جشن آبريزگان و تاق بزرگ بستان

Abrizgan festival and the larger grotto of Taq-e- Bustan

Taq-e- Bustan is a place in the northeast of Kermanshah (the capital of Kermanshah province) which is very famous in the world because of a collection of prominent carvings remained from Sasanides era in this area. There are two grottos in this place that six elevated drawings are carved on their walls and the lateral rock. In the larger grotto there are four drawings which depict the sasanid king in different scenes. Most of the ancient historical, geographical and itinerary sources have imputed these drawings to Khosrow Parviz, his wife Shirin and his horse Shabdiz. Although our contemporary archeologists, despite the vast studies that they have conducted on this relief, they have not reached to a common viewpoint. Therefore, they have related the larger grotto and its drawings to different kings such as Khosrow II, Ardashir III and Pirooz I. However, most of them believe that the historic content of the main drawing - on the front wall of larger grotto - is the coronation ceremony and investiture by Ahura Mazda - the supreme Zoroastrian God - and Goddess Anahita. In this scene, they are endowing the crown or power ring to sasanid king. This article, based on available narrations in different texts about the Piroozʹs kingdom, aims to show the validity of these narrations to confirm that this grotto and its drawings belong to Pirooz. However, contrary to all opinions which are presented up to now, these narrations also depict that these inscriptions are not related to t^e coronation ceremony or the investiture by Ahura Mazda and Anahita. They have been carved on the occasion of Abrizgan festival to show his strong relationship with Ahura Mazda and Anahita and evidence their confirmation and protection of him.