Located in the north of Khuzestan province, Shushtar has hosted the River of Karun for millennia and historical hydraulic system on it for centuries. The hydraulic system has included a series of bridges, canals and tunnels, weirs, water cascades and watermills tracking back to 5th centuries before the Christ and the era of Darius I of Persia. This engineering masterpiece has been considered as a world wonder by many travelers.

When the Romance Valerian I was defeated by Sassanid king, Roman soldiers were captured and delegated to constructing a bridge that is known as Shadorvan Bridge or Caesar Weir. This construction is the first combination of bridge and weir in Iran that diverted the water into different canals. Mizan is another weir credited to the Sassanid Shapur I (215 – 270 CE) involves two main diversion canals on the river of Karun namely Shotayt and Gargar which the latter is still used for irrigation.

Water cascades and watermills originate in the Sassanid era. These water cascades push and spin the water mill wheels through numerous canals that eventually fall into basins. The Salasel Castle was the operating center of the hydraulic system along which it served as a defensive structure comprising numerous yards and rooms. However, from this Achaemenid structure, some underground rooms and Daryun canal, an artificial canal to control and share the water, are only extant today.

Mahi Bazan Weir, Khak Weir, Lashkar Bridge-weir, Sharabdar Weir, and an ancient handmade stairway are among other constructions of the complex. Followers of Mandaeism, a Gnostic religion with an emphasis on John the Baptist, has their own constructions in this complex as they practice some of their rituals with running water.

Shushtar historical hydraulic system affirms human ingenuity in the 3rd century CE and is evidence to the diversity of engineering technics from Elamite, Mesopotamian, and Roman civilizations. It also presents technical development in controlling water in human societies in harmony with their semi-desert nature.

This work was globally registered in 2009.

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Chogha Zanbil is a ziggurat dedicated to Inshushinak, the Elamite god. Ziggurat is a kind of stepped pyramid that its origin goes back to religion and the place of gods among human in Mesopotamia and areas around it like southwest of Iran.

Chogha Zanbil Ziggurat is one of the major archaeological sites in Iran that was created by the Elamite king Untash-Napirsha as a religious building around 13th century BC. According to the inscriptions on the exterior of Chogha Zanbil bricks, the whole construct was dedicated to Inshushinak, the lord of Elamite and Susa.

The ziggurat has a 100 * 100 m (330*330 ft.) base that serves as both a temple and a tomb.

It consists of five separately built concentric levels with varying elevation and each level was constructed directly from the ground.

This form of architecture (each level built from the ground and not over the previous layer) is what differentiates Chogha Zanbil and Mesopotamia ziggurats.

Chogha Zanbil Ziggurat Plan & Architecture

The top of temple was where the most important cultic rituals were performed. There were four gates with the southwestern gate being the main one. It was named imperial gate by Professor Roman Ghirshman (French archaeologist) which was connected to the top by side stairs. Only King and first-rate clergies were allowed to walk in these stairs. On both sides of the entrance gate, the statues of guardian bulls and winged griffins glazed in terracotta were placed.

Mud brick at the ancient Elamite complex of Chogha Zanbil Ziggurat

The monument was constructed using firebricks for the casing of structure and sun-dried bricks as filler. In the past, the exterior of the monument was decorated with blue and green glazed firebricks, inlaid ivory mosaics as well as opaque glass mosaics depicting prancing creatures.

Around the main ziggurat were other small shrines that were dedicated to other Elamite gods, the holy city was also protected by three layers of defensing walls.

Today, Chogha Zanbil lies approximately 40 km southeast of Susa and Khuzestan province. In 1979, UNESCO registered it as the first world heritage of Iran.

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