If it was possible to go back to 40,000 years, we would see people in the stone age drawing on smooth stones, in a place now known as Teymareh. But it is possible, in a way; the petroglyphs of those 40,000 years old people are still on display. Much has been said and written about the “petroglyphs of Teymareh.”
Among the cities of Mahalat, Khomein and Golpayegan, in the Markazi and Isfahan provinces, where the sources of Anarban River flow, Teymareh petroglyphs are visible. The number of those pictures reaches 21 thousand stones! It is not without reason that Teymareh is called “The largest stone tableau of Iran”. Where else in Iran (or in the world) can you see so many pictures of 40,000 years old people? Specially since its petroglyphs have secrets in them that are amazing, and we have no way to open their secrets except to let our imaginations run wild.
The petroglyphs of Teymareh are unique and have no equivalent in the world. Therefore, they have always been the subject of paleontologists’ attention. They tell about very ancient prehistoric times; they reveal to us the first signs of art in man; they show signs of ancient myths; they give us clues to their beliefs and mentality and spread before our eye’s pictures of their daily lives. In addition, the technique they used in engraving the stone pictures is precious. So, if we consider the petroglyphs of Teymareh as the story of the Stone Age man’s life, we have not exaggerated.
The area that the 21,000 petroglyphs of Teymareh cover is 40,000 sqm. 150 characters are drawn on 21 thousand stones, each with a unique story and mystery. It takes years and maybe even decades to find out those secrets.
There are many shapes in the petroglyphs of Tehmareh. Humans of 40,000 years ago hunting animals is one of the repeated drawings. Mountain goat hunting is seen the most. The ancient people of Teymareh, with arrows, bows, and spears in hand, are chasing swift footed preys. It is fascinating to see those battles on the engraved stones of Teymareh.
The biggest figure is a mountain goat, 112 cm high and 90 cm in width. Animals such as ram, leopard, wolf (or maybe dog), reindeer, lion boar, deer, camel, zebra, and birds such as ram, leopard, wolf (or maybe dog), deer, lion, boar, deer, camel, zebra, and birds such as partridge, crane, and Eurasian hoopoe are among the drawing of Teymareh. Some shapes were drawn in other periods (after stone age) depicting people riding horses and holding clubs and lassos. Women giving birth, hand-in-hand battles, group battles, ritual dances, mysterious geometric shapes, mysterious words, and many other images are part of the ancient petroglyphs of Teymareh. There are lines in Elamite, Pahlavi, Hebrew, Arabic, and Persian languages written on Teymareh stones in the Old and Middle Ages of Iran’s history.
Assumptions have been made about the petroglyphs of Teymareh. For example, by obtaining drawings very similar to the ziggurat structures of ancient times, it is assumed that the first ziggurat shrines in the world were in Teymareh. Ziggurats are sandstone structures built in the form of stairs in ancient times, and the width of the floor decreased on higher stories.
Another assumption about Teymareh stone carvings, which have mysterious shapes and depict people with unusual shapes, is that they are said to have been extraterrestrial people and that the people of Teymareh stone age drew their images on stones after seeing them! Those people wear clothes similar to those of today’s astronauts. Their heads are larger than usual, with stout torso and short legs. However, whether extraterrestrials are humans who came from other planets is only a conjecture, and its scientific basis has yet to be known. Along with it, winged humans have also been depicted, with similar examples in petroglyphs all over Iran.
It is a pity that the rare collection of Teymareh petroglyphs, which is a precious asset for the history and culture of Iran now and in the future, is not guarded and cared for. Based on the report of the Isna news agency (Dey 14, 1400), the departments of natural resources, industry, mining, and trade of Golpayegan and Khomein have “proceeded to issue grazing and mining permits” in the area of petroglyphs! Cultural heritage officials of Golpayegan have considered mining next to the petroglyphs as “a serious threat and destruction for this area”; because miners, in order to get access to silica resources – the substance needed to produce glass – destroy black stones containing ancient carvings.” In the continuation of ISNA’s report, it is stated: “While on Mehr 19, 1400, the mines were ordered to stop by the prosecutor of Golpayegan, but it is heard that they are still secretly continuing their activities! Upon hearing such news, every lover of Iran’s ancient heritage will be devastated.
