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What festival is depicted in the tribute scenes at Persepolis?
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Persepolis
Ruins of the royal Achaemenid residence at Persepolis, Iran.
The tribute scenes at Persepolis are widely interpreted by many scholars as depicting representatives from across the Achaemenid Empire bringing offerings to the king during the national festival of the vernal equinox.1
While this interpretation is common, it is important to note that the connection between these specific reliefs and the festival of Nowruz is a subject of ongoing debate among historians and archaeologists. Some scholars contend that linking these ancient carvings to the later, well-documented Nowruz festival is a retrospective explanation rather than a confirmed historical fact.2