Ecbatana, Archaeological site in Hamadan, Iran

Ecbatana lies on Hagmatana Hill (Tappe-ye Hagmatāna) in Hamadan, where excavation has exposed pale tan and grey mud-brick and earthen walls set out in rectangular foundations across several levels, some retaining horizontal brick courses. Two white signs with brown borders on metal posts stand in the foreground, one headed "نشانه‌های آتشکده" (signs of a fire temple) and "دوره پارتی" (Parthian period), the other asking visitors not to damage the walls. Loose brick and dirt fragments lie at the base of the walls.

Deioces established the settlement in 678 BCE as the capital of the Median Empire, creating a major political center. Later rulers from the Achaemenid and Parthian dynasties used it as a summer residence, maintaining its importance for centuries.

The name comes from Old Persian Hagmatāna, meaning gathering place, reflecting its early function as a political center. Parts of the ancient settlement lie beneath modern Hamadan neighborhoods, limiting excavation to specific zones where residents have allowed access.

The site is open daily from 9 AM to 8 PM in spring and summer, and from 9 AM to 6 PM in fall and winter. Visiting in the morning is advisable when foot traffic is lighter and the light is better for viewing exposed structures.

The gold object in the site's display, shaped like the head and forebody of a horned animal, comes from the Parthian era, when Ecbatana served as the empire's main mint and struck drachms, tetradrachms and bronze coinage. The two white signs at the excavation read "نشانه‌های آتشکده" (traces of a fire temple) and "دوره پارتی" (Parthian period).