Foundation houses, fire altars and the frataraka : Interpreting the iconography of some post-achaemenid persian coins

Abstract

The iconography of Persid coins of the frataraka dynasty has been discussed by many scholars. Interpretations have considered whether the building shown on the reverse of these coins was 1. a fire temple 2. an atāshgah, i.e. a repository of holy fire 3. a tomb 4. a coronation tower 5. a “foundation house” or a repository of Zoroastrian parapherlia or 6. a tower altar/fire altar. These putative functions, and the building’s relationship to the similarly shaped Zenda-e Sulaiman at Parsagadae and Ka’ba-e Zardosht at Naqsh-e Rustam, are evaluated.