Behistun Inscription Monument
Ancient multilingual rock relief and bilingual inscription
The Behistun Inscription in Kermanshah province is a multilingual Achaemenid relief carved into a limestone cliff by Darius the Great; tourists visit for archaeology and ancient epigraphy.
Behistun Inscription at a Glance#
About Behistun Inscription#
The Behistun Inscription is a monumental carved relief and trilingual cuneiform inscription commissioned by the Achaemenid king Darius I around 520 BCE. It is cut into a limestone cliff on the ancient route between Mesopotamia and the Iranian plateau and was crucial to deciphering cuneiform.
The site includes a large figural relief showing the king and his defeated foes alongside long inscription panels in Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian. Scholars in the 19th century used the parallel texts to unlock Old Persian and then other cuneiform languages.
The monument was carved into a steep cliff face and historically required access by ladders or scaffolding; it remains accessible today by a path below the cliffs and is a major archaeological landmark near Kermanshah.
Geographically it lies in western Iran along the slopes of the Zagros foothills, approximately 30 km north of the city of Kermanshah, overlooking the ancient pass that linked Mesopotamia and the Iranian plateau.
- Date and significance: Created around 520 BCE by order of Darius I and carved into a cliff face, it provided the key text used to decipher cuneiform scripts.
- Languages: Inscribed in three languages - Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian (Akkadian) - which enabled linguistic breakthroughs in the 19th century.
What to See#
- Main Darius relief: The main Achaemenid relief carved on the limestone cliff showing Darius I with bound figures and attendants, the focal point of the monument.
- Trilingual cuneiform inscription: Multilingual cuneiform inscription in Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian (Akkadian) that runs for many lines alongside the relief and records Darius’s account.
How to Get to Behistun Inscription#
Behistun is near Kermanshah in western Iran, roughly 30-40 km northeast of the city. Road travel from Kermanshah followed by a short climb to viewing platforms provides the best vantage points; local guides and organized tours commonly include Behistun on historical itineraries.
Tips for Visiting Behistun Inscription#
- Check access restrictions and guided-tour availability when visiting the Behistun Inscription site; some areas may be regulated.
- Bring a strong zoom lens - the inscription and reliefs are high on a cliff and require close-up photography from a distance.
- Read translations of Darius's inscription in advance (dated to c. 520 BCE) to appreciate how it framed imperial authority.
Best Time to Visit Behistun Inscription#
Best visited in spring or autumn for comfortable weather and clearer views of the cliff reliefs.
Weather & Climate near Behistun Inscription#
Behistun Inscription's climate is classified as Hot-Summer Continental (Dry Summer) - Hot-Summer Continental (Dry Summer) climate with hot summers (peaking in July) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -4°C to 36°C. Semi-arid with limited rainfall with a pronounced dry season.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Poor | -4° - 6° | -1° | 69 mm | partly cloudy | 69% | 1.8 m/s | 0.5 low | 10.0h |
| February | Poor | -3° - 8° | 0° | 65 mm | partly cloudy | 68% | 2.3 m/s | 0.8 moderate | 10.8h |
| March | Good | 1° - 13° | 5° | 88 mm | partly cloudy | 61% | 3.0 m/s | 1.2 high | 11.8h |
| April | Very Good | 6° - 19° | 13° | 58 mm | partly cloudy | 57% | 3.2 m/s | 1.6 very high | 12.9h |
| May | Excellent | 10° - 25° | 17° | 30 mm | some cloud | 45% | 3.0 m/s | 2.2 extreme | 13.8h |
| June | Ideal | 13° - 31° | 22° | 2 mm | clear | 26% | 3.0 m/s | 2.8 extreme | 14.3h |
| July | Ideal | 17° - 36° | 27° | 1 mm | clear | 19% | 3.0 m/s | 2.6 extreme | 14.1h |
| August | Ideal | 17° - 36° | 26° | 0 mm | clear | 19% | 3.0 m/s | 2.3 extreme | 13.3h |
| September | Ideal | 12° - 31° | 21° | 1 mm | clear | 23% | 2.7 m/s | 1.8 very high | 12.3h |
| October | Ideal | 7° - 24° | 16° | 23 mm | mostly sunny | 36% | 2.4 m/s | 1.1 high | 11.2h |
| November | Very Good | 2° - 16° | 8° | 55 mm | some cloud | 57% | 1.8 m/s | 0.6 moderate | 10.2h |
| December | Good | -1° - 10° | 3° | 71 mm | partly cloudy | 67% | 1.6 m/s | 0.4 low | 9.7h |
