This inscription is by a bridge in the province of Persis/Pārs (Firuzabad), which was constructed by the order of the Wuzurg Framadār, Mehr-Narseh in the fifth century CE. The bridge has now collapsed and its remnants are seen along with this inscription. Building activity to help others was one of the meritorious acts which a Zoroastrian did for their sake of their own soul, or that of their family members. This bridge allowed the people to pass from one side of the bride to the other side of Tang-e Āb, which also allowed them to see an early investiture scene of Ardaxšīr I. Further down the road there is the combat scene of Ardaxšīr I and Šāpūr I against the last Parthians (Battle of Hormozgan).
The inscription we first published R. Ghirshman, but it was W.B. Henning who gave the definitive reading of the inscription. Since Henning, only Back has included the inscription in his book on the Sasanian inscriptions. We were able to photograph the site, but the inscription is now almost unrecognizable.
Bibliography:
- Akbarzadeh, D. & Tavoosi, M. Pahlavi Inscriptions, Khaneye Farhikhtegan-e Honarhaye Sonati, Tehran, 2006.
- Back, M. Die Sassanidischen Staatsinschriften, E.J. Brill, Leiden, 1978.
- Daryaee, T. “Mehr-Narseh,” Encyclopaedia Iranica, ed. E. Yarshter, 2012.
- Chaumont, M.-L. “Framadār,” Encyclopaedia Iranica, ed. E. Yarshter, 2000.
- Huff, D. “Bridges i. Pre-Islamic bridges,” Encyclopaedia Iranica, ed. E. Yarshter, 1989.
- Ghirshman, R. “Fīrūzābād,” Extrait du Bulletin de l’Institut Français d’Archélogie Orientale, xlvi, Cairo, 1947.
- Henning, W.B. “The Inscription of Firuzabad,” Asia Major, 1954, pp. 98-102.
- Oryan, S. Manual of Middle Iranian Inscriptions, ICHO, Tehran, 1382.
Transliteration:
ZNE pwhly mtrnrshy ZY RBA
prmt’l rwb’n ZY NPŠE r’dy
MN SBW ZY NPŠH plm’t bstny
MNW PWN ZNE r’sy YATWN mtrnrshy
APš prcndyn ’plyny ’yw ABYDWN
AYKš ZNE wtly KON bsty APš
AD yzd’n hdyb’l mwsty W KDBA BYN LAYTY
Transcription:
ēn puhl Mirhnarseh ī wuzurg
framadār rūwān ī xwēš rāy
az xīr ī xwēš framād bastan
kē pad ēn rāh āmad Mihrnarseh
u-š frazandān āfrīn ēw kunēd
u-š ēn widār nūn bast u-š
tā yazdān ayār must ud drō andar nest
Translation:
This bridge was made by the order of Mehr-Narseh,
the Grand Minister (Wuzurg Framadār), for (sake) of his soul,
from his own expense. Whoever comes to this road, praise
Mehr-Narseh and his sons for having now made this passage,
and so long as the gods give aid, there will be no violence and deceit