An analysis of the evolution of the column in pre-Islamic Iran

Changing in constructions techniques and their components and also reasons of such innovations has been always an important question for researchers and the history of architecture in Iran is full of such changes. one of them is in type of roof that has always been one of architects’ concerns. At first, it was not that difficult because of small architectural spaces and it was possible by only a few pieces of wood, straw and even animal skins but, passage of time and new needs made changes in architectural styles. Styles such as columnar spaces that has been accepted for long years as the main method of buildings. Column is one innovative parts of Iranian architecture. Its usage starts from when human had constructed a shelter for himself and had used wooden poles and trees bough with litter as roof and to prevent bending wooden poles used on ceiling he used primitive column. In addition, some archaeologists believe that the evolution of architecture with flat rooms is the cause of emergence of the column. But the main questions of this research are that column making technology as the main issue of this research -that has thousands of years' history- did emerge as an innovation in the Achaemenids period? Has the entry of columns into Iranian architecture been influenced by Greek architecture? This research aims -by reviewing reports published on archaeological activities- first, consider the origins of column making technology in pre-historic Iranian works and then later introduces outstanding works in Iranian architecture. Although it is very clear that the Achaemenes period is the peak of the use of columns in Iranian architecture, but it is unthinkable that such an advance in column construction was created all at once.