Akbar told us that it was still intact only because of the quick-witted Pasargadae villagers. In the seventh century, invading Arabs bent on destroying all things ancient and pagan rode up to the tomb and asked who was buried there. “Solomon’s mother,” the villagers replied. The holy name from the Koran sent the coarse, illiterate Bedouins galloping on. The bluff worked. Now the resting place of Cyrus II, founder of the Persian Empire, sat starkly alone.
