Pillared Hall

Achaemenid architecture is distinguished by its columned halls and porticoes, which can be found in the empire’s major capitals, such as Pasargadae, Susa, and Persepolis. Column bases are one of the most essential parts of a column, and square and bell-shaped column bases were frequently used during the Achaemenid period. During a 2018 survey conducted in Hannā, Semirom County, Esfahan Province, the authors discovered two square-column bases that showed a striking resemblance to other column bases found in the Achaemenid Empire. The column bases, along with several partly carved slabs, were found by a bulldozer during the digging process. If these column bases and carved slabs are indeed from an Achaemenid period construction, it serves as a strong indication of the importance of the Hannā site in Semirom. An additional indication of the significance of these findings is the lack of palaces or buildings with columns from the Achaemenid period in the region of Esfahan. Furthermore, it is essential to take into account the continued use of square-column bases in post-Achaemenid structures, as well as the fact that the masonry tools employed during this period remained unchanged throughout the following centuries. By analyzing the presence of carved stone slabs and columned bases of pillared buildings and halls from the Achaemenid period and beyond, we may determine that we are dealing with a prestigious structure that is associated with the elite of society. After the decline of the Achaemenid Empire, pillared structures and this type of square and stepped column base were used.