Dynasty
The last great pre-Islamic empire and its magnificent monuments in Kurdistan
The Sasanian Empire (224–651 CE) was the last major pre-Islamic Iranian dynasty, and its rock reliefs, palaces, and fire temples left an indelible mark on the Kurdish landscape, particularly in Rojhilat (Iranian Kurdistan). The Sasanians considered themselves the true heirs of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, and their art and architecture reflected this imperial ambition.
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The rock reliefs at Taq-e Bostan near Kermanshah are among the finest examples of late antique monumental art anywhere in the world. The larger iwan (arched alcove) features a nearly life-sized equestrian statue of King Khosrow II on his famous horse Shabdiz, both clad in full armour. The walls depict elaborate royal hunting scenes — boar hunts in marshlands and deer hunts in enclosed parks — rendered with extraordinary narrative detail including musicians, beaters, elephants, and boats.
The Sasanian period saw the flourishing of Zoroastrian temple architecture in the Kurdish mountains. Fire temples — some carved into cliff faces, others built as freestanding tower structures — dotted the landscape of what is now western Iran. While many have been lost to time, traces survive in archaeological remains and in the place names of the region, where terms like "atashgah" (fire temple) persist in local Kurdish usage.
The Sasanian artistic tradition profoundly influenced the art of the Islamic world that succeeded it. Motifs developed in Sasanian rock reliefs, metalwork, and textiles — hunting scenes, royal audiences, mythical creatures — became foundational elements of Islamic decorative art across the Middle East.