Xerxes I inscription at Van

Location of Xerxes I's inscription at Van

The Xerxes I inscription at Van, also known as the XV Achaemenid royal inscription,^[1] is a trilingual cuneiform inscription of the Achaemenid King Xerxes I (r. 486–465 BC).^[2]^[3] It is located on the southern slope of a mountain adjacent to the Van Fortress, near Lake Van in present-day Turkey.^[3] When inscribed it was located in the Achaemenid province of Armenia.^[2] The inscription is inscribed on a smoothed section of the rock face near the fortress, approximately 20 metres (70 feet) above the ground. The niche was originally carved out by Xerxes' father, King Darius (r. 522–486 BC), but he left the surface blank.^[4]^[3]

^ Dusinberre 2013, p. xxi.
^ ^a ^b Dusinberre 2013, p. 51.
^ ^a ^b ^c Khatchadourian 2016, p. 151.
^ Kuhrt 2007, p. 301.

[FOOTNOTEDusinberre2013xxi-1] Dusinberre 2013, p. xxi.

[FOOTNOTEDusinberre201351-2] Dusinberre 2013, p. 51.

[FOOTNOTEKhatchadourian2016151-3] Khatchadourian 2016, p. 151.

[FOOTNOTEKuhrt2007301-4] Kuhrt 2007, p. 301.

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