Discovery of One of the Most Important Fire Temples of the Sassanian Era Near Mashhad

A group of archaeologists in Iran has announced the discovery of a Sassanian fire temple during 'seven seasons of excavation' in the Bāzeh Hoor region of Razavi Khorasan province, which they believe is likely the fire temple 'Āzar Burzin Mehr.' According to ISNA news agency on Tuesday, December 5, this 'largest and most important fire temple' in northeastern Iran before Islam is the result of seven seasons of archaeological excavations in the historical site of Bāzeh Hoor, located 75 kilometers from Mashhad. Meysam Labaf Khaniki, the head of the Bāzeh Hoor archaeological team, stated that this is probably the same fire temple mentioned in Sassanian religious and historical texts as 'Āzar Burzin Mehr.' The report indicates that during continued excavations in the southern front of the Bāzeh Hoor site since 1397 (2018), archaeologists have successfully uncovered the architectural remains of this Sassanian fire temple, which was active until the early Islamic period. According to the head of the Bāzeh Hoor archaeological team, excavations in workshops located within the enclosed area south of the fire temple have led to the discovery of an unparalleled collection of pottery from the Parthian period to the early Islamic era. The Bāzeh Hoor site, adjacent to the village of Rabat Sefid, is considered one of the most important settlement sites of the Sassanian period. Meysam Labaf Khaniki emphasized the 'unique position of this fire temple in explaining the social, political, and cultural history of Iran' and called for the preservation and protection of this historical site. Some experts cite widespread unemployment and the lack of legal action as reasons for the prevalence of illegal excavations in Iran. Additionally, see: Arrest of a 'treasure-hunting gang' in Mashhad while digging an '18-meter tunnel' in an old garden hall. Reza Mehrafarin, an archaeologist and university lecturer, has described the economic situation and the large number of unemployed individuals as factors exacerbating illegal excavations aided by advanced technology. Abdolreza Mohajerinejad, another archaeologist, also stated in an interview with ILNA that the lack of a clear legal framework in dealing with smugglers and illegal excavators is among the reasons for the destruction of archaeological sites in Iran. Besides illegal excavations, other factors such as environmental damage caused by the mismanagement of the Islamic Republic and construction projects based on their executive policies threaten historical and archaeological sites in various regions of Iran. Maryam Dehghani, a faculty member in the Department of Road, Building, and Environmental Engineering at Shiraz University, previously warned about the subsidence reaching 300 meters from Persepolis and 10 meters from Naqsh-e Rustam, stating that excessive water extraction for agricultural purposes is the main cause of land subsidence in the Marvdasht area, Persepolis, and Naqsh-e Rustam.