The results of excavations on Nahavand’s Naqarechi Hill has increased the possibility of connection between the Laodicea shrine and Naqarechi this discovery can bring to light many dark corners of the country’s western history during the Seleucid era.
According to ISNA news agency, Mohsen Janjan, head of Nahavand archeological team, said: “Finding the tomb of Tumulus” in Nagarechi hill will transform tourism in Nahavand, and we are looking forward to allocation of a budget in order to start of the third season of investigation in this area.”
Mohsen Janjan added: “Naqarechi Hill” with a height of 8 m, is located southeast of Nahavand and close to the orchards in this area, and this hill and tomb are mentioned in the travel report of “NaserredinShah.”
He continued: “Nahavand is one of the important cities in the Seleucid government, and on the other hand, the presence of the “Temple of Laodicea” in this area can be proof that this tomb belongs to an important person, such as a high-ranking general or a satrap or a king. We have been trying to find these royal tombs of the Seleucid era.”
Janjan further added: “The first season of excavations have registration of Naqarechi Hill in Nahavand took one month, and the second season, from May to June 2022, has also been completed, now we are looking forward to the provision of budget to start the 3rd season and to find answers to the ambiguities among the scientific group of excavations and archeologists from Iran and the world.”
He pointed out: “So far, the results of these excavations have increased the possibility of connection between Laodicea and Naqarechi, and now a Tumulus Tomb has been discovered from the Seleucid period, which is the first Tumulus Tomb of Iran, in the city of Nahavand, which can reveal the dark corners of the history of western parts of Iran during the Seleucid period. ”
Head of the archeological team of the second season of excavation on Naqarechi Hill added: “during the reign of Antiochus III, Nahavand became one of the important cities of this kingdom to the point where he built a place of worship called “LaodiceaTemple” and called the people to worship it. Based on the historical findings from the Seleucid period, the names of cities such as Antioch, Alexandria, Apollo, and Laodicea have been left, and Laodicea have been found, which, due to the importance of this city, archaeologists sought to discover its cemetery.”
He further said: “In the tomb found in Naqarachi hill, no historical relics or coffins and bones were found because, during the time of Naserodin Shah, the famous Abdul Samad Mirza (known as Ez-od-dowleh) went to this tomb and took out the relics inside it. The reports stated that Ez od-Dowleh, the ruler of Nahavand at that time, entered this tomb and removed the vestiges from the coffin. It is said that when he came out of the tomb, he was seen carrying a white cloth bundle and a dagger in his hand, and according to that it is believed that this grave was a royal tomb, and undoubtedly there must have been important relics in it.”
The head of the excavations added: “Even the French Dr. Fourier and Mohammad Hasan Khan Etemad al-Saltanah went to this site for exploration and started digging from above and thus destroyed part of the tomb’s roof, which of course can be repaired.”
Janjan added: “The findings of Naqarechi Hill have been of interest to the foreign media, and this is a turning point for attracting foreign tourists to the city.”
According to him, if credit is provided for the third season of Naqarechi hill exploration, it will undoubtedly create a special place in tourism and tourist attraction for Nahavand and Hamedan province.
He said: “When finding the tomb complex that we will be looking for in the 3rd season, an archaeological park or museum site will be created and launched, which will help find the temple of Laodicea.”
The head of excavations said: “Regarding the importance of the architecture of this area and its proximity to the city of Nahavand and Sarab Gyan, this area is a valuable place to build an archaeological park for history lovers, and the advantageous position of this hill, which is of particular importance to the community of researchers, will help empower the tourism department and will attract foreign tourists to this district.”
A Tumulus or Gourposhteh is a man-made hill that hides the burial chamber of kings or nobles under it. In the tomb hidden under the Tumulus, the deceased person’s body, along with his offerings and jewelry, was placed in a room and covered with a pile of dirt in the shape of a hill.
