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What unsolved mysteries are hidden in the inscriptions of Darius I?
In the Achaemenid Empire between the 6th and 4th centuries BC, there were royal inscriptions written in cuneiform. These precious historical documents provide an important perspective for us to understand the empire at that time. However, there are many unsolved mysteries hidden in these inscriptions, attracting scholars to actively explore.
The linguistic diversity of the Achaemenid royal inscriptions demonstrates the multi-ethnic character of the empire. The coexistence of Old Persian, Babylonian and Iranian also makes text interpretation challenging.
Multi-lingual features of inscriptions
Achaemenid royal inscriptions are usually written in three languages, and there is no simple translation between Old Persian, Babylonian and Iranian. Sometimes there are passages in one language that are not found in the other two languages, which requires scholars to be extra careful when translating and understanding.
For example, the old Persian version often emphasized the identity of the ruler, while the Iranian version focused more on geographical location, and the Babylonian version highlighted the role of the ruled, reflecting the social class behind the different languages.
Fragments of history and unsolved mysteries
Although scholars use ancient Greek documents such as the works of Herodotus for research, there are still considerable historical fragments that cannot be reconstructed based on known sources. Especially during the reign of Driss I, the inscriptions left behind are short and repetitive, making interpretation more difficult.
These inscriptions even include examples of objects engraved with Egyptian hieroglyphics, further demonstrating the exchange and integration of cultures from various places at that time.
The decoding process of the inscription
In the 19th century, the decoding process of Achaemenid inscriptions could be divided into several stages. Initially, scholars discovered that the inscriptions displayed three different writing systems and began to study their structure. By comparing known names and languages, they gradually cracked the skeleton of Old Persian.
For example, Carsten Niebuhr was the first to make a copy of the Persian inscription, a discovery that played a key role in the decoding effort.
The existing number and whereabouts of Achaemenid inscriptions
The total number of Achaemenid royal inscriptions currently known is mainly 175. Most of these important documents were found in the core areas of Achaemenid, such as Pasarcada, Persepolis and other places. Outside Iran, only a few inscriptions marking its period exist.
Scholars have also clearly defined the "non-authentic" inscriptions. Although these are officially marked under the name of a certain ruler, they were not actually written by his own hand.
Counterfeiting and circulation
Since the 19th century, counterfeit goods from the Near East have emerged in an endless stream. After illegal excavations in Iran, such counterfeit goods have become a hot commodity in the market. Scholars have documented 27 forged inscriptions, indicating that the value of these documents has been significantly devalued in some way.
Most of these forgeries stem from scholars' misreading or translation of existing documents, which plunges the originally existing cultural heritage into greater confusion.
In the Achaemenid royal inscriptions, the multilingual features and historical fragments we have seen reveal the diversity and complexity of society at that time, and the process of decoding has repeatedly reminded us that the truth of history is sometimes hidden Deep and difficult to discern. In this vast history, how many unsolved mysteries are there waiting for us to explore?
