Meshginshahr Inscription (ŠMŠ)

       
  Period: c. 336 CE  
  Abbreviation: ŠMŠ or MeSh  
  Description: This badly preserved architectural inscription is located in the town of Meshgin Shahr located in the Ardabil province. It was first discovered by Kambakhsh Fard in 1966 and subsequently studied and published by Gerd Gropp and Micheal Back.  
  Bibliography:

  • Back, Michael. Die Sassanidischen Staatsinschriften, Acta Iranica, Vol. 18. Leiden: Brill, 1978. (Online)

  • Frye, Richard and Prods Oktor Skjærvø. “The Middle Persian Inscription from Meshkinshahr.” Bulletin of the Asia Institute, New Series, 10 (1996): 53-61. (PDF)

  • Gropp, Gerd. “Die sasanidische Inschrift von Mishkinshar in Azarbaidjān.”Archaeologische Mitteilungen Aus Iran 1 (1968): 149-158.

  • Jaafari-Dehaghi, M.  Rāhnamā-ye katibehā-ye fārsi-e miyāne (Pahlavi-e Sāsāni). Tehran: Markaz-e taḥqīq va toseaᶜh-ye ᶜolum-e ensāni, 2017.
  • Nyberg, H. S. “The Pahlavi Inscription at Mishkīn.” Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 33, no. 1 (1970):, 144-153. (PDF)
  
     

 

Transliteration:
1) BYRH mtry QDM ŠNT
2) 10 10 IIIIIII šhpwhly MLKAn
3) MLKA ZY hwlwmzd[k]n AMT
4) LY nrshy hlwzdy ZY
5) gwpt’n ZNE dzy ZY plhw
6) dhwh x wdy plkndy [A]Pm 7) PWN ŠM ZY yzd’n GDE ZY 8) MLKAn MLKA PWN IIIIIII ŠNT
9) PWN plc’my krty KON
10) štldJly LBA Jz’ty GBRA
11) MNW LCDr ZNE J’sy BRA YATWN
12) ZNE dzy psnd’t ADYN
13) [n]rshy hl[w]zdy … 14) Q[D]M lwb’n ’plyny (to the right) 15) ’yw OBYDWN
16) MNW LA psnd ’t 17) ADYN dzy ’yw
18) OBYDWNJy MNW MN
19) [ZN]E ŠPYR 20) HWE


(lower left corner) 21 traces of letters

Transcription:


























Translation:
1-3 Month of Mihr in the year 27 of Sabuhr, King of Kings, son of Hormazd,-

3-9 when I, Narseh- … of the Gobedsthis castle that *Farrox-D. laid the foundations of-I completed in the name of the gods for(?) the glory of the King of Kings, in seven years.

9-15 Now, the prince, grandee, (or) freeman who may come along this road (and) whom this castle may please, then let him say a blessing for the soul of Narseh- … !

16-20(You) whom it may not please, then you make a castle that is better than this!