Behistun

American  

[bey-hi-stoon] / ˌbeɪ hɪˈstun /

noun

1. a ruined town in W Iran: site of a cliff that bears on its face a cuneiform inscription in Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian that provided a key for the decipherment of cuneiform in other languages.

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Behistun British  

/ ˌbeɪhɪˈstuːn /

noun

1. a village in W Iran by the ancient road from Ecbatana to Babylon. On a nearby cliff is an inscription by Darius in Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian describing his enthronement

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Example Sentences

Once these had been quelled, Darius commissioned an enormous relief inscription to be made on the cliff face of Mount Behistun.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

The great bas-reliefs that Darius ordered carved into a cliffside in Behistun, some 150 miles to the north of Susa, for instance, tell of his accession to the throne and his triumph over enemies.

From Time Magazine Archive

He carved the stone of Behistun into a staircase—one step at a time—all the while dreaming that he’d reach the peak of the mountain and by then he’d have changed the world.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri

The only historical sculpture which is at present known, is the inscription of Darius at Behistun.

From The History of Antiquity Vol. VI. (vol. VI. of VI.) by Duncker, Max

We can fix precisely the position of this district by the hill consecrated to Zeus near the modern Behistun.

From The History of Antiquity Vol. V. by Duncker, Max