Heritage of Rojhilat (Eastern Kurdistan)

Taq-e Bostan

Near Kermanshah, the rock reliefs of Taq-e Bostan represent the finest surviving examples of Sasanian monumental art. Carved into a cliff face beside a sacred spring, the reliefs include an extraordinary equestrian portrait of King Khosrow II and elaborate hunting scenes of astonishing detail and beauty.

The Behistun Inscription

Also near Kermanshah, the Behistun Inscription is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most important historical documents ever created. Carved 100 metres above the ground by order of Darius the Great around 520 BCE, its trilingual text provided the key to deciphering cuneiform — unlocking the entire literary heritage of ancient Mesopotamia.

The Ardalan Legacy

The Ardalan dynasty ruled parts of eastern Kurdistan from their capital at Sanandaj for over five centuries (14th–19th century). Their patronage fostered a distinctive tradition of Kurdish architecture, music, and literature. Ardalan-era buildings and fortifications, including the Rabat Citadel near Sardasht, survive across the region.

A Deep Past

The Zagros foothills of Rojhilat were one of the cradles of agriculture. Sites like Ganj Dareh and the nearby Jarmo (across the border in Başûr) provide evidence for the earliest transitions from hunting and gathering to settled farming — the Neolithic Revolution that gave rise to civilisation itself.