The best introduction to Iran’s past is this museum near the old centre of Tehran. Its brick entrance, designed by the French architect André Godard, echoes the great arch of the Sasanian palace at Ctesiphon. Inside, the collection runs from prehistoric pottery and bronzes through the Elamite, Achaemenid, Parthian and Sasanian eras.
Look for the audience relief from the treasury of Persepolis, showing a king on his throne; a colossal bull capital; the headless statue of Darius from Susa, inscribed in several languages; and the remarkably preserved “Salt Men”, miners who died in a collapse at the Chehrabad salt mine many centuries ago. The neighbouring building covers the Islamic period.
Highlights
- The treasury audience relief from Persepolis
- Statue of Darius from Susa
- The Salt Men of Chehrabad
- Prehistoric pottery and Luristan bronzes
Gallery
