Identification and Investigation of Sassanians Ossuaries in Shoushtar city, Kuzistan

The study of burials in ancient world is one of the most important sources to recognize religions, culture and ideological beliefs of ancient peoples. In the Sassanid eras, also it seems that by appearing Zarathustra as an official religion and strengthening fire-worshippers and the clergy, they tried that the burial method and hiding the dead bodies would be performed according to their religious laws. Water and Soil are sacred in Zarathustra religion, and if the body is buried into the soil, it will be contaminated, if it is drowned in to the water, it will be impure, and if it is burned they will be committed the greatest sins by polluting this heavenly brightness. On the basis of these ideas, at first, they placed the bodies of the dead into the tombs built on the mountains, mounds and heights while their flesh would be decayed, then their bones would be transferring into places called Estudan. Since less religious patterns has been remained that are directly related to this matter in the country. These Estudans can elucidate many points about religious beliefs in the period before Islam, and unfortunately the main part of this information are disappearing because of many factors threatening them. Many of these Estudans are placed at Shoushtar area, and some of them have inscription and signs of Sassanians. The present study is an attempt to identify and investigate the most valuable aspects these ancient works with a reference to the written sources.