Rhyne King. “Taxing Achaemenid Arachosia: Evidence from Persepolis”

The author presents a novel assessment of some 270 objects, most them carrying an inscription in Aramaic. These mainly mortars and pestles (and fragments thereof) made from green chert were, although produced Arachosia, found Persepolis. While the interpretation first editor, R. Bowman, these items as ritual objects has never met with approval, their purpose so far been elusive. By means quantitative analysis data recorded on – payer, location,...