ibn al-BalkhƯẖ 2). ccordinglyẖ it was only later that a fire-temple was built there by the
order of Bahman son of EsfandƯƗr - who is perhaps Artaxerxes I (r. 465-25 B.C.E.), the Achaemenian king - or by Mihr-
yazdƗnẖ a local ruler of the Parthian period (Ḥamzah IṣfahƗnƯẖ 67ẖ p. MƗfarrūਏƯẖ 4ẖ p. 67 al-MustawfƯ al-
QazwƯnƯẖ ). Based on other documentsẖ its fire was still at work up to the 10
th
century C.E. and was respected by
local Zoroastrians (al-MasޏūdƯẖ 77ẖ p. 58 Ibn Rustahẖ 2008 Ibn Ḥawqal, 1979). Some other historical reports imply
also that Minū-dež (the same as fortress of MƗrbƯn) has been one of the three (or seven) principal "idol-temples"
dedicated to the worship of the Sun, Moon and five planets; known respectively as Now-bahƗr-i TƯr (Temple of
Mercury), Now-bahƗr-i MƗh (Temple of the Moon)ẖ and Now-bahƗr-i NƗhƯd (Temple of Venus). But after the vestan
king VƯštƗspa becomes a Zoroastrianẖ his son EsfandƯƗr removed the idols and transformed it into a fire-temple (al-
MasޏūdƯẖ 77ẖ p. 58 Mumal al-tawƗrƯਏ wa al-qiṣaṣ ẖ p. BurhƗn 55). Now-bahƗr is derived from the
Sanskrit term 'nava-vihƗra', meaning "new shrine" (PūrdƗvūdẖ ẖ p. ).MihrƯn also meant "the abode of Mihr"ẖ
which referred to any place dedicated to worshipping Mihr/Mithra (the Sun god) in the Parthian period (Boyce, 2001). It