The tomb of Darius facts for kids
Persepolis, one of the ancient capitals of Persia, is now located in Iran, north of the Persian Gulf. Nearby, on the slopes of a mountain, in Naqsh-Rustam, are the graves of the Persian kings.
The largest of the Persian tombs in Naqsh-Rustam is that of Darius I, called by his people "king of kings". This tomb was excavated and carved out of the same stone and lies behind a grandiose façade carved in the form of a cross. Four false columns frame the door of the tomb and support a frieze of lions, crowned by 28 giants, who are the bearers of the royal throne. These giants represent the different provinces of the kingdom and symbolize the strength and authority of Darius. An important series of bas-reliefs in each of the tombs have helped to reconstruct the life and customs of a people whose history goes back nine centuries before our era.
