Archaeologists discovered the remains of the Achaemenid city during excavations in the Rivi site which began in 2012 in the Samalghan plains in northern Khorasan Province.

Excavations in 2017 led to the unearthing of a colonnade in the southern wing of the site and a large adobe structure from Achaemenid and Sassanid times at the center of the site. A cemetery dating back to the Bronze Age (4000 years ago) was also unearthed in the northern wing.

The importance of the Rivi site lies in its size which extended to 110 hectares under the Achaemenid, indicating that this was one of their important cities in northeastern Iran.

Much architectural and archaeological evidence from the Achaemenid and Sassanid era were also discovered in the Rivi excavations, showing that this was an established, sustained community after the Achaemenid era.

This historic site will open its doors to all visitors from the upcoming Iranian New Year in March 2019.