Hegmataneh hill

Hegmataneh hill : One of the historical attractions of Iran

Hegmataneh (Ecbatana) is located in suburban area of Hamedan. It contains 50 acres of the city of Hamedan.

Hegmataneh is universally well known because Median Dynasty was established over there. After Medes, this city was the capital of Achaemenids as well.

In the following periods- Selukis, Parthians, Sassanids and Islamic ynasties like Aleh Bouyeh (Bouyehs Family) most of them belong to Parthian era. The area enjoys a great variety of Parthian modern architectural systems of urban areas that are masterpieces of their time and reveal their creators special talent.

The view of distant mountains from the top of this low, open hill is pleasantly rewarding, especially in the late afternoon, but it’s what lies below that excites archaeologists: an ancient Median and Achaemenid city.

Small sections have been excavated over the last century, most extensively in the 1990s. You can wander above several shed-covered trenches on wobbly plank scaffolding Relics discovered from this hill are, a golden tablet (from the times of Ariamaneh, the father of Arsham), the golden cup (related to Xerxes, the offspring of Darius) dating to the 5th century BC. A sword and a goblet (of approximately the Achaemenian period), and an embossed lion with wings in a leaping position (related to the Achaemenian era). These discoveries show that this area,i.e., the Hegmataneh hill was most probably the treasury of the Achaemenian monarchs.

Hegmataneh Ensemble consists of a unique collection of historical ruins and a valuable archaeological site. A complex collection of congested urban constructions including towers (citadel of the old city) unique urban architecture like a chess board (Hippodamian) developed system of water pipelines and roads and the pavements as well as a great number of houses rather than single deserted buildings.

There exist remains belong to six different historical periods and a peculiar ensemble belongs to the Christians of Iran. Due to its historical and cultural great importance, it is well protected. These all signify that civilization was exceptional and of great glamour at this zenith.

Archaeology

There’s a smart museum nearby, as well as two Armenian churches, now part of Hamedan University. The ancient walls’ gold and silver coatings are long gone and it’s hard to envisage the lumpy remnants as having once constituted one of the world’s great cities.

The museum tries to fill the mental gap, showcasing archaeological finds such as large amphorae, Seljuk fountains, Achaemenid pillar bases and Parthian coffins. The main site entrance is to the north, but there’s a handy ‘back-door’ staircase from the city bus terminal behind the bazaar that climbs directly to the churches.

Hegmataneh which is believed it is Ecbatana, the archaeological masterpiece of the Parthians, was considered as the greatest archeological achievements of the era. Its peculiarity lies in its construction techniques. Constructing these buildings sun-dried bricks (measure: 45m *45m *l 3m and 33m*33m *13m) as well as baked ones (measure: 37m *37m *7m) were used.

Utilizing a modern architectural plan, these bricks were made in workshops located in all northern, southern, western and eastern side of the city. Each quadrangular building measure (I 7.5m *l 7.5m *2m) and has got a porch and a hall in the middle and 3 rooms on the both sides.

These building were constructed in two parallel rows in the back of each other. Between each two rows, paths of 3.5m of width were designed in northeastern and south western side of the building.

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