This tomb is believed to be the gravesite of Cyrus I, grandson of Achamenes, the founder of the empire, and grandfather of Cyrus II the Great. Cyrus I ruled about 600 BCE. The tomb is located in the village of Tang-e Eram in Bushehr province near the Persian Gulf.
The tomb is protected by a mere 100-meter demarcated perimeter, Mehr news agency reported. Any construction inside the perimeter is forbidden. However, more and more buildings have been cropping up around the boundary, Mehr said, and the perimeter was breached when the regional electrical supplier installed a power line just four meters from the tomb a few years ago.
The site was discovered only in 1960 by Belgian archaeologist Louis Vandenberg. The occupant of the tomb is in some dispute. A number of experts believe Mandane, Cyrus the Great’s mother, is buried there. Others believe the tomb belongs to Atossa, the daughter of Cyrus the Great and the wife of Darius the Great.
The tomb is built from 24 massive stones. Its structure closely resembles, on a much smaller scale, Cyrus the Great’s mausoleum at Pasargaedae in Fars Province. The tomb is 4.5 meters high and houses a small pool.
