Double-headed bull capital at Persepolis 3D model

Persian column, or Achaemenid column, is a distinctive type of column developed during the Achaemenid architectural period in ancient Iran, likely beginning slightly before 500 BCE. These columns are mainly known from the remains of Persepolis, where the grand main columns feature a base, a fluted shaft, and a capital with two back-to-back animals, most commonly in the form of bulls. The Achaemenid palaces contained vast columned halls called Apadanas, supported internally by several rows of columns. The Throne Hall or Hall of a Hundred Columns at Persepolis, measuring 70 by 70 meters, was built by the Achaemenid king Artaxerxes I. Even larger columned halls existed. These halls often included a royal throne for the king and were used for large ceremonial gatherings. Grand columned halls such as those in Persepolis and Susa could accommodate up to ten thousand people at once.

The Achaemenids had limited experience in stone architecture, but they managed to bring together artists and craftsmen from across their vast empire to create a hybrid-imperial style influenced by Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Lydian (Anatolian) art, as well as the Elamite civilization native to Iran. This style was likely first developed in the Apadana palace at Susa, but its most extensive and best-preserved examples are found in Persepolis, where several columns still stand. Construction of royal buildings in this style came to a sudden halt with Alexander the Great’s invasion in 330 BCE and the subsequent burning of Persepolis.The shapes of the columns and capitals vary somewhat among different buildings. Generally, the capitals are elaborately decorated with two back-to-back sculpted animals projecting outward from the column. These function as architectural brackets to support the architrave or ceiling beams, while the flat backs of the animals also support beams that intersect at right angles (see the reconstructed column in the Louvre Museum in the image below). Since the animals project outward, they can be considered a type of architectural avant-corps or forepart. The bull is the most common animal featured in these columns, but lions, human-headed bulls in the Assyrian winged bull style, and griffins with eagle heads and lion bodies also appear in this architectural style.

The bull and lion may symbolize elements of Nowruz, the Persian New Year celebrated at the spring equinox, representing an eternal battle between the bull as the embodiment of the moon and the lion as the embodiment of the sun. Nowruz was the occasion on which subject nations would present their annual tribute to the king, as depicted on the stairway reliefs of Persepolis. Some scholars believe Persepolis was constructed specifically to celebrate Nowruz.

The capital is much taller than in most other column styles. While some smaller columns transition directly from the animal sculptures to a plain, undecorated shaft, the larger and more elaborate examples feature a tall intermediate section with twin volutes at the top and inverted at the bottom, along with a square panel area featuring vertical fluting. The main shaft of the column is round. Above this rounded shaft are two stylized, loosely designed plant-inspired sections: the upper part flares out like a “palm capital,” while the lower part resembles downward-bending leaves. Other capitals feature animals and these two plant-based elements but lack the intermediate section with volutes. A capital of this type is preserved in Chicago. There are various small moldings between elements that reflect Greek stylistic influence. The horns and ears of the animals were often separate pieces attached to the head with square pins. The columns were polished, and at least the capitals were painted. In the case of wooden columns, the paint was applied over a layer of plaster. This style reflects the diverse cultural influences of the lands conquered by the Persian Empire, including Egypt, Babylon, and Lydia, as well as Greece, where the Persians had brief success. The final result, however, is a clearly and distinctively Persian style.

The surviving stone columns are believed to be a later development of earlier wooden versions that likely remained in use. It is thought that as it became difficult or impossible to source trees large enough for the grandest buildings, there was a transition toward stone construction. The shafts could reach heights of up to 20 meters. Even in wooden columns, the base was often made of stone, sometimes inscribed with the name of the king who commissioned the building. Most bases are round, but one early square type features two steps.

The bull capital was widely used in many palaces due to the belief—held by many people across the vast Achaemenid Empire—that the bull symbolized fertility and abundance.

Columns measuring approximately 20 meters in height were used in the Apadana Palace, around 17 meters in the Gate of All Nations, about 12 meters in the Hall of a Hundred Columns, and 7 meters in the Treasury, the Hadish Palace, and the Queen’s Palace.