The Vanished Fire Temple of Sarab-e Murt: A Tentative Interpretation of the Archaeological Evidence

This paper presents the results of archaeological excavations at the southwestern site of Sarab-e Murt in western Iran. The investigations, conducted in 2008, revealed intriguing remnants of a significant sacred building, now obliterated due to the construction of a dam. All that remains of this structure are a few fragmentary walls, portions of a plastered floor, two clay installations, and five gypsum stepped stands. The architectural remnants are positioned in two distinct sections. In Section B, the structures are too limited in scope to allow for a comprehensive understanding of its original layout. Conversely, Section A, despite the fragmentary nature of the material, offers a more promising avenue for interpretation. By drawing parallels with well-preserved Sasanian Chahar-Taqs documented in other locations, a tentative reconstruction of this section as a Chahar-Taq with a bay on each side becomes conceivable. These archaeological findings suggest the existence of a Sasanian fire temple, distinguished by its unique architectural design. This temple served as a revered place of worship for the local Zoroastrian community in the Gilan-e Gharb Plain during the 4th–5th centuries c.e., and possibly even slightly earlier.