TEHRAN -- Nagarechi Hill situated in Nahavand, Hamadan province is emerging as a pivotal archaeological site that could shed more light on the Seleucid era in Iran.
Iranian archaeologist Mohsen Khanjan has described the discovery of a tumulus-shaped tomb on this hill as groundbreaking, with the potential to revolutionize Nahavand’s tourism sector, Mehr News reported.
Nahavand, a region with over 7,000 years of continuous human habitation, is home to numerous historical relics, with Nagarechi Hill being one of its most significant landmarks. Located southeast of Nahavand amidst orchards and farmland, this eight-meter-high circular mound is believed to date back to the Seleucid period.
Two excavation phases, conducted in September 2019 and May 2022, uncovered Iran’s first known tumulus tomb at Nagarechi Hill. According to Khanjan, the site is unparalleled in the country and may contain the burial of a prominent Seleucid figure, such as a high-ranking general or satrap.
Historical records, including a mention by Naser al-Din Shah, suggest the tomb was previously looted, leaving no artifacts or skeletal remains behind.
Khanjan emphasized the hill’s proximity to the Laodicea temple in Nahavand, as a vital link in understanding Seleucid architecture and burial customs. The discovery could fill gaps in knowledge about the Hellenistic influence on Iranian culture and attract international archaeological and tourist interest.
The excavations have drawn attention from cultural enthusiasts highlighting the hill’s potential to redefine the narrative of the Seleucid era in Iran. However, further research has been hindered by financial constraints. 
Nahavand’s Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts has requested an 8 trillion rials (some $10 million) budget to fund ongoing archaeological activities, including a third excavation phase at Nagarechi Hill.
According to Khanjan, the findings from the first two excavation seasons strongly suggest connections between Nagarechi Hill and the Laodicea temple, reinforcing the site’s historical importance. The temple itself, believed to be constructed by Antiochus III, underscores Nahavand’s prominence in the Seleucid empire.
The lack of surviving Seleucid-era artifacts and architectural evidence in Iran makes Nagarechi Hill a unique research opportunity. Khanjan explained that discoveries here could reveal much about Seleucid funerary practices, architectural influences, and their integration with Iranian traditions. Such findings have the potential to transform Nahavand into a major archaeological and tourist destination.
In addition, local officials are urging immediate action to secure the necessary funding to continue excavations. 
“This discovery is unprecedented in Iran and could illuminate many dark corners of Seleucid history,” said Muhammad Ahmadi, head of Nahavand’s Cultural Heritage Department.
According to Khanjan, Naqarechi is a circular hill with a height of about eight meters situated among orchards in the southeast of Nahavand. 
“Nahavand was one of the towns that Seleucids built during their Iran rule over occupied Iran, using their artisans, teachers, artists, historians, traders, … to Greekize Iranian land.”
Khanjan believes the discovery can be of great help to archaeologists in illuminating the dark corners of the Seleucid period on the Iranian plateau.
Over the past couple of years, Khanjan has led several archaeological seasons to possibly unearth the Laodicea Temple believed to be placed beneath the Dokhaharan’s sanctuary. 
In addition to a Greek inscription, other significant objects such as bronze statues of Greek gods, a stone altar, a column head, a column shaft, a column base, and pottery pieces had been discovered in the Dokhaharan neighborhood.
“Regarding those findings, we concluded that the history of the city of Nahavand goes far back in prehistoric times, contrary to what previously believed it only dates back to the Seleucid period.”
In 1943, archaeologists discovered an 85x36 centimeter ancient inscription of 30 lines written in Greek calling on the people of Nahavand to obey the laws of the government. 
The inscription indicated the existence of the Laodicea Temple, which had been built by the Seleucid king who ruled Asia Minor, Antiochus III the Great (223-187 BC), for his wife Queen Laodicea.
Two of the inscriptions as well as four bronze statuettes unearthed at the site are on display in the National Museum of Iran in downtown Tehran. And, column capitals and bases are currently being used as decorations in Nahavand’s Hajian Bazaar and several other parts of the city.
The Seleucid Empire was a Hellenistic state ruled by the Seleucid dynasty, which existed from 312 BC to 63 BC; Seleucus I Nicator founded it following the division of the Macedonian Empire, vastly expanded by Alexander the Great. 
Seleucus received Babylonia (321 BC) and from there expanded his dominions to include much of Alexander’s near-eastern territories. At the height of its power, the Empire included central Anatolia, Persia, the Levant, Mesopotamia, and what is now Kuwait, Afghanistan, and parts of Pakistan and Turkmenistan.