The Persepolis complex is located 55 km north of the city of Shiraz, in the suburban area of the Marvdasht plain in Fars province. A stone well that was found at the foot of Rahmat Mountain revealed the nearby existence of an underground water tank that furnished potable water to the complex’s palaces. Unfortunately, exploration of the water supply system of the Persepolis area, while interesting, has been at least partly neglected by archaeologists under the mistaken assumption that such inquiry was more of an engineering rather than historical interest (TCE, 2003).
Evidence supports the hypothesis that the Persepolis complex was supplied by reliable water sources including rivers, subterranean canals and springs:
I. Because precipitation was locally unpredictable, rainfall could not guarantee an adequate and reliable water supply. Furthermore, due to the challenges of storing water during the hot season, long detention times would adversely affect its aesthetic properties and taste as well as diminishing its overall quality. King Cyrus's plan to relocate the capital from Pasargad to Persepolis, in part to build a more prestigious palace, was further motivation to devise a more reliable supply than just rain collection. Thus, in spring, water was supplied by aquifers and other underground reservoirs.
II. During the 180-year construction period of the whole complex, the large entourage of palace residents, clerks, laborers and soldiers needed water for daily living. Satisfying this need required a reliable and accessible water supply and certainly the Achaemenid experts had both the experience and skill to build this infrastructure.
Although the Pulvar (Sivand) River was the nearest permanent water source, its erratic inflow and considerable sediment load rendered it unsuitable for drinking. Moreover, in order to supply water from the Sivand River, a small diversion weir was required upstream (around Naghsh - Rajabarea); however, no historical evidence has been found regarding the construction of such a weir. Other available local water supply resources that were exploited include the calcareous springs which were formed by limestone and Razak formations; their use is confirmed by the vestiges of old subterranean canals.
The most appropriate and accessible source is in Seidan. This village is located 19 kilometers west of Persepolis where calcareous mountains, subterranean canals and springs can be found (Fig. 5.2a), such as the Sarasiab spring with a current outflow of 400 L/s (Fig. 5.2b). Here, there is also the Hasan-Abad subterranean canal which travels along the plain towards Persepolis and Hasan-Abad village (TCE, 2003).
(b)