Yazd Tower of Silence

The Yazd Tower of Silence (Persian: برج خاموشان یزد) or the Yazd Dakhma (Persian: دخمه یزد) is a Zoroastrian tower of silence located 15 kilometers to the south east of the city of Yazd, Iran.[1][2]

Yazd Tower of Silence
LocationYazd, Iran
OwnerMinistry of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism

History

Zoroastrians believe that earth, fire and water are all holy elements, and thus do not pollute them by burying, burning or giving their dead to the water. Instead, they place their dead bodies on in a tower of silence, letting vultures to consume the corpses. In the middle of the tower exists a pit known as Ostudan (Persian: استودان) where the remaining bones are placed after they are stripped of meat.[2][3]

This practice, however, has been banned in Iran since 1966–1967, and ever since no body has been placed in this tower of silence.[4][3]

It is included in the list of national heritage sites of Iran with the number 6312.[2]

References
  1. "دخمه(آرامگاه) زرتشتیان در منطقه صفاییه یزد". Islamic Republic News Agency (in Persian). 2017-12-21. Retrieved 2021-11-28.
  2. "آشنایی با برج خاموشان - یزد". همشهری آنلاین (in Persian). 2012-01-13. Retrieved 2021-11-28.
  3. "Zoroastrian Towers of Silence: abandoned, enigmatic but touristic". Tehran Times. 2021-10-11. Retrieved 2021-11-28.
  4. "آخرین پاسبان مردگان زرتشتی در ایران". ایسنا (in Persian). 2018-02-05. Retrieved 2021-11-28.

31.8229°N 54.3548°E / 31.8229; 54.3548

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